Windy’s Ode to Autumn

Slim Randles is today’s Wednesday’s Guest, sharing the stage with Windy. Windy does like to talk and finds a captive audience at the Rest of Your Life retirement home.

Here’s a glass of prune juice for the folks at the retirement home, unlike Minnie, who might be looking for a good excuse for a quick get-away.

Me? I’ll stick to coffee, thank you. I have work to do in my office. And I’ll stick around to see what Windy has to say about my favorite time of the year.

“Shore is nice this time a-year,” Windy said, smiling at those gathered. “Minds me of years ago back, you know? When we was young.”

Windy, visiting from the ranch, had pulled up a stool so he was partially blocking the hallway entrance – also known as the “escape route” down at the Rest of Your Life retirement home. This made it rather difficult for Mabel, who has to use a walker, and Pop Walker, who is on a cane on good days, and crutches when the weather gets cold.

This was a crutch day.

The only one ambulatory enough to evade the coming lecture was Minnie Perkins. No walker or cane or wheelchair. But that was okay, because Minnie smiles at everything and enjoys hearing others talk. Even Windy Wilson. She can’t remember what she had for breakfast, but who can?

“Fall is plumb fell, yessir, that’s for certain sure,” Windy said, turning slightly and extending his legs to fend off any crutch attempt. “You know, a-course, why the trees all turn them pretty colors, right? See, Minnie does. Well sir, what happens is Mama Nature jest shuts down the supply a-chloroform to them leaves so they can’t turn green no more. And without that chloroform? Well, if you’re a leaf, most as well kick the bucket and fall and get raked up.”

Windy looked around at those he was educating and smiled before continuing, “And them clouds? Them Autumn clouds? Ain’t they somethin’? All spread out in streaky wonderments full of cumulosities this time a-year. Hardly a droo o’ rain in ‘em, but look at how they jest kinda hang there. Ain’t that right, Minnie.”

Minnie smiled and nodded, enthusiastically.

“Where you goin’, Mabel? Why, I was jest settlin’ in for a nice discussion a how things were around here when I was a youngster. Whazzat? Oh yeah, kinda forgot you was older’n me, Mabel. Why, I betcha you remember when it snowed here ‘long ‘bout county fair time …”

Minnie nodded. Mabel groaned. Pop fell asleep while looking for the tv remote.

Life can be interesting down at the Rest of Your Life.
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Cowboy at heart? You need a copy of “The Complete Cowboy’s Bucket List.” Go to LPDpress.com and check it out.

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Sample the new syndicated radio program, “Home Country with Slim Randles.”

 

Slim Randles writes a nationally syndicated column, “Home Country” that is featured in 370 newspapers across the country. He is also the author of a number of books including  Saddle Up: A Cowboy Guide to Writing. That title, and others, are published by  LPD Press. If you enjoy his columns here, you might want to check out the book Home Country. It has some of the best of his offerings through the years.