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4A
♦ SATURDAY, JUNE 28, 2008
OPINION
I just might be a 'pettifogger'
It’s Saturday morning, June 21,
around 8 a.m. I’m out at our
cabin on our farm with Janice
and two of my grandsons, Gray Way
and Wade Walker. I’ve been up since
5:00, reading. Janice is just up, and the
boys are still asleep. Nothing unusual,
so far.
In fact, nothing unusual, period
- unless you count my learning the
meanings of four new words. One, I
should have known, but didn’t, and
one I’ve never paid attention to before.
Two were totally new to me.
I started this morning by continuing
my read of William C. Davis’ book, A
Government of Our Own which is about
the government of the Confederate
States of America. And there was the
word in the chapter, “The Gage of
Battle”: “pettifogger”. To my knowl
edge, I had never before seen this
word. What is a “pettifogger”? So, I
looked it up. “Pettifogger: A person
who quibbles over trivia.”
“Pettifogger.” I won’t forget this new
word - at least, new to me. I wonder
if Florence H. knows what “pettifog
ger” means. Well, Florence, I do now.
And, I look forward to using it in con
versations with some of my friends.
Like, when I’m talking with Connell
Stafford about someone, I’ll just say:
“Well, Connell, what can you expect,
he’s just a pettifogger”! That’ll really
blow his mind, won’t it?
I went from my book to a little
magazine I get, Georgia Backroads,
and there on page 58 in an article by
Florida’s serious about * • 0 v
getting more water.
What are they trying now? /7
Cloud seeding?
I . \
A Ray of sunshine hi a non-musicals world
I love musicals.
Now wait a minute fellas. I
didn’t say I love ballet. Pretty
women in tights before they start
“sproinging” all over stage, yes, but
ballet, no way.
But I do love musicals. And as long as
I’m confessing, I also like those cooking
shows on TV where the chefs compete
head to head - Iron Chef and all that
- and I even like the one where they
see who can make the best gigantic
cake ... and then try to actually move
it from one table to the other without
it breaking into a million pieces, which
it sometimes does. (Note: I even like
to watch master cook Rachael Ray ...
because the food’s not the only thing
pleasing to the eye.)
Hey, I’m comfortable with who I am.
And that’s why I love musicals.
Apparently, however, I’m alone as
a connoisseur in that regard in this
family.
“What’s that,” my wife asked as she
walked through the living room one
day last week, her lip curled up like
Elvis. (Note: I’ve seen her hair look
like Elvis’ too on some mornings).
“That would be the Phantom of the
Opera,” I yelled. Did I mention I love
my musicals loud?
Lips change, all puckerish like one of
those California raisin guys. She “ew”s
her nose up in the air and her way on
into the next room.
She obviously has no appreciation
for a hunk-a hunk-a burning love (the
storyline), I think to myself.
Oldest son begins to walk through.
Stops. “What’s that?
Larry
Walker
Columnist
lwalker@whgb-law.com
Lynne Taylor (about an alternative
rural route trip to the Georgia coast on
roads other than 1-16) in describing a
building in Douglas were these words:
“Twelve gargoyles are spaced evenly
across the top two edges of the three
story Coffee County Bank”.
“Gargoyles.” What are “gargoyles?”
I think I know what they look like
(perhaps that’s just because there’s a
picture in the magazine), but I’m not
sure what they are, so I look it up.
“Gargoyles: A roof spout carved to rep
resent a grotesque human or animal
figure and projected from a gutter to
carry rainwater clear of the wall.”
I hope I can remember this. I’ll try
to throw it in sometimes, like this:
“After he lost that vote, he looked like
a gargoyle on the side of a bank build
ing in Douglas, Georgia!” That ought
to stun ‘em.
By the way, I wonder how in the
world gargoyles ended up on the side
of a 1910 bank building in Douglas,
Georgia.
Then, I went to the newspaper and
was reading an article about how John
McCain is trying to tie Barack Obama
Don
Moncrief
Managing Editor
donm@evansnewspapers.com
“Phantom of the Opera.”
“The old one or the new one.”
Well, would you look at there ? My
son might have inherited my musical
prowess.
“New one.”
“More power to ya dad,” he smirks
as he heads off to his room to watch
the Incredible Hulk.
Four-year-old grandson treks in on
his walk through (our living room is a
thoroughfare to the back rooms/bath
room in case you were wondering).
“What’s that?”
“You wouldn’t be interested.”
“Why’s he got a mask on? Is he a
super hero? Are they going to kiss?
Ew.” ( Well would you look at there ? He
inherited the California raisin lips.)
“Hey! Isn’t Cartoon Network on in
Shelbi’s room?”
Zip! He’s gone.
Ah, alone at last... for 10 seconds.
Shelbi, the now 10-year-old as of
Wednesday (happy birthday sweet
heart) begins her walk through.
“What’s that?”
Sigh.
“Phantom of the Opera. Why don’t
you sit down and watch it with me?”
“Any wolves in it?”
Having seen it once before, I respond
HH: . . tflH
HHi A. »Bhl
i§.W
to Jimmy Carter. The writer of the
article calls President Carter “. . . the
peripatetic Georgian ...” What is a
peripatetic Georgian? What is “peri
patetic.”
