A Collection of Life Stories

By Dr. Bud Vear

No About the Book information available at this time.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Mar 27, 2023
• ISBN: 9781669871798

Book preview

Chapter 1

ANARCHY & TOTALITARIANISM

glyph.jpg

A NARCHY & TOTALITARIANISM

(A Dialogue)

Grandchild: Grandpa, what is anarchy?

Grandpa: Why do you ask? A surprising question from someone your age.

Grandchild: I have been reading some history books, and anarchy is often mentioned.

Grandpa: Do you want the dictionary definition? Grandchild: Probably a good place to start.

Grandpa: According to the American Heritage Dictionary, anarchy is defined as absence of any form of political authority or political disorder and confusion.

Grandchild: Sounds like no one is in charge.

Grandpa: That is correct. Everyone is on their own to establish their own rules. Even God didn’t allow that. He gave us the Ten Commandments.

Grandchild: Sounds like anarchy would produce chaos. Grandpa: Very perceptive.

Grandchild: OK, what about totalitarianism? I hear that mentioned a lot in history books too.

Grandpa: Let’s go back and see what the dictionary has to say.

It says that totalitarianism is when one person or party exercises all control over all spheres of human life and opposing parties are not permitted to exist.

Grandchild: Sounds like Hitler and Nazi Germany at the time of World War II.

Grandpa: You HAVE been reading some history.

Grandchild: Yes, I do read, Grandpa, and it is not all just comic books.

Grandpa: That’s encouraging. Grandchild: Happy to encourage you.

It sounds like neither anarchy nor totalitarianism are very good, so what about socialism? The history I read mentions this a lot.

Grandpa: Again with the good book. Socialism is a social system in which the producers possess both political power and the means of producing and distributing goods. This system has been tried many times throughout history, and it is based on a belief that everyone should share equally in all the benefits and treasures of the earth.

Grandchild: Sounds like a good objective. Grandpa: But it doesn’t work.

Grandchild: Why not?

Grandpa: If you had a neighbor and he was very wealthy, would like him to share half his wealth with you?

Grandchild: That would be nice.

Grandpa: Suppose your neighbor was very poor. Would you like to share equally in his poverty?

Grandchild: Oh, here comes your old age logic again. OK, I’ll play along, What if I worked hard to get what I have and he was lazy. Why should I share what I have earned with a loafer?

Grandpa: You have just described the problem with socialism. People do not willingly choose to share what they have earned with people who earned less because they didn’t work as hard.

Grandchild: So, in socialism, who determines the fair shares each person receives?

Grandpa: The government or a controlling dictator. This is called by another name.

Grandchild: What’s that? Grandpa: Communism.

Grandchild: Whoa, I have heard bad things about communism.

Grandpa: Once again, let me share the definition. Communism is a social system characterized by the common ownership of the means of production and distribution for the common advantage of all members.

Grandchild: That doesn’t sound too bad. Grandpa: But it doesn’t work.

Grandchild: Why not?

Grandpa: Because some people work harder than others. Do you think they should get a larger share of things?

Grandchild: I guess so. Otherwise there would be no benefit to working hard.

Grandpa: Exactly, and that is why socialism always requires totalitarianism to produce the hoped for equality. People don’t usually voluntarily share what they have worked for. They need to be forced to do so.

Grandchild: I sometimes give something to people in need without being told to.

Grandpa: But that is a choice because you are generous not something you are forced to do. It is called charity.

Grandchild: Alright, Grandpa, since all of these systems seem to have problems, is there a good alternative?

Grandpa: I think you already know the answer to that question. Grandchild: Democracy?

Grandpa: Correct answer, but do you know why? Grandchild: Enlighten me.

Grandpa: Once more to the dictionary. Democracy is government by the people, exercised either directly or through elected representatives. Rule by the majority.

Grandchild: That sounds pretty good - much fairer than the other options. Why don’t all Countries use that form of government?

Grandpa: If I could answer that, I would be wiser than Solomon. Grandchild: Aren’t you?

Grandpa: Not quite, but I also read a lot of history, and nations keep adopting the bad forms of government over and over again. It seems like we humans have short memories about how those systems always fail.

Grandchild: And a lot of people suffer in the process.

Grandpa: Suffer and die! Some wise man once said, If we don’t remember history, we are doomed to repeat it.

Grandchild: I guess I better keep reading, so I will remember. Grandpa: Encourage your contemporaries to do the same, and the world will be a safer place.

Grandchild: I’ll try. Thanks, Grandpa.

Chapter 2

AUDIOVISUALS

glyph.jpg

A UDIOVISUALS

What do I watch or listen to? This has changed through the years.

In my growing up years, radio and movies were the primary means of my sensory entertainment. TV had not yet arrived, nor had the internet. I can recall spending many hours lying on the floor with my head under a cabinet radio listening to Little Orphan Andy, Jack Armstrong, Buck Rogers and other programs of make believe. They had a different exciting episode every day, and each episode would end with a teaser to make me want to watch the next one.

Of course, the broadcast of sporting events was very popular, but before television, the play by play was provided by announcers, who could create vivid action pictures with words. I can remember one time, when I was attending a convention of some kind that I snuck out of the program in order to listen to an important football game on my car radio. I remember another time when I listened as the Chicago Bears beat the Washington Redskins 73-0 for the professional football championship! Ironically, the Bears had lost to Washington earlier in the season With the advent of television, my wife became very enamored with Jack Paar and Johnny Carson, who provided a pleasant respite from a house full of small children. She could listen to the television while she was cleaning house or making beds. It was a kind of housewife therapy.

