Roger Felton

Ok, one more...

Some years ago I received an email from one of the major TV networks inviting me to listen in to a live interview with Obama and to submit a question I'd like him to answer.  That was a big mistake for them to invite me to do that and an even bigger mistake for me to take them up on it.  So I submitted this tactfully worded question, "Mr. President, does your unmatched level of arrogant ignorance come natural or did you have to work at it?"  They didn't use my question in the interview but it did get some liberal boneheads totally enraged and their responses in that blog lasted for months.  Not long after that , I received an IRS audit. 

The "goon" was a hoot to behold.  He wore an old wrinkled panama green suit and had 3 teeth missing in front.  He also wore a pair of glasses that would have made Buddy Holly jealous.

Although I have a very good CPA, this IRS guy hung around for days pouring over the years of data he requested along with every receipt.  He couldn't find any mistake anywhere.  He even told me how impressed he was that my tax data was so organized and complete.  After about 4 days, my CPA called and said the auditor had informed him that I owed the IRS $1200!  After meeting with the "Green Hornet" and my CPA, it was obvious that there was no error and no money was owed which we could easily prove.

Then came the shock.  The IRS auditor told us that I did indeed owe $1200 and if I wanted to dispute it, the amount I owed would increase considerablly.  Then it hit me.  This was all in retaliation to that question I had submitted and the resulting furor it caused.  To be sure, I asked the guy why I owed the IRS money when he had previously thanked me for the thoroughness of my returns.  He couldn't even demonstrate to either of us what error he had found that produced the $1200 that I supposedly owed.  He looked at me and said, "I think you made someone mad." 

They were going to get money out of me no matter what.  There was no way I could win no matter how much proof I had.  At my CPA's $175 an hour rate, the cost of fighting the crooks would easily cost me many times more than than the amount they said I owed.  They got their blood money.  Years later we all learned that I was not alone in having the White House send out their attack dogs, including the FBI, on those who dare to speak out against them. 

When any political party can control agencies like the IRS like puppets and use them to silence people who criticize them, then America is in serious trouble.  Sadly, it appears that those who voted for this perverted form of government believe that this tactic is perfectly fine and fair.  You never hear a single one of them ever object.  That scares the bejeepers out of me especially when it's obvious who our next president will be.  So, my big mouth will keep getting me in trouble and I suppose I'll be seeing a lot more of my toothless friend in the green suit for 9 and a half more years.

Bernard Brady

Lindy-

Thank you very much for your kind offer of your knives.

I am thrilled !!!

See everyone very soon,    Bernard

Richard Meek

Roger, do you include that twelve minutes on your CV? Just keep  in mind Roger that The Gestapo arose from the German IRS! A fact that most people are not aware of. With all the surveillance we have now from governments of all levels to "protect" us it is clear that George Orwell was on the money!

Roger Felton

You're right, Rich, I didn't know that.  I thought the Gestapo and the SS arose when they made sure their Gun Control laws had worked and they were the only ones who had any.

Ok, Lindy, now I really need your help.  I was watching TV the other day when a Victoria's Secret commercial came on.  I musta been paying a little too much attention because Beverly looked at me and said, "Do you think those girls are pretty?"  Well, I did but I wasn't stupid enough to fall into that trap so I said, "I didn't notice, hun. Were they?"  (See how smart I am!)  Then she asked, "Do you still think I'm pretty?" 

Here was my chance to melt her heart and get a great dinner to boot.  Without even pausing to think, the perfect answer popped into my head and I said with a smile, "Honey, those girls didn't have anything that you don't have three times more of."

So, Lindy, here's my question I'm hoping you can answer.  How is it possible for a guy to try so hard to be so good and then mess up so badly after believing he just did some of his best work?

Roger Felton

BTW Rich, it's funny that you mentioned your fondness for a Hawken rifle.  I was at a gun auction several years ago and one came up for bid.  The lock didn't work and the nipple was badly corroded.  But the stock was in good shape as was the barrel.  So I bid on the thing and my bid of $80 won.

About 6 months ago I decided to restore it.  The job was easier than I imagined.  The lock pieces (hammer, spring, trigger assembly, etc. were all in good shape.  All it needed was two small bolts and the holes in the lock to be rethreaded.  Drilled out the old nipple and replaced it with a new one.  Cleaned it, oiled it and made a new ramrod.  Then ordered a bullet mold to fit the odd sized bore and it's ready to take to the range.  Can't wait to shoot a rifle that probably hasn't been fired since the Civil War.

I'll try to remember to bring some photos of it to the reunion.

Roger Felton

Wasn't going to post anymore for a while (didn't want to hog the stage) but had to respond to Talley Hudson's post.  Talley, please don't ever think no one is interested in personal stories.  If that were the case, I'd have been banned from the joint a long time ago.  I love how you write and I can deeply emphasize with your family experience with cancer. 

