The earliest memories of thinking about my future consisted of answering one common question from family, friends, and teachers: “what do you want to be when you grow up?” My answer was constantly changing throughout my childhood. I wanted to be a teacher, a doctor, and a psychologist. When thinking about this question, I always saw my future career as requiring a college education. All the adults I looked up to had gone to college and it never even occurred to me that there was another viable option.

This perspective can be attributed to my upbringing in a more affluent suburb of St. Louis where professionals are mostly viewed as role models in the community. Workers and tradespeople were usually respected but never looked to as people who I could learn from or aspire to be in my future. Since the average working conditions and wages of the working class are rarely adequate to live off of, it makes sense that my mentors would expect me to attend college and pursue a professional career. It is especially understandable that I would be expected to pursue higher education due to the quality of public education I had access to and the other lack of barriers due to my economic class and race.

Now, as I have learned more and gained more perspective, I do consider the idea that pursuing higher education is not for everyone to be true to a certain extent. In “Kid, I’m Sorry, but You’re Just Not College Material,” Michael J. Petrilli makes an argument that a college education is not a viable option for everyone. He argues that it is a waste of effort and time for students that are “not cut out for college” to even try and that focusing on a trade is a much better option for young people in disadvantaged economic situations to “another road to the middle class.”

I have mixed feelings on this article. On one hand, I agree that college is not the only viable option to attain a career and that trade jobs are just as essential to our communities as professional ones are. But on the other hand, I feel that this article glosses over the fact that receiving an education is just as much about learning as it is about securing future job opportunities. My first semester in college has provided me with enhanced intrapersonal skills, critical thinking abilities, and has made me a better member of society. These are skills that I believe to be beneficial to anyone, regardless of if they work a professional job or a trade job. Experience in critical thinking and problem-solving could help those in trade jobs to learn how to unionize or secure a leadership position in their job. Viewing college as simply a means to an end (a job) is an inaccurate analysis of the purpose and effect of education. I feel that narratives like Petrilli’s which deem some people “fit” and some “unfit” to attend college only exacerbate the idea that those who are financially secure are the only ones who should get the privilege of the benefits of having an education.

Petrilli also completely fails to recognize the outside factors which may be influencing how well students perform in school to determine who should and shouldn’t attend. I didn’t have to deal with food insecurity, lack of healthcare, or racism when going through my elementary education. But a lot of students do. To deem a student who didn’t perform well in school unworthy of receiving an education is simply unfair. There is a stereotype surrounding college-goers among the working class that they are elitist. This stereotype stems from the reality of inequality of opportunity in our country which alienates the working class from even the middle class in terms of prospects for education. It is no wonder that this stereotype exists, it does come across as elitist to praise a college education for your success when higher education isn’t accessible to everyone.

I do recognize although college education is important to me, not everyone wants or needs to go to college for their own personal goals. The main point I can agree with in Petrilli’s argument is that trade jobs are just as essential as professional jobs. However, the way he analyzes higher education from a strictly economic perspective I find to be extremely troubling. Petrilli seems to be operating under the presumption that nothing can be done within our government to improve access to education for those who desire it. I was lucky to have the upbringing, elementary education, and economic situation that I did. Those factors were extremely significant in the amount I was able to succeed in my education. But I don’t think that means that I deserve the opportunity of education any more than someone who did not also have these privileges. Now, I have the perspective that some sort of college education should be an option available for everyone regardless of their ability to pay for it or the ability to thrive academically in school. I think that rather than framing the college question in terms of excluding and discouraging certain people from the opportunity to attend college, we should be aiming to implement policy within our government that gives the option of tuition-free public college. So that everyone at least has the choice to go to college. So that when children across the United States are asked: “what do you want to be when you grow up?” their dreams aren’t restricted by economic class, race, or zip code.

Strong Work Ethic

            I believe that a strong work ethic is one of the most valuable traits an individual could possess. Ever since I was young hard work has been instilled in me. As a kid I was taught no matter what I am doing I need to give it my all. This goes with everything I do from school work to my experience in the Marine Corps. To this very day I still live by this in my everyday life.

What having a strong work ethic means to me is: no matter what you are doing you need to give it your all. With hard work, time, and effort put into the task at had the faster and more efficient you will be at that task. In my opinion if you put in the time and effort, anything is achievable. However, I’m not saying it will be the same for everyone, some people it takes a little more time to learn and master tasks, but in my opinion, I think it is possible for pretty much anyone. With a strong work ethic, it will set you above your peers and allow for more self-reliance in the task at hand.

