I decided to create this blogspot to share with others stories of my life experiences. I consider them to be pertinent as they are my life, they are what I am, who I am. I have considered writing a book. Maybe not, maybe this will allow me to share memories without pressures of what comes next. As I have tended to live my life without much structure, mostly to react to stimuli, as they say. These pages will come as they come back to me, as they strike, I will write. I can also be a bit of a storyteller as the mood hits me. Maybe some things here won't agree with you, but at least you'll get to know me and isn't that why you are here?

Sunday, July 4, 2010

Coolest guy I ever knew.

Yea, broke the mold on this one.
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All my life he told me, "I think it's great, the whole country celebrates my birthday". I don't guess I really knew until the day I was honored to help carry him to his final resting place that he, once again, had spun a yarn.
You realize that he called me Jerry all my life.
He taught me to always keep a coffee can in the garage. You figure it out.
He said ALL women need love, every one of them. Seems he did his best. haha
The day he left I noticed a bus from the senior center (at 90, he won the Valentine's Day dance there)pulling up. The main thing I noticed was that it was full of women, that's all that got off that bus. I smiled to myself and said "Pops, no doubt, YOU are the man". Told me he outlived 2 wives and 3 girlfriends. I suspect he had more girlfriends than that.
One story I will never forget. For his 90th birthday, we took him to J.C. Penny at the mall to have some pictures taken. We are there and in walks a too tall, too blonde, too friendly camera person. She just had a fit over the old man. He was handsome, he was sweet, he was this he was that. I warned her. Hey, lady, you tell him what to do and he'll do it. Sit like this or that, hat on or off, smile now, whatever, but LEAVE him alone. Don't pick at him or flirt with him. She didn't listen. When the session was over, we stood up to leave and she made her final, foolish mistake. She walks over and bends down (doubt Pop's was much over 5 feet tall) and tells him what a pleasure it has been for her to take his picture today. That's when he struck, OMG, he reached up and put his little hands on the sides of her face and kissed her smack on the mouth! I thought I would wet my pants. I still remember that little grin of his and that look on her face. Priceless! I told her, "hey, I warned you".
He loved hugs, short man like that......loved to hug tall women best, I'm betting.
He told me that years ago he asked Miss Addie if he could take her widowed sister on a date. She said no, because he had to show her something. Well, he leaves the mountains and goes down to the Bell Bomber Plant and gets a job. Then goes over, not far from there and buys a house. Once he had done that, he went back to see if he could have that date now and she said yes. That was the beginning of a too short story. He took her and my mom to that house and he managed to stay for many many years. Right up to just shortly before he left this life. He had an apple tree in the back yard that had several different types of apples on it. He had a touch for growing things. Always had a garden. I was walking around the house with him one day and he hopped up and kicked both feet at the same time, kicked himself in the backside. He told me that as long as he could still kick himself in the butt, he'd be fine. He was in his 70's at the time.
He had this song he sang to kids. If you had a fussy child, if you could get it into his lap and he started singing that song, that kid had no chance. In minutes, he or she was asleep. Not really a song, just soft sounds. Wish I had that. I told my mother one time that I wanted to be like him, just a nice old man. It doesn't work that way. It's not something you can become, you either are or ..........not. It wasn't just women, everybody loved him, because he loved everybody. How else could he have married my grandmother? Somehow.......they just fit. Saw him walk through the kitchen, both of them in their 70's. As he walked by her, he patted her bottom. She kinda made a fuss, but not really.
He used to walk to that senior center. Put on his suit and tie, fedora and walk out in that hot, humid Georgia summer, down a good ways to hang out. I'm not sure how far it was, but most people way under 90 wouldn't have done it, especially in that heat.
He was a piece of work, that one. He used to make things out of wood. He made little rocking chairs and we had a table made out of tree branches. He had a lathe in the garage he was always messing with. He could do cane weaving, man, I have wished many times that I would have paid more attention to him and spent way more time with him. He really knew alot. I watched a movie where an old man told his son, "Sometimes I think God forgot about me". Then he remembered. Well, he remembered my Pops too. I couldn't even desire to have one more day with him. It was time and he was ready. It doesn't stop me from missing him though. Well, happy belated birthday, you ol' story teller, and happy 4th to everyone else. And by the way, it was July 1st, 1904 not, well you know.

Letter to the good senator from Oklahoma

I'm hoping that you will read this and maybe help me get involved.
Thanks,
Gary

Mr. Dorman,
I am Gary Manning, I live in Rush Springs and have since 2004. Today I talked to a woman in Lawton about her husband, John Foster, who is the Lawton motorcycle police officer who was severely injured in an accident when a car pulled out in front of his motorcycle. Also, recently, two people were killed just outside of Rush Springs when someone made a left turn in front of them while they were riding on a motorcycle.
My thought is this. With the ever increasing occurrences' of this nature, I have come to the realization that it is past time to do something. I believe that there should be a motorcycle awareness course that anyone involved in that type of accident should be required to attend. The cost should be paid by the offender with a time limit given with perhaps a temporary loss of the state driver's license if the course isn't taken. I'm thinking to involve the state motorcycle organizations in the preparation and implementation of the of the course. It could be taken at the regular state highway patrol locations. It also might be a good idea to require young drivers to complete the course as part of the regular licensing procedure. New riders may be required to take some sort of defensive driving course as well, before receiving a motorcycle license.
Sir, we must do something about this problem. With mounting fuel prices and the practicality and affordability of riding a motorcycle, their usage will continue to increase, as will the necessity of education for all drivers to prevent this all too common event from occurring.
I will also state that I am against helmet laws for the simple reason that people tend to feel "bullet-proof" while wearing them. I am a long-time rider and have taken several defensive driving courses that have kept me, so far, so good. When I wear my helmet, I also wear other protection, like glasses or goggles, leather and gloves. This is for protection from debris and weather changes or extremes. When you are struck by a moving vehicle, there is very little that your protection can do for you. Education is out best defense.

Thank you very much for your time and consideration,
Gary D. Manning