My wife's cousin, Diane Talley, had uterine cancer with a tumor the size of a cantalope.  It was the most agressive type of cancer there is but now, after many years, she's still cancer free.  I think her story is on the MD Anderson website.  I, too, had my brush with cancer on my right kidney.  They zapped it electronically and turned it into a Kingsford briquette and I walked out of that hospital the same afternoon.  That was many years ago and I've had no problems since.  So, please don't think people care more about guns and knives than they do to take time out to pray for your brother and daughter-in-law.  I certainly care and I'm sure the rest of us do,too. 

We're the Class of '65 and that makes us all "family".  See you at the reunion and please let me know how your loved ones are doing. Ok?

William Ginder

Lindy

Was you friend Roger's last name Rabbit

with love

Butch

Hilda Carol Smith (Godell)

Thomas William Wade

I;m curious. Who else is still doing their own yard work? Most of my Ella Lee Forest neighbors have turned those chores over to a gang of new citizens and they are half our age. I didn't like it when I was a KId and I still don't, especially this time of year. I just can't bring myself to hire it out.

Joanna Hinton (Garrett)

We do our own yard work   My husband, Bill, has always done it - actual pushmower for the exercise.  Now that we are in the country, he got us a zero turn Torro and I fight him for the right to cut the yard and I love it.  Heck, I even got out into the field across the street from me and dug up wild daphodills and transplanted them into my flower beds for this next spring.  I never had a rose bush until we bought our new house.  I'm afraid that where we live, even the high school students don't even try to cut grass for extra money during the summer.  

Roger Felton

I know what you mean. Tommy.  I never learned to love the landscaping chores either.  I used to do it all but I got to where whenever I decided the yard needed tending, I would go find a place to lay down till the feeling had passed.  For Christmas I bought Beverly a beautiful chrome plated machete so she could get to the front door.  She didn't like that solution so for the past several years we've hired professionals to do the job. 

You couldn't ask for a better crew than Pancho and Maria.  With those two on the job you don't need a TV.  They are total entertainment.  Pancho is the "crew chief" which he pronounces in a way that sounds like "Khrushchev".  He divides the work according to the individual skills of the crew so everyone performs the work they are best suited for.

So Maria does the mowing and edging plus the leaf raking and weeding in the front flower beds.  Pancho does the leaf blowing on the sidewalk and he also checks to make sure the hammock is secure.  Not many yard workers would think to insure my safety like that so I always tip Pancho with a six-pack of Tecate.  I learned early to not give him the beer until my yard work was finished but that's another story.

So Tommy, it's going to be a long hot summer and you have better things to do than pass out from heat exhaustion.  But, if you insist on doing at least some of the work yourself, I can give you Maria's number.  Just keep lots of Tecate on hand.  She likes it, too.

Dianna Dudley (Westmoreland)

Have so loved reading all the interesting banter on this forum.  Not sure I really went to school with any of you, but my records show I did attend K. Smith, Black Jr High & Waltrip!!  :~))  Actually I do remember a few, but must have been in some fantasy world back then (or have dementia).  At least now when I attend the reunion next month, I can go up to some of you and halfway know who you are!!  So many unique personalities!

Knives - you should have attended the charity Gun Show a group I work with (Friends of Grimes County) sponsored last weekend in Navasota (just south of College Station).  Lots of knive vendors - some really unusual ones.  Some old, some new, some hand crafted of all sorts of stuff.  Chatted for quite a while with a couple of the vendors and did not realize it was a really big pasttime and hobby.  It was our 6th year for the Gun Show, and I own several guns but it always gives me pause to see folks coming thru the parking lot with guns over their shoulder.

So looking forward to the reunion.  Betty Carrick,  Jean Phillips , Cindy Hildibrand and I are still friends and occasionally see each other but high school seems like centuries ago - not just decades!

Love the chatter

James King

Tommy Wade,

I still do my own yard work and will do so until I'm unable.  It's good for me.

To you that collect firearms and knives,

I was into that for a long time and really enjoyed it.  I collected 58 firearms and 118 knives over a long period of time.  I owned many brands of knives: A. G. Russel, Buck, Gerber, Boker, Case, Kabar, Schrade, Puma and knives made by Navajo Indians in New Mexico.  Ten knives were automatic openers which included a Buck Model B112 and a Buck Model B500 that were converted to auto openers.  I bought the converted Buck knives at a shop near Holbrook, Arizona, the shop is an ex Stuckey's restaurant on I-40.  A few years ago I started reducing my collections because I don't want my children dealing with it when I go away.  My kids have no interest in firearms or knives.

Roger Felton

Well Dianna, I was part of the first graduating class of Sinclair elementary school although I didn't get a diploma.  But after that it was on to Black Jr. High and then Waltrip.  I remember seeing it for the first time with Larry Reed and some others I can't remember.  Larry's mom was driving us but I can't remember how all that came about.

