Corsicana —
As a kid staying with my grandmother in Dallas one summer, my Papa Red gave me some options for dinner one night. We were going out.
I don’t recall what the choices were, but I recall choosing El Fenix, the famed Mexican restaurant. I also recall him laughing and chiding me when I ordered veal parmesan.
What did I know? I think I was 12.
On Tuesday, a group of “celebrities” is joining forces to help another group of kids who are worth lending a hand. The 11th annual “Celebrity WAIT” will be held from 11 a.m. to close at La Pradera Mexican Restaurant. Tips from that day will go to the Community Resource Council, which assists with making life a little better for the kids who call the Corsicana Residential Treatment Center home.
Funds help with parties and holidays and other special events.
“Your county commissioner, preacher, journalist, judges and ever your veterinarian, college dean and college president will be serving throughout the day,” the CRC said in its flier.
Take the time to go and support the event. Again, it’s very worthwhile.
But if you are there, and you see me, stop with the laughing. I order the same thing at La Pradera every time: the fried chicken salad. Honest.
•••
On a recent doctor’s visit, my wife’s cardiologist sat down at a computer in one of many examination rooms in his office and began typing. Notes. A prescription. An email to her primary physician. An email to her surgeon.
I made a comment about “the cardiologist” doing these things. He said three years ago, he might go home hoarse from dictating notes into a recorder (for someone else to transcribe, I am sure). These days, his hands hurt from typing so much.
He was quite the typist.
My wife and I discussed the many roles he played in that one office visit. Seems like that’s the American way. Or is the corporate way?
Name a position that doesn’t have more duties attached to it than it did 20 years ago. Ten. Five.
Certainly, we can all relate, as we discussed further.
“I wonder if he’s ever had to pick up a dead bird?,” I chirped.
My wife laughed, even though it was somewhat of an inside joke. At the Daily Sun offices, I’ve done it all ... changed light bulbs, fixed roof leaks, moved furniture, picked up poor little dead birds that flew into the front door.
We’re all more cross-trained and multi-responsible than ever before.
I’ll draw the line at giving stitches.
•••
Flu shot, check.
It pains me to report that it took me until mid-January to be able to check that off my list. I have been informed I will have it in October later this year. I can live with that.
It was February 1998 the last time I contracted the flu, and it’s nothing I want to go through again. Nevertheless, I recall very few flu shots since. Surely my aversion to needles hasn’t been the reason.
A germ-a-phobe by nature, I’ve spent the last few weeks trying to avoid touching anything and everything or going unnecessary places. Watching “Contagion” over the weekend did not help.
In some cases, a lack of common sense aids the spread. Wash your hands, often with hot water and soap ... and not for three seconds. Cover your mouth when you cough or your nose when you sneeze. Be mindful of others if you are sick, by staying home from work if you are contagious, and the grocery store, and the cleaners, and the ...
It reminds me of saying a great friend once told me about casino chips, but that’s another story.
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Raymond Linex II is publisher of the Corsicana Daily Sun. His column appears on Thursdays. Want to “Soundoff” on his column? Email: soundoff@corsicanadailysun.com
Opinion
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Raymond Linex II is publisher of the Daily Sun.
Discussion
You can lend a helping hand in many ways
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