Green Dragon Tavern
A place to sit down with a couple of pints of ale and wax subversive.
Organizer:
- Organized by
-
-
I Am Not Living Under A Bridge….
-
I Am Not Living Under A Bridge….
Hey Taverneers. Many of you have, along with your prayers, love, support, and kind words, encouraged me to “take care of myself.” I’m sure Trish is sending blessings to you for so doing. Everything in my life that would keep the average citizen from thinking me a homeless derelict was of Trish’s doing. She made me eat regularly, take my vitamins and medicines, and (mostly) dress in clothes that didn’t look like someone’s patched together cleaning rags. Trish married a hobo, and did her best to civilize him (me). There is a touch of irony here. From my earliest memories I always aspired to be a railroad hobo. My heroes were tramps, vagabonds, incurable wanderers, and outlaws. My first friend was Mack, the garbage man. He was a big, black man, who wore a captain’s hat and always had the stub of a cigar sticking out of his mouth, and he was my buddy. At 3 years of age I’d be waiting for the trash truck to show up, so Mack and I could talk for a few minutes. I’m sure my parent’s aspirations of a son who would become a doctor or a lawyer went right down the toilet. I’m glad kids aren’t like automobiles where you can just take them back to the dealership and trade them in for something else. My disdain of authority began in the 1st grade. I was born left handed, and had what had to have been an ancient escaped Nazi for a teacher, whose mission in life was to break my left handedness. She was of the old school of thought that left handed children were of the devil. Left in Latin is “sinister.” In days of old, left handed children were killed for so being, and I’m sure she regretted not having lived in that time. She did her best to browbeat, humiliate, and torture me into being right handed. She ultimately failed, but I never got along with authority figures since. Later, going to school in the foothills of the Southern Appalachians, folklore and folk songs were a part of the curriculum. In song class one day when I was in the 4th grade, we sang Woodie Guthrie’s “So Long, It’s Been Good To Know You.” That was it; I was never worth a hoot in school again. The teacher would be writing the multiplication tables up on the chalkboard, I would hear the whistle of a distant train coming by town, and in my mind, I’d be on it and gone. I was always in trouble for daydreaming in class. There were always parent-troubling remarks on my report cards. That I even graduated from high school and college should be enough to make an atheist believe in God. I wasn’t stupid; it’s just that they were always wanting to teach me stuff I never wanted to learn. It’s hard in modern society, being a child mystic whose ambition was to ride the rails. It was written of Woodie Guthrie that, “…he just couldn’t be cured of wandering off.” I read that when I was in my 20’s, and thought, “That’s my diagnosis, at least mentally.” Well, if that was my disease, Trish was the cure…or at least the treatment that kept the symptoms at bay. Thankfully I have lots of wonderful family, extended family, and friends (all of whom y’all are a part) who are taking up Trish’s mantle, and making sure this old boy eats, takes his medicines, and doesn’t sleep in a cardboard box under a bridge. My heart and spirit have taken a huge kidney punch. If not for the outpouring of love, prayers, kindnesses, and words of comfort and wisdom, I’m not sure I’d be here to write this. This whole experience will, no doubt, leave a mark. But knowing the love and support I’ve found with you all, I feel better about the future, and I’m using my cardboard boxes for hauling away trash rather than a bedroom. Thank you for being here. It’s people like you that keep God from destroying the world….
-
28 Replies
-
Hey Dana! What a great entry to Your wonderful feed! It’s an honor to be of assistance, I have ~40 years of corralling a man into behavior that helps him pass for “civilized” so it’s easy to add you to my “to pester list.” Important to realize that you are in good company… some of the historical accounts I’ve read re our beloved Tom Paine suggest you share many of his most fundamental qualities! Again thanks for the update — sending my love and support! CiC
-
Sometimes Trish rode me like the family mule. And, sometimes I obeyed through groans and clenched teeth, but I never once considered it pestering. So pester away. Trish’ll buy you a drink in Heaven.
-
My wife and I have been re-watching the old Tim Allen Home Improvement show. In light of this thread it’s almost like a documentary. Just hilarious stuff
-
-
-
From the foothills of the Rocky Mountains in Canada, best wishes Dana. Not an easy time but I sure enjoy reading your words!
