Well the Christmas holidays are over and a new year is
underway. Many have already broken their
New Year Resolutions. Personally, the
person who devised New Year resolutions needs to be whipped. Resolutions are too quickly broken. Resolutions need to remain the devices of
government and the legislative process or annual meetings, not New Year vows
made after a party.
The best thing about parties is the food, the fun, and the
fellowship. The worse thing is preparation,
dealing with uncouth people, and cleaning up the mess. A very good friend said that having company
is like fish, after three days its starts stinking. Uncouth people ruin parties.
I am reminded of two friends from the University of Montevallo
who were uncouth. Mike and Enos were a
couple of “good old boys” never meaning no harm. Mike was Italian. He was very short, very athletic, and very
industrious for a retired man. He was
climbing and trimming trees well into his seventies. Enos was your average “Bubba” with his pants
low, shirttail out, large belly shining, and ball cap.
Mike and Enos were sanitation specialists. They had one of the most intriguing jobs at
the University. They ran the garbage
truck. Watching them everyday was like
watching a comedy sitcom. They knew
everything going on around campus. You
might say they were the University garbologists.
It was never difficult to locate Mike and Enos. All one had to do was to use the sense of
sight or smell to follow the garbage juice that dripped from the truck. The trail usually led to the cafeteria or to
the baseball field. They loved cookies
and baseball and were friends of the head of the cafeteria and the baseball
coach.
People liked to joke with Mike and Enos. Enos was single, never married. One day one of the boys from the carpenter
shop asked Enos if he was a virgin. Enos
replied, “No, I’m Church of Christ.”
Enos was a tad slow mentally.
The president of the University retired and the University
spent a hunk of money on his farewell party.
Dignitaries filled the campus.
The cafeteria prepared a feast fit for kings. Tents, podiums, and seats filled with people
at the baseball stadium. Everyone loved
the president because he treated everyone the same. He knew every University worker by his or her
first name.
Mike and Enos were out making their rounds when they
realized that it was time for the big shindig.
In haste, they made their way to the baseball stadium. They pulled the garbage truck up the big tent
were all the dignitaries from all over the state of Alabama had ascended that
day.
Mike and Enos hopped out of the truck, walked into the tent,
and started giving their farewell condolences to the president. Suit and ties met jumpsuits and boots. Those with expensive cologne and perfume
mingled with those of sour milk and rotting stench. The clean-shaven and manicured rubbed elbows
with the scraggly bearded and dirty finger nailed as the garbage truck dripped
its putrid and malodorous juices just inches from the gourmet spread for kings.
As Mike and Enos helped themselves to the cuisine of the
elite, the head of the Grounds department and Deans of College scampered to
catch the fainting and rescue the nauseous.
Embarrassment rolled as a loose garbage can blowing in the wind.
Finally, the Head of the Grounds Department asked Mike and
Enos to move the truck. Mike and Enos,
as happy as pigs in slop, jumped into the truck and continued their rounds. The celebration ended more quickly than
everyone anticipated. Gone were Mike and
Enos, but in their place flies buzzed over the putrid and malodorous juices
left behind for everyone to enjoy.
When thou art bidden
of any man to a wedding, sit not down in the highest room; lest a more
honourable man than thou be bidden of him; and he that bade thee and him come
and say to thee, Give this man place; and thou begin with shame to take the
lowest room. But when thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest room; that
when he that bade thee cometh, he may say unto thee, Friend, go up higher: then
shalt thou have worship in the presence of them that sit at meat with thee
(Luke 14:8-10 KJV).
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