The Buckets by Greg Cravens for January 28, 2023

Not a bad idea to sculpt a statue to honor all the old folks who have sat on park benches solving the world’s problems for ages.

There’s no fart like an old fart… ☺

Brings to mind an actual statue of three old men who sat around and solved the world’s problems, The Philosophers’ Rock statue at Barton Springs pool in Austin. Of course, they were an English professor who was the preeminent teller of Southwestern tales, a prolific and celebrated naturalist, and a great Texas historian. https://www.herronstock.com/image/I0000M1Yt3Cvyrrg

Speaking of bumps on a log, one of them has an important appointment with the urologist today.

On a Saturday in McConnelsville, OH, they sit on the courthouse wall. Or always did, anyway; I haven’t been to McConnelsville on a Saturday in a long, long time – I really hope they still do (in New Concord, OH, it was the smarter teenagers on the wall along the north side of Main Street saving the world; old men didn’t gather there, alas).

That would make the pigeons happy.

I can see where Eddie gets his positive attitude

Old friends

Old friends

Sat on their park bench

Like bookends

A newspaper blown through the grass

Falls on the round toes

On the high shoes

Of the old friends

Old friends

Winter companions

The old men

Lost in their overcoats

Waiting for the sunset

The sounds of the city

Sifting through trees

Settle like dust

On the shoulders

Of the old friends

Can you imagine us

Years from today

Sharing a park bench quietly?

How terribly strange

To be seventy

Old friends

Memory brushes the same years

Silently sharing the same fear

Time it was

And what a time it was

It was . . .

A time of innocence

A time of confidences

Long ago . . . it must be . . .

I have a photograph

Preserve your memories

They’re all that’s left you

The old timers used to congregate in Hardees for breakfast once a week, but then the local Hardees closed and became a Mexican joint, and they don’t do breakfast.