In Jayson DeMers’ article “Hard Work? It’s Not All It’s Cracked up to Be. It May Even Be Irrelevant. Here’s why,” Jayson DeMers discusses that working hard and giving your 100% might not be good enough anymore. He also states that they (employers) are looking for productivity instead of time in service. I do agree with what Jayson DeMers is saying, that you should be kept on your value to the company. Personally, I think this is achievable by having a strong work ethic. If you do everything in your power to know and master the job, your productivity is going to go up. You may have to spend extra amount of time and effort into learning and being productive, but it’s still possible.

Ever since I was young, I gave my all from the sports I played to my first job I had. My first job I had was as a CNA (Certified Nursing Assistant) working at a nursing home in the Alzheimer’s unit. I did this job when I was a junior in high school, after school I would go to work and, I’d be at work until one in the morning. When I got out of work, I would then proceed to do my homework, then I would go to sleep just to wake up and do it again. I performed this job every day, including weekends. Since I have such a strong work ethic, and the amount of time spent performing this job it didn’t take much time at all to become highly proficient in the job I was tasked to perform.

I would have to thank my strong work ethic for my success in the Marine Corps. It was my junior year when I decided I wanted to join the Marine Corps. I however, was not in a shape to go to bootcamp. So, everyday in the summer before my senior year I would run every day, usually a couple miles at a time, until I lost enough weight so I could ship out to bootcamp. About a month after I graduated, I shipped out to Marine Corps Recruiting Depot San Diego for 13 weeks of hell. During these 13 weeks I was pushed to my limits, and stressed in anyway my Drill Instructors could think of. However, no matter what, I wasn’t going to allow them to break me. When they told me to do something I would do it to the best of my ability (which was never good enough) and I did the task as fast as I could. After these 13 weeks of being abused and degraded, I had a ten-day break, then back to training at MCT (Marine Combat Training). During MCT I was in the field the majority of the time, learning how to use multiple weapon systems, clear building, and other basic rifleman skills. While I was at MCT, I became extremely sick and had to go to the emergency room, however, I didn’t give up, I got right back at it to finish the rest of my training.

After about a year in the Marine Corps, I finally hit the fleet, which is where I performed my MOS, or military occupational specialty. As a new guy in the fleet, it was extremely stressful, for the first couple years I was terrible at my job and hated being there. Even though I hated it I still gave it my all, I struggled to pick up on it, so I would come in hours early just to read from the publications to learn my job. This hard work paid off, after about four to five months of coming in and putting in the extra work, I became proficient at my job and picked up my CDI stamp (inspector). As a CDI I became the most qualified Marine in my shop, training over eight CDIs under me, and being the person, they’d come to for the hard jobs. While exiting a helicopter, I became stuck and twisted my knee, causing me to tear my meniscus. After the tear I had to have three knee surgeries, which put me out of work. Even though I could no longer perform my job, I would still help the other CDIs to the best of my abilities and was on desk duty. Even though I was stuck on the desk, I gave it my all. With a strong work ethic, I was able to overcome the challenges that were thrown at me. I was able to recognize the fact that if I would want to progress in my current job I would have to put in the extra work. For doing this it in fact set me apart from my peers and allowed me to advance ahead of them. So, with the strong work ethic I became essential personnel to my job, and as Jayson DeMers said “They are looking for productivity instead of time in service.” With a strong work ethic this is achievable, you might have to put in the extra work, but it’s still achievable.

I would have to credit my success in the Marine Corps, and life in general to my work ethic. If I didn’t work as hard as I did, I would have never been as successful as I was in the Marine Corps. I may have not injured myself either, however, it put me in the position I am in now to be able to attend college. I do agree with Jayson DeMers also, however, I think these two things work hand in hand. If you put in the work you will become proficient, and when you become proficient you increase your speed that you can competently perform the task at hand, in return does increase your productivity.

 

 

 

 

Sources

Jayson DeMers “Hard Work? It’s Not All It’s Cracked up to Be. It May Even Be Irrelevant. Here’s why.”

 

 

 

 

Project One

Adam Xu

 

There are many benefits from Affirmative Action, people are given opportunities that their grandparents and great-grandparents could only dream of. It helps bring diversity to schools and workplaces, and it gives hope to millions that they can have a better future. I however, believe that we live in a meritocracy, that only the people that are proven to be qualified should receive positions. I have felt this way ever since my family took a vacation to china one summer. 

