The day after my last post, the one pertaining to the air-conditioning bill, I arrived at school after having left my vehicle, a 1993 Oldsmobile Ninety-Eight Regency, at school overnight.

Shortly after school began I thought, "I will travel to Quik Trip and get me a Caffiene Free Diet Coke." So, I walk to my car, and I sit down on the seat, pull the door closed, and the back window shatters spilling fingernail sized pieces of glass to and fro, between and betwixt, in and out. $281.00 fixed that. Apparently, a passer-by in the dark of the night, in the shadows, under the tree, while the Whipporwill whipped and the neighbors slept, struck the window and the crack travelled all through the rear glass waiting for that slight bump, thud, push, wind, tap, bang, that would set the pieces free.

The next day, I drive to school and notice something is awry. Awry with my vehicle, the aforementioned '93 Olds. It is dying at red lights which is particularly problematic when having to go through 13 red lights between home and school. I counted them once. That is a lot of car dying. Later that morning I take it to a mechanic.

I can spend 900+ for a new EGR whatever that is. There are some other problems with the plugs and some wires apparently are hitting something wires aren't supposed to hit. Oh...

But the real problem is that it needs a new engine. $1900.00. He recommended that I not spend that on this vehicle. You think?

So, tomorrow I will park it in the parking lot of what used to be a True Value Hardware with a sign that has the critical info: Olds. Runs. 226,000 + miles. Needs alot of work. New back windshield. Can't find title. $300.

Today, I paid an air-conditioning man $65 to drive to my house, $71 dollars to locate the leak in the hose, wire, cable, pipe, whatever, $329 to souder the whatever, and $35 per pound of freon. Those are somewhat random charges don't you think?

Yet, it seems that air-conditioning, while not yet absolutely necessary, will become so.

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Road rage? How about city rage.

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Of course, it is ridiculous to list what amazes about the life of Jesus. Yet, that he still got on the donkey colt, is one of them. And, so, it was Palm Sunday.

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Remember if you are a Christian that you must be a believer in the supernatural.

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So, Caleb, my son, twelve, catches the ball after running a 10 yard route and runs 60 more yards for the touchdown. Now, I have had that feeling.

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Perspective. Four Mexicans sitting across the Rio Grande river from the Boquillas trailhead. Under a lean-to, they have a pot over what would be, was a fire. Nearby, a split piece of wood parallel to the ground has hitched to it two burros. On the American side, they have placed, illegally, their goods, homemade, and a tin can with no label for us, the hikers, to place the money in when we buy their goods. Walking sticks with paintings, scorpions made of wire, bracelets with beads intertwined into the leather, and a sign that lists the prices and says the money will go to children for health, school, clothes. The walking sticks are the highest priced at $5 except for a crude painting on a piece of wood of a church, a child, a tree, and a burro that was $10.

I think to myself that I would like a walking stick, that Jeb, my youngest, would like a walking stick so I walk back to the place with the stuff and wave.

"Ola", I say. That is my spanish. They respond. I wave a $5 dollar bill, and they wave back. I put the money in the can and take my walking stick.

Many of our FWC students, in another group begin their descent, many buy. So many buy that a young boy from Mexico climbs on one of the burros and crosses the river with a new bundle of painted walking sticks from the country of Mexico. We buy more. Probably $100 was put in the can that day made up of $5's and $1's.

I paid $800+ today for air-conditioning because, well, you know, it is going to be absolutely necesssary.

The walking stick is in Jeb's room. On it, it has a coral snake painted.