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Ramblin's X (Potpourri)

by


Pat Gluck

My boycott of certain manufacturers' products certainly won't affect them and their cash flow of course. The personal satisfaction I receive, however, in denying them my purchasing dollar, makes my chest swell with pride and cleanses the remembering element of my brain. I never forget when it comes to their anti-social and downright criminal doings of yesteryear!

I saw a T.V. commercial, from General Motors no less, in which the phrase, "Put the pedal to the metal" was depicted. Now, being an ol' C.B.'er of some twenty years, I distinctly recall that the phrase, "Put the metal to the pedal" had to do with a metal boot which many of the truckers wore, tromping down on the gas pedal. Thus, the "Metal (boot) on the pedal (gas)" was formulated. Seems big business was led astray, again, by those ad people!

And, don't be misled by those speed-limit signs. I realize the 'Lone Rangers' will hound my a** but I just HAVE to relate my idea of safe drivin': Keep up with the traffic! If all cars around you, in front of you, and behind you, happen to be speeding at 80 MPH, you'd be an idiot to have your eyes glued to your speedometer with the needle pointing to 55!!! This bit of advice is akin to "Riding the devil's shoulders." If 'it' should happen to you, ya' just gotta go along with 'em and clean out your shorts when ya' get home!!! We've all been at the wrong place at the wrong time somewhere along the line; this is just another example of, "When in Rome....etc."!

Speakin' of safe drivin', don't go through any intersection on your green light without looking BOTH WAYS at the crossroad you're entering. Blindly thinkin' that because you have the green, all's well, is a wrong habit to get into. All too often some idiot streaks through on his red light plowing into: NOT YOU!!!

Daily news of Americans being killed overseas brings me to a truism: 'In harms way' is just the opposite of being in your own living room surrounded by your family. During a couple of stints in the 'Service,' I had shark stories and typhoon tales to relate to all who'd listen. If I never left my house, those things would only have been figments of my imagination; they weren't, believe me! IN HARMS WAY is just that!

Our big freezer died last week. Don't really know the cause, but it was merely six and a half years old and the repairman whom we called... at $79.00... said it had a five year guarantee or warranty (never could figure out the difference between the two). As he was telling us how much things would cost, my mind wandered to another '5 year guarantee' slogan which I was, indeed, familiar with. It was in the realm of car batteries. A few of my cars were a bit old and, from time to time, required a new battery. I would always take the one with the 60 month guarantee which cost the most. I'll be damned, on two or three occasions that I remembered, on the 61st month my battery would die. Seems the manufacturer told 'it' like 'it' was: you wanted five years, ya' got five years... no more, no less!

I always asserted myself in whatever situation I was in. If I was wronged, at a department store, I went back and asked for the owner or manager or top dog. The satisfaction received from the clerk always seemed nonexistent. For the big boss to call the clerk into his plush office, after hearing my complaint, and telling him, "George, give this customer anything he wants... either his money back or an exchange." That'a'way, ya' have your problem completely solved!

And, (sorry Mr. & Mrs. Goodie-two-shoes) a thought for all you young'uns: If you got married just because you finally found a willing sex partner, know that your future ardor will  far exceed your wife's willingness! Ya' win a few and ya' lose a few!

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