THE VILLAGE TIMES

   On May 19, 2010, I flew to California, a trip I was very familiar with. My sister Diane picked me up at the Ontario Airport and I unpacked and got settled in.

   Wednesday, May 26^th, we were up at the crack of dawn to join some other ladies from Diane’s Woman’s Club. We were going picketing! Imagine…at my age…PICKETING. We went to the San Bernardino County Courthouse to picket against a judge who had ruled against a mother seeking a restraining order against her boyfriend. He had been abusive to her and had threatened her baby. The judge said he could have unsupervised visitation. He picked up the baby the same afternoon, took him out into a deserted area, called the mother and said “I think you should hear this.” Then she heard him cock a gun; he shot the baby, then himself.

   The judge was running for reelection and we were saying no! Newspapers and television stations were there.

   After picketing, we went out to lunch, went home and collapsed. All in all it was a very satisfying day.

   He lost the election!

Minorities-Discrimination – by Richard Smalto

   After a tumultuous early childhood I apparently had an agreeable existence as I grew older. Although my actual mother died around the age of five or six, I had nieces and boarding school custodians who loved me while I was alone and without a mother.  My step-mother was kind to me as a young child but became more detached as I approached my teenage years.

   I don’t remember being treated differently as a child and had to be told there was discrimination against our family in the all-white protestant Christian community where we lived. I knew there was no church we could go to where we lived but didn’t think it mattered much that we had to go out of town to worship. I was told that because we were Italians we were not welcomed in the town. My father was a successful businessman and had a young wife who was very beautiful which is why I believe we were accepted reluctantly. I suppose it was because I did not know any better that I did not mind being called a dago, a whop, a guinea or a greaseball. I was interested in a girl’s anatomy and baseball. I think most of the people in the town liked me despite the fact that I was a Catholic and Italian because I was athletic, worked very hard at odd jobs and was not shiftless. We overcame the discrimination by ignoring it and providing the town with several things we had to offer. My father became a selectman, provided the baseball field with a loudspeaker and stands for people to sit on but beyond all else the first television set the town had and that people on our street could watch at night after dinner. My brother had above average athletic skills and as a youngster became the shortstop on the men’s baseball team. His skill as a fielder and the fact that he could hit with power enabled the team to win more than they would have if he was not on the team.

   I cannot explain why I was a happy boy and always optimistic. I started feeling sorry for myself as I grew older but I do not believe it had anything to do with being a minority. I was having a difficult time figuring out where I fit in the world. With my father’s help and the money I made working on building and road construction jobs I put myself through college. After college I went into the Army because I still hadn’t found myself and wanted to see the world. When I was in the service the soldier who slept in the bunk next to mine gave me a book to read after he finished it. The name of the book was The Fountainhead. I read the book and it changed my life forever. I think the reason people discriminate is not because they are mean although that may be true in some cases but because you are different than the majority of people you are living with.

A Different Kind of Rescue – by Margie Lewin  

   Plenty of people want to grow up in drive a fire truck. Fewer want to build one from scratch.  It took five pickup truck loads to move a 1941 Roseboro fire truck, which, for three years had been in 100s of pieces — to Lamar Drewer’s workshop. It took him less than thirty days to put the vehicle back together, right down to the original wooden ladders. A restorer of vintage tractors, Drewer had only a single photograph to go on. But this 35-year fireman and current chief of Hall’s Fire and Rescue department outside Clinton, worked 12 to 14 hours a day, 6 days a week. That effort brought this one-of-a-kind beauty with just 4000 miles on it to a worthy new home: Sampson County History Museum.

To Arrogate or Not to Arrogate – by Frank Howes

   To arrogate or not to arrogate, that is the question. To answer this question, one must first know the definition of arrogate, an uncommon word. Arrogate means to claim unwarrantably or presumptuously; assume or appropriate to oneself without right. The only instance in which I have seen the word used was about a military lieutenant. In a dire situation, the lieutenant seized authority when his commander fell ill. In this instance, the lieutenant won the battle, and if he had not arrogated command, the battle would almost surely have been lost.

   The idea of arrogating authority is more than simply taking initiative. Taking initiative is the American way. Taking initiative is to see a need and to provide a means to supply that need. Arrogating is akin to taking initiative, but it may also be akin to a mutiny or revolt. So now I come to the original question: is it ever appropriate to arrogate authority?

   I think the answer is yes – under certain conditions. Having said yes, I must specify those conditions. Among them are these:

1. 1. 1. When the situation is critical or dire
      2. When one sees a situation where no one else seems inclined to take action
      3. When the solution is compatible with the overall goals of the organization
      4. When one simply has the intent to help the organization succeed, not to permanently seize power
      5. When one is comfortable with accepting the consequences of his actions, whatever they may be
      6. When one is comfortable with surrendering authority when the situation is no longer critical.

   The military situation I described above fits all these criteria.

   I am currently is a situation where I am initiating an action. Some might even say I am arrogating authority. What are your thoughts. Is it ever appropriate to do so? Are there any other conditions that I should add to those above? What should be the limits be to arrogating authority. Is it better to initiate an action, and if it fails, to ask for forgiveness, or is it better to sit back and do nothing?

Eevee’s Story-Time – by Phyllis Woolley

   Hello peoples!  Well, Mom’s doing it again. She has her suitcase out and I just know she’s planning to leave me again. I know I should probably call and report her, but she will take her phone with her. She told me that she will leave plenty of water in my fountain and will make sure my automatic feeder is full, and my litter box will be scooped. BIG DEAL!! That’s my basic needs. What about giving me treats when I stare at her for half an hour. Who’s going to do that? What about who’s going to sleep with me in my big bed? Or make up my side when I sleep late. Who’s going to play with me, or sing songs to me. Who’s going to scratch my ears or give me goodnight and good morning kisses? NOBODY! Mom said that Aunt Laura and Uncle Tony will be checking on me. Mom said that they can’t take me to their house because I won’t get in a crate. Just minor details and excuses. Mom said she is going to see her three sisters she hasn’t seen in four years.

   Well, I am happy that she is going to do that, but she didn’t even ask my permission. Can you believe she told me she doesn’t have to ask my permission. Something must be wrong with her, or she would never say that! She’s getting a little feisty in her old age. When she gets back, we are going to have a long talk about who’s in charge around here. Well, she just got that noisy vacuum sweeper. She said I left crumbs on the carpet! Next thing you know, she’ll be complaining about a hair on the couch, or on the bathroom sink. Just to show her I am boss; I am going to have a Cat Nip party while she’s gone. I’m inviting all my friends, Tom Cats too! It’s going to be BYOCN. The cleaning lady comes Monday and she’ll remove all the evidence before Mom gets back on Tuesday. Have a good week peoples. I love you. Toodles. 💕💕🐈