Page 2, West Craven Highlights, December 29, 1983
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Changes For 1984
By JONATHAN PHILLIPS
Well, whip my tail and call me a plow-mule! Danged
if it ain’t nineteen hunnert and eighty-four already. I
had almost plumb forgot about it.
By now, I can be pretty sure, you’ve been subjected to
more than a few newspaper columns and tee-vee
reports speculating on whether the gosh-awful
situation described in Mr. Orwell’s book “1984” has
come to pass or is right around the corner.
I believe that the totalitarian government control
over our lives discussed in that book is a long way from
happening, despite the concreted efforts of certain
right-wing conservatives to use the guv’mint to impose
their moral standards on society as a whole.
But there is a certain something in the air nowadays,
something that portends great changes. Whether that
something is real, cooked up by the media hype, or an
odor from an old Cool Whip container in the back of the
refrigerator is another topic. But there is something.
So with the changing of the calendar, be it the free
model from the local bank or feed store or one of them
$6.95 jobs with near-naked folks or Miss Piggy on
them, there are certain changes I would like to see
made.
One change I don’t want to see made, before we get
on to the main stuff and while we’re still talkin’
calendar, is those Snap-On Tools calendars that you
can see in the back room at Heuer’s Auto Clinic and
other fine mechanical emporiums.
Ever see the young ladies they put on them tool
calendars? Wheee-doggy, as the great philosopher Jed
Clampett used to say.
*****
OK, first,of all, changes are needed in Craven
County. Quite frankly, the county seat has been in New
Bern for too long. Far as I know, they still ain’t done
anything about building the new jail they were sayin’
was desperately needin’ four years ago!
That ain’t to say nothing’s happened, since I don’t
keep up like I used to. But long as they’re building new
stuff, they may as well move the county seat, lock,
stock, barrel, courthouse, deeds office and all.
Where to? Where else but Piney Neck? Piney Neck is
a fine, quiet setting to conduct county business, and the
sheriff lives at that end of the county anyhow. New
Bern already had its chance to be state capital, and
blew that, and they’ve had their turn at being county
seat.
If they move it to Piney Neck, maybe then they’ll
start putting it on the road maps, where it belongs.
*****
More on locations. If we’ve simply gotta have nuclear
power, we need a change in policy on siting nuke
plants. As it is, they’re always putting them in nice
places, sychas Southport, N.C., or in the farm country
outside of Raleigh.
Rather than subjecting nice places to the visual
intrusion of a nuke plant and the dangers of radiation,
what say we put them in places that are already pretty
much trashed up and not good for much of an:^hing
anyhow?
So no more nukes in places like the Cape Fear valley
or the Wake County countryside (and certainly not in
Craven County!) The next ones go to Los Angeles, the
South Bronx, or midtown Boston. Or Chapel Hill (just
kidding—I like to rile up them UNC boys now and
again).
Another change that should be made in ’84 is in the
garment industry. If something says “permanent
press” that means you should never need to iron it,
ever, right?
But doggone, it, everytime you bring one of them
cotton-and-polyester shirts what says “permanent
press” on it, it’s wrinkled as a newly-plowed ’baccer
held.
The good, green, earth beneath our feet.
The air we breathe, the food we eat.
Some work to do, a goal to win,
A hidden longing deep within
That spurs us onto bigger tilings
And helps us meet what each day brings, all these
things and many more, are things we should be
thankful for. . .And something else we should not
forget—That people we’ve known, or heard of, or met.
By indirection have had a big part, in molding the
thoughts of the mind and the heart — And so it’s the
people who are like you—that the people like me should
give thanks to; For no one can live to himself alone ..
.And no one can win just on his own .. .Too bad there
aren’t a whole lot more people like you to be thankful
for.
It is knowing folks as nice as you, who make the
words in this poem so true. Helen Steinee Rice.
I bought a card with the above poem, and others,
because this poem speaks my sentiments and love to
you, my friends, better than I can express them in
words. I wish I could tell you how I feel, and let you
understand how thankful I am for all the gifts, small
and big, you have given me this Christmas. But your
love and friendship means more than anything else
could for that is the tie that binds our hearts in
Christmas Love. The people I’ve known while working
the Post Office, I know their faces, but can’t always
remember their names, it is a pleasure to see them and
know they are glad to see me ... an old friend.
