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January 28, 2020
Growing Up In Bandera
By Glenn Clark
Special to the Prophet
Back in the day I never imagined that our future everyday life would become so "advanced" that it just doesn't make sense to me anymore. Things that we took for granted, like free air and water where you bought gas, are now a lower tier luxury item. Pay to play is the new norm.
We no longer see our friends and neighbors working along the roadways as employees of the local highway department. Guardrails and signs are installed by contractors. Buzzards and varmints clean up the roadkill while occasionally risking becoming part of it. The paychecks that once helped the local economy are no longer available.
The highway trash and litter seems to be a problem that just keeps getting worse. While contractors have taken over the mowing of highway right-of-way, it seems that litter removal first has fallen victim to an updated way of doing business. I can only guess that mowing the trash is supposed to make it less visible. The only help we have now is when local taxpaying volunteers to do the work themselves. Lady Bird Johnson must be turning over in her grave.
More and more I am noticing less service and more attitude from people who work in taxpayer paid positions. Is it just me or have people lost track of who they serve? I think some need to take a step back and refocus.
Consider the life of a farmer or rancher. They have no paid vacation, paid holidays or sick leave guarantee. Those things depend on what they are able to pull from the previous year's income. It's a tough life when you have no choice but to put animals and crops before your own personal needs. There are few changes in their everyday routine just because it is Christmas Day or any other holiday. Whether it's a good year or bad, the presents and meals come after taking care of business. Cows don't have access to calendars so they don't know when a holiday rolls around.
Looking back I can visualize some Christmas holidays that may have been a little lean but I don't recall thinking that at the time. Maybe as kids Growing Up In Bandera we had lower expectations simply because it was a much simpler world than what we have today. I remember when a toy car with remote control was a rarity but by today's standard of flying drones with camera attached they are almost obsolete. Makes me wonder just what my great grandkids have in store for them.
#214 2019
We no longer see our friends and neighbors working along the roadways as employees of the local highway department. Guardrails and signs are installed by contractors. Buzzards and varmints clean up the roadkill while occasionally risking becoming part of it. The paychecks that once helped the local economy are no longer available.
The highway trash and litter seems to be a problem that just keeps getting worse. While contractors have taken over the mowing of highway right-of-way, it seems that litter removal first has fallen victim to an updated way of doing business. I can only guess that mowing the trash is supposed to make it less visible. The only help we have now is when local taxpaying volunteers to do the work themselves. Lady Bird Johnson must be turning over in her grave.
More and more I am noticing less service and more attitude from people who work in taxpayer paid positions. Is it just me or have people lost track of who they serve? I think some need to take a step back and refocus.
Consider the life of a farmer or rancher. They have no paid vacation, paid holidays or sick leave guarantee. Those things depend on what they are able to pull from the previous year's income. It's a tough life when you have no choice but to put animals and crops before your own personal needs. There are few changes in their everyday routine just because it is Christmas Day or any other holiday. Whether it's a good year or bad, the presents and meals come after taking care of business. Cows don't have access to calendars so they don't know when a holiday rolls around.
Looking back I can visualize some Christmas holidays that may have been a little lean but I don't recall thinking that at the time. Maybe as kids Growing Up In Bandera we had lower expectations simply because it was a much simpler world than what we have today. I remember when a toy car with remote control was a rarity but by today's standard of flying drones with camera attached they are almost obsolete. Makes me wonder just what my great grandkids have in store for them.
#214 2019