Editorial / Opinions

I spent a weekend in Kentucky here recently. In western Kentucky they still grow tobacco, and many of the plots look just as they did 100 years ago. We passed several nostalgic, blackened barns that slowly drift smoke haze across the horizon as tobacco is dried inside

Parker's Court History:
Part One

I usually don’t need any “extra” reminders of my advancing age.  Most days, the ever-increasing number of aches and pains as I get out of bed each morning are more than enough to let me know that I’ve been around longer than the majority of people on earth.

I spent a weekend in Kentucky here recently. In western Kentucky they still grow tobacco, and many of the plots look just as they did 100 years ago. We passed several nostalgic, blackened barns that slowly drift smoke haze across the horizon as tobacco is dried inside.

As I begin this column about the current economic crisis in the United States, the first things that pop into my mind are the Bill of Rights and the action of Jesus when he entered the temple.

I usually don’t need any “extra” reminders of my advancing age.  Most days, the ever-increasing number of aches and pains as I get out of bed each morning are more than enough to let me know that I’ve been around longer than the majority of people on earth. 

I wonder what the real amount of time is between, “You know, some day we’ll all look back on this and laugh,” and the day everyone involved actually does look back and laugh. Well, I’m going to jump out on a limb here and tell a story that will certainly get a few laughs. But I will preface it by saying, to some who may be still recovering from this situation, I apologize for the accident again, and I apologize for bringing it up in this column so soon.

Labor Day Weekend and we were off to the Bar Eoff Ranch at Clinton, Ark., for the 23rd annual National Chuck Wagon Racing Championship.  My wife Pat and our friend Lorna Wilson came with me.  I no longer co-announce but help in various ways. Four to five hours announcing the fast pace action of the championship out in that hot sun got a little tough on this old cowboy.  Andy Steward of Louisiana, who does lots of PBR and PRCA rodeos, handles my former part of the co-announcing.  This year he was worried about things in his home state because of hurricane Gustav bearing down and had received several reports via his cell phone and gave  advice for folks going back home on Sunday evening.

Overkill.

I wonder what the real amount of time is between, “You know, some day we’ll all look back on this and laugh,” and the day everyone involved actually does look back and laugh. Well, I’m going to jump out on a limb here and tell a story that will certainly get a few laughs. But I will preface it by saying, to some who may be still recovering from this situation, I apologize for the accident again, and I apologize for bringing it up in this column so soon.