Perhaps you would like to know what kind of
presents an old lady would like or use: well, I like
anything people want to bring. The heaviest present I
received and can use is a big box of groceries—
including, candy, jam, honey, soap, all kinds of canned
goods. The lightest present was a pair of panty-hose: a
very useful present (I asked for in fun, having no idea
I’d get) was ayard rake. “Miss Lela, what are you going
to do with a yard rake“ they asked; my answer “rake
leaves”. For my birthday I received a ceiling fan and
for Christmas I received the light that goes with the
fan. All of it installed ready for use. 0 yes, I received a
nice gift from a little dog named “Missy”. Wish I could
This has been discussed in this column before, and
its time for the issue to become a crusade. 1984 is the
year that clothing makers should be forbidden from
using the term “permanent press” unless the item
truly will not wrinkle for the life of you or your shirt,
whichever goes first.
*****
Some small items;
The woman in Heislerville, N.J., who invited me to
sit in her house to wait on her son while he came with
his tow truck to come get me out of a sand trap on the
Delaware bayshore should move to Virginia this year.
I could see the faraway look in her eye when she told
me that her lifelong dream was to move to Virginny,j
and by gum, she should have her chance to do it this"^
year.
If justice is to be served, all those college football
bowl officials now toting up the profits and losses from
the just-completed or now-in-progress bowl games will
lose the shirts off their backs and gold outta their teeth.
This is their cosmic penalty for not inviting East
Carolina to a game when dozens of far less worthy
teams like Notre Dame, Mississippi, Kentucky, and
Carolina (hee-hee, I done ’em riled up again) got to go.
A pigskin in your ear and a pox on your offspring, you
swine!
Finally, 1984 should be the year that fate smiles oh a
certain weekly columnist, causing him to come into
possession of great sums of money, a nice house on the
Neuse River, and two fine coon dogs who are able to
fetch thirigs from the refrigerator to the porch, on
demand.
Happy New Year.
Things To Be Thankful For!
^ By LELA BARROW
name each gift, and the giver, but there isn’t time but I
want everyone to know the remembrance of me means
as much as the gift—and your visits and cards give me
so much pleasure. I wish I had words to express my
inmost feelings.
My way I can keep in touch with you, my people is
through the Highlights in writing these little articles
for you to receive on Thursday. You have written me
letters, and talked to me, saying you enjoyed them. If 1
can give anyone any pleasure in what I write, I am well
paid—means more than money. I am not a writer—
never claim to be one, but I love doing this if it gives
other happiness.
Now, one more present I have to tell you about is
something I needed badly and really wanted, and
didn’t know how to go forward to get it. Some people
had insisted on having more telephones put in, but all
who had talked about my needs didn’t know what to do.
Thursday morning the right man came to see me and
that man was the Editor of the Highlights, known to us
as “Junior Cannon”, and he knew my needs exactly—
he knew how to get what was best for me, how to install
it and get other people (near neighbors) to come
quickly if I needed help. All I have to do is push a
button if I can’t get to the telephone and the hospital
calls a neighbor to come help me. It really works—one
neighbor was called from the hospital—he came
running-scared—“what’s the matter?”—I told him “I
was fine”, they were trying the Life Line out to see if
everything was just right.
A Christmas present like this, given, has to be given
with lots of love and appreciation. He said I wouldn’t
let him pay me money and this was something he could
do for me. And I hope to be able to write these messages
for you through our little Vanceboro paper—it gives
me as much pleasure as you say it gives you.
Today is Christmas 1983.
Blessings may fail and fortunes vary, but the
thankful heart remains. The happy past, at least, is
secure—and Heaven is ahead.
I John 1-7 If we walk in the light, as He is in the light.
. .the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from
all sin.
Richard L. Cannon, III
wishes to announce the opening of
his office for the
General Practice of Law
114 Oakmont Drive
Suite 2, Oakmont Professional Offices
Post Office Box 3371
Greenville, North Carolina 27836
Telephone: (919) 355-2697
TOO MUCH HOUDAYSPIRir CAN BE
DEADLY
mnESoeER
HIGHLIGHTS
Craven County’s Family Weekly Newspaper
R.L. Cannon, Jr Zeno Everotte, III Edith Hodgae
Publisher & Paste Up Circulation Manager
Business Manager
Christine Hill p, J.'l*';®:: Michael H^aa
Office Manager P^tluction Manager Circulation
P.O. Box 404, Main St., Across from the Post Office
Vanceboro, North Caroiina, 28586
Phone (919) 244-0780, (019) 244-0508
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