Movies were popular, but, with the arrival of television, it was cheaper and easier to just watch the TV at home than to go to the movies. In addition to sports, I remember watching an interesting program, featuring a priest, Bishop Fulton Sheen, who mixed Theology with humor and became very popular – even with non-Catholics. He always thanked his imaginary angels for magically cleaning his blackboard during the show.

During my working years, I had little time to watch television, but I did try to keep up with the news by listening to the local radio station. My focus during those years was more on watching my kids or grandkids compete in sports or perform on stage.

Today, in my twilight years, I watch more television. I mostly watch news and weather stations, sports, but I also enjoy dramas on TV.

I prefer historical documentaries, but my favorite series is Call the Midwife, which I watch frequently. I do not like science-fiction or films with a lot of violence or sexuality. Instead, I prefer presentations that are believable and realistic, and Call the Midwife does a great job of this.

I probably spend as much time reading and writing now, as I do watching or listening. That way I can create my own images of places or events.. While TV and phones now provide an unlimited opportunity to view anything, I still prefer a good book, written with traditional values. Yes, I do enjoy the stories in the Reader’s Digest and Guidepost. I recently discovered a treasure trove of enjoyable reading – the local library! I visit there often.

Chapter 3

BEING A LANDLORD

glyph.jpg

B EING A LANDLORD

Some people generate a nice income from renting out properties that they own. Not Gloria and I. We did not intend to be landlords, but one of our sons owned an eight unit apartment building in downtown Hillsdale and was having some financial struggles. He was in danger of losing the building, and, since Gloria’s mother had invested some money in the building, we decided, reluctantly, to take over ownership to protect her investment. We owned the building for about eight years, but it turned out to be a learning experience rather than a profitable investment.

I had a Master’s degree in Social Work and Gloria was, by nature, a very compassionate person. These are not profitable assets when dealing with prospective renters. About half of the units were rented to welfare recipients, who came with touching stories of desperation.

I have two small children and have no place to live.

"I have been thrown out of the place where I was living.

Please help me."

I have lost my job and am desperate for a place to sleep.

We requested a deposit of a month’s rent from our tenants, in addition to the first month’s rent when they moved in, but many of the prospective welfare tenants didn’t have the money for the deposit. They would assure us that they would pay the deposit with a little bit each weak. Of course, that seldom happened.

Also, they often didn’t get around to having the welfare money vendered to us in time for the first month’s rent. Vendering meant that the money would go directly to the landlord and not to the welfare recipient. Because of this, these tenants might start their rental two months behind in payments. But this wasn’t the worst of our experience with these types of renters.

People on welfare are often not very responsible or concerned about the condition of their living spaces. Our apartments were really quite decent and half of them contained two bedrooms. One particularly unsettling experience was when the occupants of one of our apartments filled one of their bedrooms with bags of garbage! Yes, this did actually happen. We had a dumpster outside the apartment, and it didn’t cost them anything to put their garbage in it – but they didn’t. Needless to say, cockroaches became a problem and several times we would have the exterminator come in to treat the building. This solution, however, was only temporary until one summer when we emptied out the apartment building, and two of my sons removed all the carpets, refinished the beautiful hardwood floor underneath and took down the wall paneling in all of the apartments. (The cockroaches were upset because they no longer had cozy places to accumulate!)

I am not a very skillful maintenance man, so, when there was a plumbing problem or something else, I had to call a professional, which was expensive. I also spent many hours at the apartment building myself trying to maintain it in decent condition. Since I still had a busy medical practice at the time, maintaining an apartment building was not something I really wanted to do.

The final disappointment, shortly before we finally sold the property, was actually with two college students. About half the units were rented by students from our local college, and our youngest son, who was also a student at the time, lived in the building as kind of the house manager. He would sometimes pursue rent from delinquent tenants. Two of his college friends, who were renting one of the apartments, graduated, owing us rent, and our son did not want to pursue his friends, so we never recovered it.

The lessons I learned, as a landlord are the following. If you want to make it a profitable experience, don’t be a social worker, don’t extend any credit, be diligent in obtaining regular rent payments and insist on decent care of the property, even if it means inspecting the apartments from time to time. In other words, act like a businessman. We were not businessmen, so we never again became landlords.

Chapter 4

BICYCLES

glyph.jpg

B ICYCLES

I was sitting outside on my bench swing in front of my house today, enjoying the sunshine and gentle breezes of a beautiful Spring afternoon. I do this often, not only for the beauty of the days, but also because it allows me to wave at, or have short conversations with my neighbors as they pass by. It is a very friendly neighborhood, populated with senior citizens, young parents and small children, and today the children were on their bikes, pedaling up and down the street in happy abandon. The street has become their playground. It is a safe street because there is no thru traffic and the neighborhood cars move slowly and carefully. Recently, the street was upgraded, so it is very smooth and perfect for bicycles, tricycles, scooters, roller blades and skateboards, and all of these appear at different times on our street. Today it was mostly bicycles, ridden flawlessly by children much younger than I was when I first learned to ride a bike. One tiny bike, with a toddler aboard, didn’t even have pedals, but the toddler moved quickly by just pushing with his