I'm like you I guess as so much of those years were a fog while some things stand out like it was yesterday.  But, if you were a guy at Waltrip and could fog a mirror, you remember Dianna Westmoreland.  Those bright sparkling eyes and flawless hair and complexion made concentration in class almost impossible.  It's amazing to see that none of that has changed in 50 years. 

Arletta Parnell (Glankler)

This will be my first reunion.  I was either living overseas, or drving all oveer the USA.  But there are some I kept in contact with.  Most of ya'll do not remember me I am sure.  I was at Oak Forest for 1 yr, then Black and Waltrip. It has been fun here on the forum. And yes Roger has been something I look forward to daily.  You always make me laugh.  As for talking about sickness, I don't due to losing so many of my family to cancer and alzeheimers.  So I prefer to laugh.  Keep up the good work Roger. Oh and my hubby thought your answer on the victoria secret thing excellent.  He said you should have gotten a t-bone that night. lol

Roger Felton

Are you kidding, Arletta.  Gosh, I remember you so well.  You had that thick, full beautiful coal black hair and the most exotic eyes God ever put on a woman.  I know everybody who ever saw you will agree.

I am so glad your hubby agrees with my response.  I thought it was a stroke of genius.  But, for some reason the tears in her eyes weren't ones of joy.  She looked at me and said, "So, you're telling me that my butt is 3 times bigger than any of those girls... or all of them put together?" 

Anyone who thinks I'm good with words has never seen me try to compliment my wife.

Dianna Dudley (Westmoreland)

Roger you are certainly the charmer and funny!  Thank you for the kind words-made this old ladies day!!  Amazing how reading this message board gives me new i site into 'perfect strangers' -the reunion should be great fun.  I was very shy and quiet in high school, but have evolved into anything but.  Life deals us each a different deck of cards that help develop us into the current specimen.   Fifty years is a long time!! Wow.     

Joanna Hinton (Garrett)

Arletta,

So glad that you are going to attend the reunion.  Wish all of us were able to attend.  I went to the last one with my daughter and we had a blast.  The ladies that coordinate the reunions do a great job each and every time.  I know that you will have a great time - especially seeing remembered individuals like Roger.

Stephen Ray Puckett

Sinclair senior choir.  I'm on the 2nd row on the far right.  Where are you in this photo, Roger?  I saw you in the class photo.

From the class graduating booklet:

Lana Johnson (Horne)

Well, I still do my own yard work.  I have done the yard since I was 9 years old and I am still hanging in there.  When we lived in upstate New York and  later outside of Philadelphia, I had time off after the leaf raking time, but quickly got out the snow shovel as the winter progressed.  In New Orleans we had a huge lot that had to be done twice a week, and now in Austin--Lakeway--we have the smallest of lots on the Hills golf course, so I plan to push that little mower until I can't.  It helps me stay in shape.  This January, I had rotator cuff surgery, and I am still not strong enough to start it and really I am just now able to push it  up hill in our yard.  I went out to play tennis for the first time---my arm was fine--but I was dragging because I had gained a few pounds.  I need to mow!  See y'all in August! 

Talley Hudson

I just want to offer a quick apology for having posted something of such a serious and personal level on this forum.  In looking back, I realize that most of you don't even know me and it was just not appropriate.  I, too, would prefer to laugh!  I am so looking forward to seeing everyone, especially those who haven't attended for years or not at all.  I know the time will go way too fast for all of us to have really good conversations, but I hope to make some new connections as well as renewing old ones.  (I don't mean old as in age!!)

Roger Felton

Stephen, I don't know where you come up with all this cool old stuff but I had no idea that photo even existed.  I believe you'll find me in the 2nd row from the bottom and the 6th little head counting from the left.

Richard Meek

Roger, I would indeed like to see a picture of your Hawken rifle. I'd also like an explanation of your repairs. I think this reunion will great. Diana, Paige keeps reminding me that we're not "old". We're older! I think she's right. If you think that way it gives you a different perspective. I think you may be the only retired emu farmer I know. I do have a friend who is a retired catfish farmer though. Do you keep any emus just for old time's sake?

Roger Felton

I asked Beverly to help me find why my chair was making a loud creaking sound.  It took her about 30 seconds to tell me that the chair wasn't creaking, it was my knees.  I'm so pleased to know, Rich, that I'm not old.

Hey, did you ever notice that emus spelled backwards is "su me"?

Richard Meek

Roger, you can thank Paige now that you're not old. I had not thought about the emus but I did notice long ago that dog spelled backward spells god. No wonder they are such wonderful creatures. Now before the the cat contingent gets riled up I love cats too. I have owned several over the years. I am convinced that there is some sort of message attached to the curb in front of our house that let's strays know that a soft touch lives here!

Stay calm, Carry on!