The year was 2010 and it was a hot and humid day. I woke up feeling groggy and rubbing my eyes. I was a little disoriented, but as I scanned the tiny compartment my family was squeezed into, I remembered where we were. We’re taking a train to my father’s hometown in Jiangxi province, where the average family made around $5,000 a year. When the train finally arrived at the station, we met up with some distant relative who was going to take us to my dad’s village. We got into his old and rusty van and I fell right back asleep. 

When we arrived at the village, the first thing I thought about were my jeans. Why did I have to wear jeans? Jiangxi is located in southeast China and it is hot and humid. My pants stuck to my legs, and I was miserable. The village wasn’t much: a couple of stone and mud houses scattered throughout a valley between two stout mountains. Dirt roads connected some of the buildings like a dusty vine. There were tall, green trees everywhere, which was a sharp contrast to the massive, industrial cities I was used to. The air, while thick and humid, was cleaner and clearer than in cities like Beijing.The nature around us, while beautiful, only made my mood worse. As we began walking around meeting my father’s old friends and relatives, swarms of mosquitoes began attacking me. The hellspawn feasted on my arms and neck. Maybe jeans were a good idea after all. 

We met up with my relatives who were very welcoming. I watched cartoons on an old T.V. with my cousins while my aunts made us a large meal with stir-fried veggies and pork. When things had settled down a little, my father called for me and my sister. He told us that he wanted to show us something. We left the family gathering and began walking up one of the mountains and I was very annoyed. The swarms of bugs along with the heat were unbearable. All I could think about was my time with my Uncle in Shenzhen, one of the newest and most developed cities in China. My uncle is very wealthy, he lives in a penthouse on the 43rd floor of a skyscraper. I thought about all the frosty ice cream we could eat, the brand new TV we could watch, the brisk air-conditioned living room we could rest in, and the delicious street food on every corner. However, I was stuck in the middle of a poor Chinese village, hot and itchy, following my dad to nowhere.

 After nearly 45 minutes of climbing, my dad tells us, “Hang in there kids, we’re almost there.” I was too angry and miserable to respond. We approached an old stone building that was very weathered. The was building was only the size of a small classroom back in the U.S.. The floors were not carpeted or tiled but consisted of dirt and clay. 

“What is this?” I asked in annoyance, “Why did we climb all this way to look at this shed?” My dad stared at the rubble and replied quietly,

“This is where I was born.”

I was speechless. The rubble that stood before me was just a glimpse of the childhood my father had experienced, it was miles away from the village and had no plumbing or electricity but only a small spring nearby. The closest school was a two hour walk away from his home and the nearest hospital was hundreds of kilometers away. 

From that day on I saw my dad in a new light, I began to understand why he pushed me so hard. Growing up in such conditions could not have been easy especially with six younger siblings. I now knew that every time he assigned me extracurricular math homework, every time he made me stay up to read books on history, and every hour he sat me in front of a piano was because he did not have access to these resources when he was a child. I began to understand that because of my dad’s humble beginnings, his expectations for me were greater.

When my dad was younger, there were heavy regulations on moving within China. The government was afraid that there would be mass urbanization because rural areas were extremely poor and everyone would flock to major cities to look for work. This however, prevented rural students to attend university. However, in the 1970’s the president of China passed a lottery each year for a couple provinces to allow all students to take the gaokao (the Chinese college acceptance test) and go to school. When my dad was only 16 his province was chosen and he was given a chance. He got the highest score on this test in the province of Jangxi and was admitted to Wuhan University of Technology and Engineering where he completed his masters and undergrad in 5 years. He then went on to pursue a PHD from Tsinghua University in Beijing, one of the most prestigious engineering schools in the world and became the youngest professor in the school history at 27. 

My father’s stories taught me that it does not matter where you start your life or what struggles you have to face, that with hard work and dedication, anyone can be great. Here in the U.S. there are no regulations saying certain people cannot go to college, everyone has easy access to a free public education. While it is obvious to say that some people have it way harder than others, at the end of the day universities and workplaces should not give preferential treatment to people on the basis of their skin but to people who have merit.

In the current society that we live in, the United States has been teetering on this verge of Government corruption, and with this corruption comes the loss of unalienable rights. These rights were given to us by the founding fathers to ensure that the citizens would have a say in important issues of the country. The problem with Government control is the corruption, loss of unalienable rights, and the total downfall of a nation; that is why a form of anarchy would help straighten out this country and prevent a downfall.

