ONE FOOT OVER THE LINE

 

 

 

It’s a concept that captured my imagination when I was ten years old and my dad pointed out the imaginary line across the plains of western Kansas.   If you’re driving west on I-70, you see the sign saying you’re entering Sherman County ~ and Mountain Time Zone.   If you’re driving east on the same interstate, at that same point you are entering Thomas County ~ and Central Time Zone.

What if you lived on the east side of the line, I wondered, and you did something bad—or semi-bad, or anything you wish you hadn’t done—could you walk over the line to the west side, where it was an hour earlier, and “undo” what you’d done?   My parents both said that was an interesting idea, but life didn’t work that way. Card laid, card played; no do-overs by stepping into a different time zone.  Unless you’re Ray Bradbury…

The top picture of Bristol, “a good place to live,” is actually one town in two states, Virginia and Tennessee. With thanks to the Geico Insurance commercial, we even have a picture of the marker embedded in the middle of the main street; one side of the street is VA, and the other is TN.   Hmm…can laws, codes and rules change with one step?

Oh, oh. What if it’s hunting season on the other side of the road?

October is AWARENESS MONTH, which shines a light on diseases and world health concerns.   It also can include the awareness of general knowledge and self-awareness, knowing when something exists, has changed, has several meanings or applications, or needs more study.

In Kansas, Virginia, Tennessee, and life in general–both literally and figuratively speaking–it’s always wise to be aware of the facts before we put one foot over any line.

 

 

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SECOND IN COMMAND

(statue on the lawn of the Abilene, KS public library)

“Take time for all things: great haste makes great waste..”   ~ Benjamin Franklin

Mom, four years ago Sarah Palin’s television speech renewed interest in the position of Vice-President. When you and I talked about it, I remembered her crowd-pleasing energy and her quip about the difference between hockey moms and pit bulls (the answer was lipstick). We both remembered the camera shot of her youngest daughter Piper licking her fingers and smoothing down a wisp of hair for her baby brother, Trig.

You also remembered another detail: “She’s not the first, you know.”  Geraldine Ferraro had been the first female vice-presidential candidate for either of the main two parties. And years earlier, during a political discussion at a family dinner, you recalled Franklin Roosevelt’s Vice-President Harry Truman (from your home state of Missouri) saying, “If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.” You and Grandma supposedly had a good laugh at that, because you both doubted Truman had ever cooked a meal in a hot kitchen in his life.

It’s election time again, Mom, and soon Mitt Romney will announce his choice of running mate. It’s strange the things we remember (and forget) about those who ran for and/or served as second-in-command. Ross Perot’s running mate in 1992, Vice Admiral James Stockdale, was disoriented during a TV interview because his hearing aid wasn’t turned on. Comedians had a great time with Dan Quayle and his confusing “Quayle-isms” like this little gem: “I believe we are on an irreversible trend toward more freedom and democracy – but that could change.” Andrew Johnson, Abraham Lincoln’s VP, was supposedly drunk during his inaugural speech; Johnson was also considered to be grossly incompetent, and was eventually impeached. And finally—who would have ever thought THIS would work?—Thomas Jefferson’s VP was Aaron Burr. The two were tied in the election, and on the 36^th ballot in the House of Representatives, Jefferson was elected President, and Burr became Vice-President.

We can laugh at any number of things about the elections, but the truth is that the Vice-President is only one heartbeat away from being President.  Dick Cheney was “acting President of the United States” for 135 minutes on June 29, 2002, while George W. Bush underwent a colonoscopy. And we all remember the photographs of Lyndon B. Johnson being hurriedly sworn in while  JFK’s widow, Jacqueline Kennedy, still wore a pink suit stained with the blood of her husband.

Later, Jackie Kennedy would write this: “Even though people may be well known, they hold in their hearts the emotions of a simple person for the moments that are the most important of those we know on earth: birth, marriage and death.”

To this, Mom, I know you would nod and say Amen and wish them all well.