So, I look it up. “Peripatetic: A per
son who walks from place to place; itin
erant.” Also, “of or pertaining to the
philosophy or methods of teaching of
Aristotle.” Is President Carter peripa
tetic? I don’t know. And, if he is, I don’t
know whether that’s good or bad.
Perhaps it’s like Mr. Carter, himself.
Some think good and some think bad.
By the way, in the chapter from the
Davis’ book, “The Gage of Battle,”
exactly what does “Gage” mean? So, I
look it up. Gage: “A challenge”. I guess
that’s it.
Wonder if I could make a sentence
using all four words? Let’s see. “The
peripatetic Goat Man had a gage try
ing to decide whether the 10 or 12
gargoyles on the side of the building
looked more human or animal, but
decided it best not to linger over the
quandary ‘lest he be accused of being
a pettifogger.”
Footnote: I don’t believe there are
any gargoyles in Perry, but there are
at least two in Marshallville. I saw
them since I wrote this article. And, if
you don’t know about the Goat Man,
you’ve missed an interesting part of
Georgia’s history.
Incidentally, the Goat Man wouldn’t
mind being told he smelled like a goat,
but he certainly wouldn’t want to be
called a pettifogger.
... “Maybe.”
“Well, let me know.”
Finally, everyone has been accounted
for, but alas, the wife returns - on the
way back through.
“Did you feed the dogs?”
“Yep.”
“The rabbit?”
Oldest son walks back through.
“You seen my wallet?”
“Nope.”
“Cell phone?”
Four-year-old grandson.
“I can’t find Spongebob.”
Daughter.
“Dad, will you play with me?”
Aargh! What does it take?
Did the cowboys and the farmers
have this much trouble being friends
(part pf the storyline) in Oklahoma ?
No. Seymore had to deal with a people
eating plant but did he have to deal
with seed this frustrating in Little
Shop of Horrors ? No.
The Newsies kids (paper delivery
boys) went up against both Joseph
Pulitzer and William Randolph Hearst
(I’ve just named my top three musicals
in order in case you’re interested) but
they never had to deliver like this.
Hey, I know.
“Hey everybody,” I announce loudly.
“I watched an episode of Rachael Ray
the other day where I learned how to
cook a four-cpurse meal using nothing
but oysters and sardines. I thought I’d
make dinner tonight.”
I listen. I hear the jingle of keys. I
hear feet shuffling. I hear the front
door close.
Aaah. I push play.
"One voice con moke o difference "
Lonestar more than just a pretty face;
New sidewalk creates big problem
Thursday we will once again hold our Fourth of
July celebration at McConnell-Talbert Stadium.
(Hopefully you read the full story in this issue.)
Like last year and the year before, we have no
doubt it will once again be a phenomenal event.
The Houston County Honor Band, a group of
“select” musicians from the county’s four pub
lic high schools, will get things started and the
Band of U.S. Air Force Reserve will keep the
momentum going until turning over the stage to
Lonestar.
Why Lonestar on this most patriotic night?
Well, let’s just say there’s more than meets the
eye with this particular award-winning country
group. (Note: You should also know that some
of their music has crossed over on the Billboard
charts, so you shouldn’t let that “country” label
fool you too much, either. P.S. We are currently
talking to Lonestar’s publicist trying to set up an
interview/feature on the group for Wednesday’s
paper.)
For starters, fairly new lead singer Cody Collins
has a younger sister, according to the group’s
website, who has just entered the Air Force.
That right there provides a link to us but what
makes them special goes even deeper than
that.
The group is a strong supporter of the
AdoptaPlatoon Soldier Support Effort. (Note:
They also are stong supporters in other charities
such as the “Strike Out For The Kids” celebrity
bowling tournament, in which they helped raise
thousands for St. Jude Children’s Research
Hospital.)
AdoptaPlatoon is a nonprofit organization man
aged nationwide by volunteer mothers to, accord
ing to their charter, “ensure that deployed United
States service members in all branches of the
military are not forgotten by providing needed
mail support and to promote patriotism in our
schools and communities.”
Lonestar, for its part, went on the Operation:
My Christmas List holiday tour, a nine-city tour,
in which nearly 800 pounds of goods - donations
ranging from hygiene products to non-perishable
snacks to entertainment items - were collected
and shipped out as care packages to troops
deployed.
More than 25 units were the recipients with one
deployed Marine officer writing back: “Knowing
that there are such special people out there that
care so much about us, brings warm feelings to
all of our hearts. Thank you very much.”
As you already know if you’ve attended in the
past, our Fourth of July celebration is a one of a
kind event (who will ever forget Lee Greenwood’s
Proud to be an American from last year).
We are more than confident that between the
Houston County Honor Band, the U.S. Air Force
Reserve Band and Lonestar, it’s going to be one
you do not want to miss.
Recently we questioned the need for about a
200-yard stretch of sidewalk on the west side
at the most southern tip of South Davis Drive in
Warner Robins.
That was in relation to the fact there was
nothing running parallel with that sidewalk
See SIDEWALK, page fA
Houston pCmn* Thmxxmi
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