Kissing that dog right on the lips

Gravelly News by Glenna Goodson

An engineer was crossing a road one day when a frog called out to him and said, "f you kiss me, I'll turn into a beautiful princess." He bent over, picked up the frog and put it in his pocket. The frog spoke up again and said, "If you kiss me I'll turn into a beautiful princess and stay with you for one week." The engineer took the frog out of his pocket, smiled at it and put it back in his pocket. The frog then cried out, " If you kiss me I'll turn into a princess and I'll stay with you for one week and do anything you want." Again the engineer took the frog out, smiled at it and put it back into his pocket. Finally the frog asked, "what is the matter? I've told you I'm a beautiful princess and that I'll stay with you one week and do anything you want. Why won't you kiss me?" The engineer said, "Look I'm an engineer, I don't have time for a girlfriend, but a talking frog--now that's cool."



I received an awfully sad e-mail from Terri Brothers this week. I tutored Richie's niece, Karissa Brothers about 3 years ago. Karissa and her Mom and Dad had a chicken house and lived over in the Mulberry Lane, in what I always called the Loyd Harris place. They moved to Texas almost 3 years ago and Karissa's
Mom had a baby boy after they moved. Terri told me that Karissa's Dad had died with a heart related problem. Such a young man and leaves two young children. I am so sad. My prayers are with the Brother's family.

John Meredith told me that last week two guys from Iowa came to Bill Workman's store and were looking around. They were working on their genelogy so I suppose a distant relative was from Yell County. They said Gravelly looked like a movie script. Gee, we might be published!!

Erin Metcalf was my waitress at Fowlers last week and I asked her about her husband Cory and little boy Willy. Erin's face just lights up when she talks about her little boy. He is one year and two weeks old now Erin needs to keep a journal of little Willy's cute words and exploits I wish Ihad done that. I rely on memories--one time we were visiting my Goodson in-laws in Little Texas. We were all standing outside and a stray dog came up into Oscar's yard--Russell was about 4 years old and he started playing with the dog. We went into the house and left Russ outside with the dog. In a few minutes, Russ came in and threw himself into Oscar's lap and kissed him right on the mouth. Oscar thought that was so sweet until Russ said"I just got through kissing that dog right on the lips." !I mean, Oscar spit and spit and ran and washed his mouth out What a good memory!!

Ron Beahm at my Rover Church says I have to put a compliment about him in my column this week because I talked about him making a mistake about the usage of the words, "then, and than. "Now let's see--what compliments can I use about Ron--well I could say he is handsome--he is interesting--he is a good Dad and husband---he's kinda crazy--Oh, I don't think that was a compliment--well there you are, Ron, hope that this is satisfactory !!

It was good to be able to go back to the Adventist Church on Sabbath--the people were so glad I was able to come after my stint in the hospital. Their kindness, love and attention was much appreciated. Then Sunday I got to hear a very good message from Bro.. Shipley and we had a young man make a decision to rededicate his life--that is always a blessing to see that happen.

I haven't seen my favorite cop, Jim McCoy, in a while. I'm sure Jim is still on the job. I betcha I know how I could see him really fast--go 50MPH in Plainview--but Idon't want to see him that badly!!!

I think of "the good ole days" when we traveled by horse drawn wagons or horse back. We were a close knit valley and out FVschool was our identity. The kids were taught to respect authority. There were no extra-marital affairs, no divorces, no one getting grandparents to raise their kids. Some of this ethic is still part of our valley. We don't have drug problems nor gangs at FV, you see, we are different then other schools. Our school is US--it's what we have to show our pride, our values. Our parents of this valley stay involved in the lives of their kids in school, But according to a survey I have, compiled by a gentleman at the Univ. of Ar, in Fayetteville, it is proved that when a smaller school is closed and the kids have to go to a consolidated larger school, there is a lot less parent involvement, there are fewer kids graduate--more kids drop out of school before they graduate. And our FV kids are different--the majority are from loving Christian homes. The parents have taught their kids how to work. They are not out seeking drugs or going to a gang meeting after dark. So this type child, and teen-ager is going to find it very hard to adjust to what they do not understand if they have to leave their school where parents and grandparents attended. I get amazed when people seem to think people at FV are just ignorant--have no money, etc. I look around at the crowd at a ball game and I see many college graduates, I see people so wealthy they probably own half of Gravelly and Bluffton and people that pay more taxes then probably the people talking down to us can imagine. So no, we are not a blight on the Valley--we do good things--we raise good kids--and we are proud of our school and Valley.

On a child's science exam the question was asked "How can you delay milk turninng sour? this little boy wrote, "Keep it in the cow. "