April 28, 2006 - Friday

SKEETERVILLE GAZETTE

04/28/06 FRIDAY
EARLY EDITION
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Todays Gazette is being brought to you by Brekke's Hallmark Shop.
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The current temperature is 53 degrees.
Yesterdays H/L temperature was 68/35
Normal H/L temp for this date is 61/36
The weather the past couple days have been favorable for additional
field work throughout the area. Time will tell if the light rain
forecast in the next 36 hours will have a significant impact on
planting.
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"Profanity makes ignorance audible."
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L O C A L news & stuff,.. mostly stuff.
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I found Thursday morning coffee at Granny's considerably different
than normal. First of all, Granny's opened at 6:00 AM that's 10 or 15
minutes earlier (different) than normal. Then too, we found out, the
front door had been left unlocked all night. That isn't normal either.
As we, Jerry Raumin, Roger Stark, & Richard Thompson and myself, walked
in and sat down we told Norma we would have "the usual", that part was
normal. We also covered the normal, "weather sure is nice" and everyone
wondered if and when it was going to rain, and, then came the different
than normal part.
As more and more guys came in, the conversation would switch from
Georgette LaHaise and her recent funeral, to Lee Almen and when and
where her funeral would be. Then someone mentioned that there would be
three funerals Friday. Someone said, three?, Harley's is at 2:00 and
Lee's is 7:00. Who's the third one? Connie someone said, remember Connie
from Wally's and Vally-Jo's. Her funeral is Friday morning.
Then someone said that Jim Midgarden was finally starting to get better
and he would be home soon. That was fallowed by someone wondering how
Hank Martens was doing after his encounter with a surgical medical
plumber. Just then he walked in looking good and feeling better,
according to him.
Next Billy mention Aurel had fallen the day before and wondered how he
was doing. Yup, a couple minutes later, Aurel walked in, almost, without
a limp.
In case you've missed the point, with the exception of a casual mention
of the weather. The entire morning conversation was about people. True
concern for the well being of those that make up "our" little corner of
the world. Those who have recently left this world for a better place,
and those that will stay behind to work on improving it even more.
I left Granny's this morning with a really wonderful feeling that the
people I break bread with, truely do understand and practice the
philosophy of empathy.
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + When I returned home
and turned on my computer I was greeted by another pleasant surprise. I
had received a note from Bill Kingsbury. He was responding to something
I had written earlier about his father Harley. I was especially pleased
because I know at a time like this, there are dozens of things running
through ones mind, and, that taking the time to respond to a simple note
in the midst of it, certainly shouldn't nor couldn't be expected. Yet,
Bill did, and given the time and circumstances, Bill's note meant more
to me than if he had written a full page letter. He simply said,
"thanks" Bill.
I should add, that Bill actually did telephone me earlier and we did
speak about his father then too. He shared with me the specifics of
Harleys funeral arraignments. He also asked if I would convey the
Kingsbury families appreciation and gratitude to everyone and thank them
for all their acts of kindness.
+ + + + + + + + + + + + +
Later on Thursday, Pat and I went for a ride. As I approached the
intersection of Hill Avenue and 12th street I was again moved by a sign
in the BP gas station on the corner. "HOLY SMOKERS", was my first words.
Followed by, "I'll be darned, do you see that sign Pat?" Then I turned
the corner and spent the next several blocks thinking about what I had
just seen. I pulled over for a minute and wondered, Would I, or could I,
ever expect to see such a thing anywhere else.
Then I thought of "our" discussions at Granny's, and then the sign
again. I said to Pat. "That has to be one of the nicest, most
compassionate roadside messages I have ever seen. (she agreed)
Then I realized, maybe, a stranger passing through town might not
appreciate that sign as much as I do. Only because they might not
understand the people it speaks of.
You see the sign say's. "Our deepest sympathies, to the LaHaise,
Kingsbury, and Jimenez families."
WOW I thought,... A roadside sign for the Kingsbury's, wouldn't really
be that unusual. After all, the family is not only prominent hear in
Grafton, but throughout the entire state. Harley and several members of
his family have been very active in politics both locally and in
Bismarck.
The LaHaise family too, is prominent throughout the area. They have
built, owned and operated numerous businesses and franchises here and on
Georgette's side of the family tree, the LaBerge's are equally prominent
and certainly as deserving.
The last name on that roadside sign is the one that separates "our"
part of the country from the rest of the world.
The Jimenez family. You see, Maria Concepcion "Connie" Jimenez was born
December 6, 1929 at Dolores, Texas the daughter of Juan and Antonia
(Sanchez) Jimenez. She worked as a laborer in the Sugar Beets and
Potatoes in the Red River Valley Connie worked at St. Joseph's
Hospital, the Dakota Supper Club as a dish washer, Wally's Supermarket
for twenty years and also Vally-Jo's food market in Grafton.
Connie's family came to Grafton as Migrant Labor to work Red River
Valley fields. Connie has never earned, nor has she ever has a great
deal of money. As a matter of fact, it's entirely possible that the car
she drove wasn't worth the price of a good pair of shoes.
Still and all, there she was, on the same roadside sign with the
LaHaise's and Kingsbury's. Time, space, and a lack of sufficient,
intelligent mental capacity keep me from writing all of the things that
sign says to me. First of all, what it says about the people that
actually put the sign up, and second, that it speaks volumes for the
people that call "our" home, Home.
I hope the Walsh County Record can get a picture of it and if we're
really lucky, Sue will write a story on it. One thing is for certain, it
is a story worth writing.
"Gosh I'm proud to live where I live. Gee, I wish everyone could. And,
thank God that the people that have come and gone before me, made it
just the way I like it."
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GOTTA GO WORK ON MY DASH
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The Gazette works best, when the folks that read it, write it. Or so it
seems to me.


Write if you can, call if you can't, and, tell your loved ones they are,
before it's too late.