As I was working out in the gym after work yesterday I spoke with an old time Steepleton farmer.
"I'm retired now," he said. "My son has taken over the dairy farm."
"You must be proud of your son," I told him, "Most young men these days would rather farm dope than struggle with cows and shit."
The old guy smiled and hesitated before he said, "Maybe he is doing both!"
"We all have to pay our bills and take our old dears to tropical beaches somehow. Did you have horses on the farm?" I asked.
"A long time ago we did. Back when horse racing was the big sport in the city my wife and I bred thoroughbreds. Those were exciting times. We never bred a champion, sometimes we had to bring the horses to Kamloops or Princeton to find a race they might win. One time we drove all the way to Quesnel with a few horses. That was quite the party. Those cowboys up there drink like there is no tomorrow!"
"When did you start coming to the gym?"
"Just after I retired. I was active all my life. I thought I better find something to keep me going. I don't have to force myself to come here. I look forward to working out like I used to look forward to a beer after a long day working on the farm."
I would have liked to talk with the old guy longer. If there is one thing I have learned in my life it is that you can always learn something from someone more conservative than yourself. If only conservative folk were as willing to learn from the wild and free.
"I'm retired now," he said. "My son has taken over the dairy farm."
"You must be proud of your son," I told him, "Most young men these days would rather farm dope than struggle with cows and shit."
The old guy smiled and hesitated before he said, "Maybe he is doing both!"
"We all have to pay our bills and take our old dears to tropical beaches somehow. Did you have horses on the farm?" I asked.
"A long time ago we did. Back when horse racing was the big sport in the city my wife and I bred thoroughbreds. Those were exciting times. We never bred a champion, sometimes we had to bring the horses to Kamloops or Princeton to find a race they might win. One time we drove all the way to Quesnel with a few horses. That was quite the party. Those cowboys up there drink like there is no tomorrow!"
"When did you start coming to the gym?"
"Just after I retired. I was active all my life. I thought I better find something to keep me going. I don't have to force myself to come here. I look forward to working out like I used to look forward to a beer after a long day working on the farm."
I would have liked to talk with the old guy longer. If there is one thing I have learned in my life it is that you can always learn something from someone more conservative than yourself. If only conservative folk were as willing to learn from the wild and free.
1 comment:
Conservative folk are usually to busy praying for the wild & free's souls, to actually learn from them don't ya think?
However, kudos for the old coot to be at the gym and for even contemplating his son could be doing all kinds of farming.
Ps. I got suckered into making a post about random facts about myself..( I did go overboard of course..did 80 instead of 8) and I also "tagged" you so you could bare more of your wild & free soul...
Pps. I got a big chuckle out of your comment about not being too happy having the missus drive you areound, nevermind it being your buddy's missus! :)
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