Thursday, June 12, 2014

Cogitation regurgitated

As I go through my days, I find I do a lot of cogitating. With 68 years behind me, I find I have a lot of memories to facilitate any cogitation. I have thought a lot regarding our current state of affairs. What I don’t understand, is how the people of the greatest nation history has ever known find themselves disheartened about their present and future. I recall, having an ice box, and meeting the ice man when he brought ice for the ice box. We didn’t have a refrigerator, cuz they were still relatively new, and only owned by the well to do. Well, today, we not only have a fridge that makes ice, but will serve water also. I recall a box on the wall, that had an earphone connected by a wire, a mouthpiece you spoke into, and a hand crank on the side that would summon an operator to connect your call. We had a party line, which means other people were connected to the line; each of us had a distinct number of rings to identify a call for us. It was understood, that others could listen in on your call. Today, I have a cell phone that fits in my pocket, and for the most part, when it rings no one else can pick up the call. Today, I find government lackeys relishing the idea of listening in on my calls to see what I am saying. As a kid, I would receive a weekly allowance, on Saturday, of fifty cents. That fifty cents would allow me to have a soda at the drug store, buy a comic book, and some bubble gum. Double Bubble bubble gum cost one penny for two pieces of gum. Alternately, that same fifty cents would get me into the Ritz theater on Broadway plus popcorn (or a hot dog) and a drink. If I was not in the mood for movies, I could get into the skating rink and skate for hours. As I think about the visit to the theater on Saturday, I recall seeing about a half-hour of cartoons, followed by “Victory At Sea” short films of what our Navy was doing during the war. This was usually followed by a news reel. Then we got to see a couple of films, usually cowboy and indian. Now, I go to the theater, watch one movie, and out the door. I remember watching Kruschev tell the world that Communism would bury the United States. Now, I find elected officials in our state, city, county and federal administrations doing all they can to fulfill Kruschev’s promise. I remember when the doctor would make house calls. In fact, when my sister nearly died from the croup, the doctor was already there, checking up on her when she stopped breathing. He was able to start working on her while we waited for the ambulance. My guess is, had he not been there, she would not have made it to the hospital other than dead on arrival. Today, I find it difficult to understand people saying we do not have the greatest medical care in the world. Funny how people from all over the world come here for surgery and other medical care, they cannot get in their own country. Now, I hear the veteran’s hospitals can keep people waiting for care for up to months at time. I recognize one of the key problems our medical system struggles with is government intervention. Well, I continue to cogitate, I see things I do not understand, and things I wish were different, but I suppose what is happening in our country is a part of progression. I am truly saddened to see how elected officials are striving to destroy us. May God have mercy on us, one and all.