Monday, August 16, 2010

Well, I got to thinkin'...

Lyndon Johnson used to tell a story about a farmer from his west Texas hill country district.

It seems that the farmer went to his doctor about problems with his hearing.  This alarmed the doctor a bit because old farmers from the hill country never seek medical assistance unless the matter is grave.

The doctor examined him and returned with the finding that the hearing loss was a result of the farmer's alcohol intake.

"The problem is with yer drinkin'", the doctor informed the farmer.  "Stop yer drinkin' and come back in a month and I'll bet you'll show some improvement."

A month later, the farmer returned and the doctor examined him again.  Upon returning to the examination room, the doctor was clearly angry.

"Now, gaddamnit!  I told you that you had to quit yer drinkin' if you wanted yer hearing to improve!  Why the hell didn't you do as I clearly instructed you?"

"Well...", the old farmer replied, "I did for a while."

"Then I got to thinkin' ...that I liked what I was a drinkin' a lot more than what I was a hearin'."

3 comments:

Alan Crabtree said...

For the worse, they broke that mold after LBJ died. Far from virtuous, he had a flair for politics and played the game the way Smith Barney made money ("We earn it.")

I still scratch my head as to how Texas could have produced two such opposite presidents -- LBJ and W.

It's enough to make a yellow dog Democrat roll over in his grave.

Alan

Notes From ABroad said...

I have to start drinking.

yanqui mike said...

Oh, my lord.

A broad who wants to start drinking ...and a man after my own heart!

People sometimes ask me as to my favorite US President. I don´t have just one.

I have my favorite of all time, my favorite whom I have lived during, and my favorite whom I have voted for.

In order, FDR, LBJ, & Jimmy Carter.

But for sheer drama and angst and what has been called King Learian tragedy, no one has equaled Johnson.

How could the same man who almost personally shepherded the first civil rights since the civil war ...be the same man who prosecuted the Vietnam war?

How could a man with such a personal relationship with corruption be the same man who fought so tirelessly for equality in all aspects of life in the US?

A massive and mysterious man by any measure.

Thanks for the comments!
Mike

It´s inexplicable