Slim Randles is here as today’s Wednesday’s Guest. The guest here at my house is a return of the nasty cold I had last week. I thought I’d kicked it out, but somehow it slipped back in. Must have been that day it was unseasonably warm here in Northeast TX, and I had a window open. If anybody has some chicken soup, send it on over. In the meantime, all I can offer for refreshments is a cup of hot tea. Grab one and enjoy Slim’s story. I’m going back to bed.
Windy was at it again the other day … Helping Day.
There aren’t an awful lot of things a semi-retired half stoved-up cowboy and camp cook can contribute to make his community a better place. With Windy Wilson, it sure as sugar wasn’t money. He couldn’t put a down payment on a free lunch. So he helped someone, about once a week, depending on weather.
Part of the fun of it was not saying anything to the vic … er, recipient of his largesse, that is. Just go do something nice for a day.
Today, the lucky recipient of his Herculean labors was old Dan Gurule. Windy knew through the grapevine that he hadn’t been well, so he drove over to Dan’s place and shoveled the sidewalk and his porch steps free of snow. When he finished, Windy threw the snow shovel in his pickup and prepared to leave.
No sign of Dan, which was unusual, because there was almost always a cup of coffee for Windy on Helping Day. He drove down to the Mule Barn, waved an empty cup at Loretta and turned to the guys.
“Wellsir, went over to Dan Gurule’s house, boys,” Windy said. “You know, did a little snow shovelin’.”
“Helping Day, Windy?”
“Right you are, Doc. Never did see ol’ Dan, though. Musta been asleep.”
The guys looked at each other. “Windy,” said Doc, “Dan passed away last week.”
Windy shook his head. “Sorry to hear ‘bout that. Prolly why I didn’t exasperate a cup of coffee off him today.”
Brought to you by Ol’ Jimmy Dollar, Slim’s children’s book about a happy hound-dog man and his “kids.” See it at riograndebooks.com.
In addition to hosting a radio show, Slim Randles writes the nationally syndicated column, “Home Country” that is featured in 380 newspapers across the country. He is also the author of a number of books including Saddle Up: A Cowboy Guide to Writing. That title, and others, are published by LPD Press. If you enjoy his columns here on the blog, you might want to check out the book Home Country. It features some of the best of the columns he has shared with us, as well as the 4 million readers of the newspapers where his columns appear.
I hope you enjoyed this offering from Slim. Please do let me know in a comment. And I hope no germs made their way from here to you through cyberspace. I did use hand sanitizer before I typed. Whatever you day holds, be safe. Be happy.
A great way to start the day with a cup of coffee and Slim. Hope you will soon be free of your uninvited guest and good health will return.
Thanks for stopping by, Jan. I don’t know what either of us will do if Slim stops writing these wonderful stories. My unwelcome guest is creating much less havoc late this afternoon.