“I’m so poor I’d have to buy a cemetery plot to be a land owner.”   Poor Texas Cowboy

Daughter: “Hi Daddy. How’s it going?”

Dad: “Going good. We’re on this side of the dirt and the temps are dropping. Hi of 64 yesterday. 54 right now. Tell me about your week.”

“Not bad. Good days……bad days. New meds seem to be working. Maybe they are finally getting me on something that works.”

“God…..I hope so. People tell me the meds are the thing. Get them straight and the rest is easy.”

“Yes…………..well.”

“I have a real hard time dealing with your pain. I just don’t handle it well. I hope you can understand that.”

“Yeah……I know.”

“On a lighter note, that cold front blew through here yesterday. Whooooppeeee. Happy times are here again.”

“I saw a movie with Robert Duvall on TV last night I really enjoyed.”

“He’s a great actor. Anything with him in it is a good movie.”

“I really like Kevin Costner.”

“He’s OK but for me his acting seems to be rather shallow. I like movies with good and evil clearly defined. And the good guy always wins. It’s my fantasy. Guess that explains my attraction to Clint Eastwood movies.”

“Dad, don’t you think Clint Eastwood’s acting is shallow?”

“No. And I don’t think I can explain that.”

“Do you get to visit with any of your fellow gate guards?”

“Not really. I know maybe 5 or 6 couples, primarily through blogs, emails and, phone conversations. We’ve met a few of them in person. They are an interesting mix. I’m sure some of them have interesting stories to tell. A few are very strange.”

“Who is the strangest one?”

“Maybe some other time. I know you’d get a kick out of _____. He’s a real wack job. I’ve got to run as I’ve got gate traffic. I’ll have your mother call you later so you guys can talk for hours about absolutely NOTHING. Just kiddin. Love you babe.”

“Love you too Daddy. Bye.”

“Greatness, no matter how brief, lives with a man forever.”  From the movie The Replacements.