-
As a wise man wrote in a book he wrote and autographed to us Paineiacs, the quote attributed to Ben Franklin, “Rebellion to tyrants is obedience to God”
-
This dawned on me when I thought of my friendship with and hero worship of Mack the garbage man. I’m so thankful I grew up when I did. Can you imagine that kind of interaction happening today between a 3 year old and a cigar chomping giant who spent his days hanging off the side of a trash truck…and without parental freak out? Like Maria so aptly termed it; Indeed I was a free range kid!
-
A true free spirit, the perfect proprietor for the Green Dragon Tavern! So good to hear from you Dana & read your adventures. My Grandmother who was born in the 1920’s, was also a left hander & they would hit her knuckles with a ruler whenever the ‘teacher’ would ‘catch’ her. They couldn’t ‘break’ her either, so here’s to following your inner ‘ruler’ not these external miscreants. As to taking care of yourself, I appreciate you not considering it ‘pestering’. So whenever you feel hungry but are into something that you might rather do than sit down to eat, please hear Trishs’ voice in your heart & heed her loving words. Like all new habits, it’ll take a bit of time but you’ll get a double benefit by recalling beautiful memories & taking care of yourself especially for your family & friends. Thank you for sharing from your heart, I will keep you in prayer for new habits, love from both this plane & beyond and finding your way in the on going journey of life. Sending a warm hug from my heart to yours Dana, be well.
-
My wife is left handed and there was no way they were breaking her either. In fact, she tries to break me for being right handed. She says I should be ambidextrous. 😀
-
-
Love your early time story and can relate. My parents didn’t like me hanging with my garbage men friends as a teen especially certain ones. I’m still friends with a couple to this day. This summer the Mrs went out of town for a spell and off to the local I went. The neighbor introduced me to his younger friend. They were going to call an Uber and I said why don’t we just walk home. So we did. Just as we got to our turn the young man said his brother was a Sheriff and I was not allowed to come over. Then he said he was going to call him, on me. Next, he said he was gonna call the State Troopers on me and I decided to run up the block and get closer to the house and cuss him out. The next day my neighbor said he thought I was a homeless guy and wanted to apologize. He gave me a new nickname homeless guy. I’m pretty sure I need new shorts.
-
Love you so much, kiddo.
-
Makes me wonder @dana.acker did you just assign a memory to Trish? Every time you hear those whistles blowing is it Trish calling for you? The universe works in magical ways. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EX5phFmbrU8
-
Sorry bout the swearing but Fuck, you can write Dana ! You’re a good man an a honest man that’s what Trish would be most proud of !! Sit back have a whiskey and reminisce my brother !!
-
- “End? No, the journey doesn’t end here. Death is just another path, one that we all must take. The gray rain-curtain of this world rolls back, and all turns to silver glass, and then you see it.” —J.R.R. Tolkien
Take strength. May the spirits and memories of loved ones past watch over those who carry on and carry on you will.
-
Dear sweet Dana: thank you so much for sharing – with this writing and over the last weeks…. You have given me hope when I couldn’t find it for myself and I owe you a huge debt of gratitude. God bless you, sir…🙏
-
A tremendous post under such sad circumstances. God bless to Dana and God speed to all.
-
Hang in there, Dana. You are a strong and faithful man. God will heal your heart and your family will keep you out of that cardboard box. Many 🙏 for strength and peace. Take good care. ❤️🙏
-
Thank you Dana for your faith and sharing your journey. Many blessings to you and your loved ones.
-
So glad to read this my husband says I’m a nag for just asking him to do simple things like eat ,put on clean clothes ect , standard reply why I’m not going anywhere 😔.My daddy is left handed also and is one of the smartest guys I know ,we look for those left handed gift just for him .I understand how difficult this is for you but we all love you and continue to pray for you and your family .Stay warm up there .
-
I’d give anything to be able to have Trish “pester” me about basic life stuff again. It’s funny how you find out just how much you miss the things that used to drive you crazy. The old saying, “Don’t sweat the small stuff,” is more true than we all realize.
-
Log in to reply.