Your First Mind

One of the nice things about growing old is you start to see humor in all things. I guess it is because you have been through so much stuff that it takes a very deep cut to upset you anymore. You get more upset with you losing your keys are glasses then anything else. So anyway…living where I do I get to mingle and explore all kinds of different cultures. My neighbor (A black single guy) has become one of my better friends. We love to work out in the yards on a good hot day and then take a break under my pecan tree and have a few brews talking world events, women, fishing and women. You know the important stuff.

When I was dating Mary we were moving in and we met Marvin for the first time. She instantly sized him up and said he is going to be a good neighbor to you as you two even walk alike. We seem to have this unplanned cycle going where we date women who drive the same color car. As in I see your green car dropped by last night.

This neighbor on his own came over and cut my grass during the time I had cancer cause he knew I didn’t feel like it. I told him thanks one time and he said well last thing you want is a white guy living next to you that don’t keep up his place. Brings down the value of the neighborhood.

So yesterday we were going to go fishing on the river. And like always when I am going to take the boat I hook it up and run the motor a little just to make sure it is going to run when I get to the river. It always starts and I have not had any problems with it for the last couple of years. So Marvin is cutting his grass and I turn over the boat motor and it does not start. I pull the plugs but can’t turn the key to see if I can see any spark without help. So I go wave and holler at Marvin to come over and turn the key while I check the plugs. He was looking forward to fishing as the last time I took him out it was according to him the only time in his life he had been out fishing on a boat. He always fished from the shore. I let him drive a little and he was smiling from ear to ear that day. Every time I come over and he has a few friends over he has to talk about the time he got to drive the boat. So he turns the key and no spark. I say this ain’t good Marvin no spark. He said you come turn it over and let me look. I do and he says yep, no spark. I go back and we look at the motor and talk about various things to try.

I said you know I know it is getting juice to the motor cause it is turning over so most be that magneto. He said we can pull that top off and look at it as it may be something simple and we can fix it. I said yeah I do think it is something simple as it ran too good the last time I was out. But….I am afraid that if I mess with it I will turn a 50 dollar repair into a 500 dollar repair.

He stepped back scratched his head and said yeah, sometimes you have to go with your first mind. I started laughing and said YOUR FIRST MIND? He said yeah you know like the first thing that comes to your mind. I said yeah Marvin you are right and the most important thing in life is knowing when to pay attention to YOUR FIRST MIND and when not too. He put on his thinking look and then in about 15 or so seconds he smiled and said yeah. YOU GOT THAT RIGHT!

Art Nalley
Redneck Hertiage Network
@2006