Under anarchist control, the risk of a nation suffering from corruption is severely lowered. If politicians carry very little to no power then there is no way corruption can impact anyone or anything in a severe way. In the modern-day United States, people cherish their freedom so when people hear about even the slightest corruption of the government the people start to get mad. Robert Byrd said “There is no doubt that constitutional freedoms will never be abolished in one fell swoop, for the American people cherish their freedoms, and would not tolerate such a loss if they could perceive it. But the erosion of freedom rarely comes as an all-out frontal assault but rather as a gradual, noxious creeping, cloaked in secrecy, and glossed over by reassurances of greater security.” Today many people do believe that the corruption of the government is going to be its downfall.

Our founding fathers wrote in the constitution certain unalienable rights that can never be taken away under the government. These rights include life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. The government has restrictions on us and some of them are unjustifiable. Some of the rules they make are just to please people and doesn’t actually help anybody or make the nation safer. In Anarchy people would be in charge of their own safety whether it was from a thief or another nation I believe that people would come together, as history has shown us, to protect their way of living.

The nation could survive because of anarchy and would actually face less political problems but will have foreign affairs problems. The people would end up forming groups but that is expected but they have done that all throughout history. An author who didn’t give his name wrote an article on the website beinglibertarian and he said: “As long as everyone within that group only imposes their rules on themselves and each other, while leaving everyone else alone, that is perfectly consistent with the non-aggression principle and property rights, yet winds up creating a State within a stateless society.” it seems that it would be inevitable that we would go back to a statist society unless everyone around the world agreed this is the way to live.

Citations:

“Robert Byrd Quote.” A, www.azquotes.com/quote/1048617.

-, Being Libertarian, et al. “Why Anarchy Can Never Work.” Being Libertarian, 2 Dec. 2018, beinglibertarian.com/anarchy-can-never-work/.

“Thread: This Is Why Anarchy Wouldn’t Work.” Debate Politics Forums RSS, www.debatepolitics.com/philosophical-discussions/203072-why-anarchy-wouldnt-work.html.

 

 

 

Last fall was my first semester of college. It was difficult to be away from home, and when my parents told me that Mac, our dog, was sick, I was devastated. The next day, I received another phone call from my parents: Mac had died. His death was sudden, and it seemed that his health deteriorated instantly. In a similar manner, I was home from school a few months later and taking care of Luna, our younger dog, while my parents were out of town. One morning, Luna fell seriously ill, so I called my parents, and they helped me over the phone. After a quick trip to the emergency clinic, Luna recovered. In both instances, technology allowed me and my parents to communicate about our dogs’ health. Likewise, the machinery used for Mac and Luna’s treatment was essential.

Technology has had a large impact on the world in the past years. Communication is faster and more efficient, information is accessible, and with the other profound capabilities of technology, not only can sick dogs be treated immediately, but others can be helped too. 

However, a recent study has found that the growing production of technology and electronics is consequential to the environment. In the study “Ctrl-Alt-Delete”: Rebooting Solutions for the E-Waste Problem (2015) by Jinhui Li, Xianlai Zeng, Mengjun Chen, Oladele A. Ogunseitan, and Ab Stevels, the researchers address E-Waste: a type of pollution caused by the metals within electronics. With the growing global consumerism for technology, the writers desire that all countries start to implement strategies to recycle this E-Waste before it worsens. Though small at the moment, they state E-Waste “contains chemicals at concentrations that are potentially toxic to humans, animals, and plants” (Li et al 7096). If E-Waste is toxic, then it’s important to find methods of recycling the material.

After reading this article, I felt concerned about how the metals in electronics are impacting our environment. Though my pets are healthy right now, how would I feel knowing that they could be seriously harmed by the technology we use if it is not recycled properly?

Before E-Waste became a new source of recycling, it was piled into landfills. However, many countries, namely Japan, Great Britain, and other island-countries, do not have the space for large landfills. As a result, countries have started implementing recycling laws; Japan has the Home Appliance Recycling Law and Small Appliance Recycling Law. 

For me, it is surprising that laws need to be passed to help reduce E-Waste, but it is not the case that these laws are recent; Japan’s laws have been in effect for many years. Clearly, E-Waste is not a surfacing issue from the past few years, yet it seems that the media coverage is relatively new.

