Just an old story . . .

Discussion in 'The Lounge' started by Spad, Mar 29, 2014.

  1. Spad

    Spad MajorGeek

    My elder brother, Randy, passed away ten years ago this month from cancer. He was 46. As usual around this time of the year I think a lot about him when we were kids, and then as adults when we'd go hunting and such. Well, this year I had a dream about a day I hadn't thought about in years. He was in the Army then (COBET instructor) and I had gone to visit him when he was stationed in South Carolina. I was 15, I think

    He, I, and a bunch of his buddies were sitting around his little apartment trading stories of various personal victories and defeats. There may have been beer involved :innocent He'd heard a bunch of tales of woe, and finally said "Let me tell you all the story of the little bird."

    There was this little bird, who waited to fly south for the winter. All the other birds warned him but he was having too much fun, sitting in the sun, having the bird bath to himself, all the bugs he could eat. It was great.

    Well, winter came and caught him off guard. It was getting very cold, and the little bird flew as fast as he could to the south . . . but he was too late. His wings froze up and he crashed in a barnyard. He lay there, helpless, slowly freezing to death.

    A donkey walked by and just happened to crap right on him. The crap was so warm and pleasant the little bird just stuck his head out and decided to stay. Once again, the bird waited too long and the crap froze around him. He couldn't get free so he started chirping really loud. An old barn cat heard the bird chirping, dug him out of the crap, and ate him.

    There are three morals to this story.

    1) Everyone who craps on you is not always an enemy.

    2) Everyone that gets you out of crap is not always a friend.

    3) (Most important moral) When you are neck deep in crap, keep your mouth shut.


    I'd never heard it before, but I've seen variations of this tale many times over the decades since. I'll always remember it the way Randy told it. It actually had bearing on many of the sob stories that had been bandied about, and everyone had a good laugh about it. May have been the beer . . . ;)

    Don't know why I felt compelled to write this, except it's a slow night at work and I miss my brother.
     
  2. joffa

    joffa Major Geek's Official Birthday Announcer

    Nice story and they say time heals everything but I know it doesn't always make life any easier ;)
    Sorry for your loss but on the upside this is a lovely memory to keep :cool
     
  3. Anon-9aee479f8f

    Anon-9aee479f8f Anonymized

    I like these old stories that taught life lessons. You don't hear them as often these days.
    We never fully get over the loss of someone we loved but time does lesson the pain a bit and we go on living. You have your memories forever.
     
  4. DavidGP

    DavidGP MajorGeeks Forum Administrator - Grand Pooh-Bah Staff Member

    Such a young age to pass away but I guess cancer does not age discriminate!

    Great story and moral is very true as what is a friend?

    Agree with joffa nice memory and those are what keep the memory of loved ones going and keep us strong in life.
     
  5. LauraR

    LauraR MajorGeeks Super-Duper Administrator Staff Member

    A most wonderful post, Spad. I always love hearing stories like this...the remembrance of those we've lost in our lives and conversations we had with them that you can remember so vividly.

    I have rememberances like that of standing in the kitchen as a kid with my grandmother helping her cook. She's tell me the best stories of when my dad was little. I loved it and can remember most. So bittersweet since we lost her at age 91 just about 3 years ago.
     

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