Common Sense

Ruthann and I knew of each other since she started at Flour Bluff which I think was around 3rd grade or so but it was junior high, the Summer between 7^th and 8^th grade more specifically, before we became connected at the hip, BFF, forever soul mates, die on the same day and all of this is how I feel about her.  You will have to ask Ruthann what her take is on our relationship.  I say that as we have always been very different people, in how we look at life, deal with romantic relationships, polar opposites when it comes to child rearing, how we deal with adversity, moral and religious beliefs are barely even discussed we so differ, and even the way we spend our leisure time, unwind down time, fun and party time for us becomes a source of frustration as neither one of us has the same ideas about what that entails.  So why did we ever become so close in that Summer of 1974?   The last day of the school year, Ruthann, one of the most popular girls in Flour Bluff and by far the most entertaining walked right up to me, the biggest nerd ever and said she was spending the Summer at her Grandparents house right down the road from me and would I like to hang out some.  Duh!  What was she thinking?  I was not in the popular group.  Anyways to get back to why we hit it off, she might have a different story, actually I am sure she will but to my recollection it was her PawPaw.  Well, mostly her PawPaw but really her whole family, they were our glue.  I fell in love with them, all of them and they seemed to accept me, it was understood Ruthann and I were connected, so I was in!   The one attribute that Ruthann and I both shared, the one that kept up the witty banter, that her Grandfather encouraged and helped foster in both of us and has served us well thru all sorts of trials, tribulations and yucky stuff was/is good old common sense.  I could write forever about common sense.  It saddens me and it is frightening to think of my grandchildren having to go to public schools where common sense is a foreign concept.  No one takes responsibility or is taught how to accept it-every thing is a matter for the police, and never is any common sense used to interpret or apply rules that were meant to protect not ruin.  I know life is full of change but I think some things are best kept and fostered-like good old common sense.  Sure wish PawPaw was still around he would know just what to say, as he strides thru his wooden screen back door, just home from doing errands around the Bluff, holler out to Ruthann, “Baby Doll, I think I have your new platform leather shoes about broken in.”   So it goes, how I remember life in my small world.   Hope you understand.  kisses