While some countries have recycling laws, many do not. Likewise, the components of electronics require distinct methods of recycling. The article states that electronics are composed of plastic, PCBs, RLBs, and screen displays, and each of these require different processes to be recycled (Li et al 7099). Ultimately, the question is how we can implement proper E-Waste recycling methods into all countries so we can continue to enjoy the ability to communicate quickly with people around the world. The article mentions that researchers want to implement material substitution: trying to substitute certain parts of electronics for more environmentally-friendly versions. For example, by using LCD lights instead of CRT lights in televisions or light-emitting diodes instead of fluorescent lights in lamps, “these shifts can effectively delete toxitricity and decline the negative environmental impact” (Li et al 7102). Though this can help improve technology, my concern is how the CRT lights and fluorescent bulbs are managed. If they are not utilized in electronics, what is the proper method to recycle these materials so E-Waste does not continue to accumulate?

Even though the writers state that E-Waste is not large, this could change if it is not addressed soon. As the implications of technology continue to spread across the world, it’s important that we recycle and reuse old technology so nothing is wasted. According to the article, in certain countries such as China, people can sell their old electronics to buyers, but the buyers tend to not properly recycle the materials (Li et. al 7100). Likewise, though some countries have efficient methods to manage E-Waste, others lack proper processes, if they have any. The article does not state that technology is inherently bad, but how we manage the technology needs to improve. I think that technology is very beneficial to society regardless of the E-Waste being produced. So, it’s necessary for a global effort to preserve the materials we have and to recycle so we do not deplete the resources we have. 

A final problem with E-Waste is that it requires valuable metals, so if the metals are not recycled, our technology resources will deplete. The researchers claim that “a rapid exhaustion of… gallium and indium…have an estimated availability of about 20 years until they will run out completely” (Li et al 7095). Though technology has helped us, it seems that the materials we use to make it are limited. Many would say that technology needs to continue evolving, so it’s important there is awareness for the impact it has on the Earth. 

Ultimately, this study highlights how E-Waste is growing as the market for technology grows, and this is creating several problems. Though this concerns me, technology should not be diminished or minimized because it has had great benefits on the world. One benefit is the ability to care for sick animals. Many people, myself included, want their pets to stay healthy, so it’s important that we are conscious of how we recycle electronics. As resources deplete, and the environment could be intoxicated, I think that we need to be aware of how our actions affect the world. Additionally, with the ability to spread news rapidly across the world, there should be news outlets that provide relevant information about E-Waste. These outlets can inform readers about proper recycling methods, how to use material substitution, and where to recycle electronics that do not go in the recycling bins. In sum, a global effort to properly approach E-Waste needs to take effect immediately.

Bryan Van Genderen, TRU 110, April 2020

 

Works Cited

Li, Jinhui, et al. “‘Control-Alt-Delete’: Rebooting Solutions for the E-Waste Problem.” 

        Environmental Science & Technology, vol. 49, no. 12, Apr. 2015, pp. 7095–7108., 

        doi:10.1021/acs.est.5b00449.

@marjanblan, Марьян Блан |. (2019, August 27). Photo by Марьян Блан:

        @marjanblan on Unsplash. Retrieved from https://unsplash. com/photos/na6

        OcQUE1MY

Yuhong, T. (2020, January 19). Photo by Teng Yuhong on Unsplash. Retrieved from 

        https://unsplash.com/photos/VAubcLVvHYo

Men are powerful, or at least they want power. Or perhaps they’re told they need power. They’re entitled to it. This is a scary thought. Entitlement to power or control is unnerving because for everyone in control, someone is under control. It is a losing situation. If you aren’t superior, you are inferior. Superiority is the goal and a superiority complex is born. It would be better to control than to be controlled, but better even still to be in control of oneself: self mastery instead of recklessness and humility instead of pride. Exploring what it means to be a man is dangerous. On one side there they may be no such thing. Women can possess the very same characteristics. On the far other side, men are entitled to women, power, and control. Is a gentleman a woman? Maybe being a good man has less to do with being a man and more to do with being a good human. This will be the exploration of my thoughts on men and women, their differences, and why they are different to me.

Men, it seems, have a gap to fill. In politics, religion, and domestic situations, men are being called out. Being called out is good, making everyone else look bad is not. That may be a pride issue though. How can a man step up, when others do not, instead of hiding behind his innocence? There are things to fix, namely: pornified culture and the trap of control. I don’t objectively think men are bad and I hope soon we will see a rebirth of masculinity. Subjectively, however, I am hesitant to give men the benefit of the doubt. As a man, that is a confusing place to be. 

