Monday Missive – Labor Day Edition

Today is Labor Day in the United States. I have worked in non-unionized factories (terrible) and unionized factories (better). I have worked for large and small corporations. Manufacturing was a place I felt needed strong unions because working conditions were often poor and manufacturers were often located in rather depressed areas where people needed to work regardless of conditions.

I remember when my parents both worked for the United States Postal Service during the wildcat strike of 1970. Striking against the federal government was illegal. At that time they achieved collective bargaining rights, but not the right to strike. The American Postal Workers Union was formed a year later.

Some unions perhaps had or have too much power. Regardless of where you stand on unions, let’s all support good working conditions for all people.

• L’shanah Tovah to all my Jewish friends. Sundown tonight marks the beginning of Rosh Hashanah.
• October 1st starts the beginning of InkTober® where artists are challenged to create one ink drawing per day based on a prompt list. The last few years, InkTober® has been embroiled in controversy surrounding the trademarked name and logo. The prompt list is out, but I am unsure if I can publish it here.
• November 1st marks the start date for NaNoWriMo – a challenge of writing a 50,000 word novel in 30 days. I managed to accomplish the word count last year. Now I just need to decide if I want to tackle it this year.
• The position of the sun is definitely changing. Our nights have been cooler, but it is still very warm during the daytime. Fall is coming.
• I am looking forward to cooler weather and turning over the garden in preparation for fall planting. Cabbage, broccoli, lettuce, cilantro and dill!
• I was delighted to see a deer in our back yard yesterday. There is something inspiring about the elegance of a deer. They see and notice everything – every tiny movement.
• This weekend was the annual apple festival in a nearby town. We still do not feel comfortable in crowds where people may be unmasked. Our positivity rate in our county is near 20%. I do plan to go to one of the orchards mid-week to get some apples.

That’s it for now. If today is a holiday for you, enjoy and try to remember the reason why.

In honor of Labor Day, here’s a clip from the movie “Norma Rae” starring Sally Field.

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My Most Enduring Summer Crush, Part 1

Photo by Joyful on Unsplash

My family and I spent a few summers camping at a local campground when we lived in Ohio. We would pack up the tent and supplies and head to Hickory Hills. Being tent campers, we were relegated to a certain area near the back of the campground. It was here I met my most enduring summer crush.

While mom and dad were busy setting up the tent, I was free to roam the campground and scope the place out. It was on one of these meandering walks, I caught this handsome young guy about my age – the ripe old age of 13 or 14 – sitting by a pop-up camper in a nearby campsite. We casually exchanged glances and a sheepish smile.

My walks around the campground became more frequent and I became a little braver. On the third or fourth day, I decided to speak to him as I passed. I tossed up my hand in a friendly wave and said “Hey, Charlie”. Now I had no way of knowing his name, but I had seen a film (cannot tell you the name of it) where someone had an invisible friend named Charlie. I thought I was oh, so clever and cute!

I won’t say I was smooth and aloof because I am sure my visits near his camping space became predictable. I continued to address him as “Charlie” and wave and he would smile and wave back. After several days of this, he finally spoke to me.

”Hey. Can I ask you a question?”

Are you kidding? Ask away Prince Charming. I responded rather sheepishly. “Sure.”

”How did you know my name?”

What? His name was Charlie? Well, that was rather fortuitous.

From there we talked and hung out together. I explained about the movie. I found out his name was Charles, but everyone called him Chuck. I met his father (his mother was far too refined to spend much time camping) and he met my parents. It did not take long for us to become an item.

We were just kids who spent our summer camping. We spent countless hours listening to the jukebox in the pavilion by the lake where all the kids hung out. What great times we had. I can still hear Creedence songs lofting through the still night air. We experienced wonderful freedom without fear. The trust our parents had that was never broken. And of course, that first summer kiss.

We continued to date after we left our summer at the campground. I would learn later that his family was rather “well-to-do” compared to mine. His father held a high position as a Mason and my crush was an important member of the local DeMolay chapter (I knew nothing about either).

Come back Friday to read Part 2 about my first formal DeMolay dance.