I think men of power have taken advantage of women’s progress and used it to pornify culture. Living in a world where women, and men for that matter, can wear what they want is progress from corsets, veils, and being scared of ankles. Selling the beauty of the human body is not progress. It’s business. Business is not concerned with a person’s value. It is concerned with monetary value. The human brain is drawn to colorful food, beautiful people, and safe environments. It’s unfair, in a biological sense, that the media can show all of these things to people who have none of them. Big business is mostly driven by men so I’ll make an assumption and blame this idea on them. I don’t do that because I don’t think women can be greedy, but because as men have the majority of power and money in the world, they must experience the most corruption. The worst part is that if men are responsible for this they are hurting everybody, and especially themselves. If you have money, you’re safe and the lizard brain can survive so good on you.   

Being in control of a situation is not always the same as leadership. I know this because, in my time as a boy scout, leading by example was about the only way to get anything done. The alternative was having a 40 something telling everyone what it was like in his day before forcing them to work. Needless to say, being ordered around by someone’s nostalgic and angry dad bred resentment. He was in charge but not leading. If that was obvious he wouldn’t be doing it, but odds are in favor of him passing down the technique to the younger generation.

What is the younger generation learning from the older generation? I have seen, and I won’t say from who, male entitlement across age ranges. I have also seen the way it affects women. It looks like learned behavior to me. So where do people pick it up especially in a time where men leave single mothers to fend for themselves, are not present at home, and where divorce rates pass 50 percent? In my experience, it comes from the internet. For people like me, father figures are a somewhat unfamiliar concept. So, we look for guidance on how to be a man. While I do think there is a lot of good stuff out there, it’s hard to find it when the bad stuff is telling you how attractive, rich, and powerful you will be. That’s pretty enticing and now looking back, pretty scary too. People wanted to sell me expensive clothes, fragrances, or whatever way they could get my money. There is a solid line between dressing to express yourself and communicate respect and the other side which is to manipulate with your appearance. 

In the Catholic tradition, of which I am a convert to, men and women are considered different in kind but equal in dignity. Reading the bible out of context leads people to a toxic male hierarchy. I’m referring to the verse that tells wives to “submit” to their husbands. From a religious perspective, the United States appears to be abandoning its traditional Judeo Christian practices. From a secular perspective, however, the U.S. is holding onto some of them. Those values are a patriarchy as default while ignoring the matriarchy and forcing beliefs on people who don’t want them. I don’t like either of these and I’m a member of arguably the original group of Christians. Roman Catholic saints give what I think are incredible examples of what Christian practices should be. One example of an extraordinary man and saint is Maximillian Kolbe.

Kolbe volunteered to die in the place of a total stranger in the largest Nazi concentration camp: Aushwitz. Not only did he give up his power, he also prayed with those he ended up dying with. He didn’t force anything on anyone. This is an example of sacrificial love: something I don’t see a lot of, but should likely lead by example. On the opposite side is a new  evil group, with old ideas. Incels, or men who believe they are entitled to women, are not ready to give. They are ready to take. One scary example of this culture is from a statement made by Jordan Peterson, a Canadian psychologist and admittedly very interesting man, who suggested giving violent men partners so they could better control themselves. That looks like intimate partner violence to me. 

A large part of why I have no issue with a matriarchy is that the second part of my childhood was spent in my mother’s custody. The other reason is that I remember going to the capitol in Jefferson City as a young child while my mom rallied for midwifery, which was at the time was not a legal practice. I’ve seen women in charge and I’ve seen it work. On the other hand, as mentioned above with the boy scouts, I resent men of my father’s age. It isn’t a healthy mindset, but I often prefer women as a default. In my mind, they are safer and less likely to be resented.

Nolon Carter April 2020

It’s like living next to a walking twelve pack of Budweiser

screaming “slow down!” at speeders going five under.

His shining Range Rover and gruff voice,

a noseful of his golden retrievers and rough paws on your chest,

undercut by the taste of the cigar he let me chew.

 

His home’s quiet exterior, an illusion.

Old Tim down on Flad Avenue,

a sober staple of the block.

His wife and the neighbor boy they raised

running races where last place wins

because he’d scream

“Ayyyeghwoouh!”

when he placed last.

 

The drunk cornerstone of the community,

letting the dogs walk him through midnight

and stopping cars with his mind.

Reading through that kid’s trashed homework

which he found in the paper dumpster,

a dumpster which said “Cén scéal?”

in its clanging language of metal and glass.

 

When the sun slips below the crenellated tower,

he will light his bonfire, crack open his brewskis

and ride his golden, canine mounts

into a tomorrow not of his making.