This is Viewpoints for Tuesday, September 19, 2017

Bears in the house

Holy turnovers, Batman! Kudos to the Mercer Bears for their five takeaways and for holding the 15th nationally ranked Auburn Tigers relatively at bay.

FLASH: This wasn’t any old Southern Conference game; this was the SEC and a performance on Auburn’s home turf that should makes us all extremely proud! Our Mercer Bears demonstrated they can hold their own with anyone, anywhere. Onward to Alabama!

One human family

Although some folks in Georgia are still without power, and Irma caused some flooding of property on the coast, most of us in Middle Georgia were fortunate. It was worse for folks in the Caribbean and Florida. In any case, we were reminded again of how dependent we’ve become on electricity and water. And reminded of some other things as well — that we can get along with less than we think. Humans are pretty resilient, and it’s good to be able to depend on one another. With Harvey and Irma, we’ve seen again how our fellow human beings are ready to come to our aid, and how natural it is to feel and express concern for one another.

It’s worth noting the way Harvey, the eclipse, Irma, and the 9/11 anniversary claimed our attention for a season and gave us a sense of being one nation. There is a grounding experience with such events, a way in which we’re brought “down” into our common vulnerability and destiny. And there’s the gratitude that comes with coming through.

What would it be like if we were to carry these forward into daily awareness and into our daily determinations — and into our politics? There was an article in last week’s Time “Mother Nature, the uniter, briefly eclipses the nation’s division” that ended with this fine observation: “And if it (the eclipse) made us feel small?... Well, good. Humility was part of the veil of peace that was drawn over the country on August 21. So was community. And so, it would be nice to think, was gratitude.” To those virtues, I would only add “remembrance.” Remembrance of those others still without power, and those in Texas and Florida and the Caribbean with many difficult days ahead. Remembrance of those other storm victims, too, in Chiapas, Mexico, in eastern India. Remembrance that, finally, we are one human family.

Pet obituaries

Regarding John Ricketson’s complaint of the obituary notice in The Telegraph for the Winkel’s pet dog, I would hope he realizes that most pet owners love them as much as he loved his father. He says he feels rage about a pet obit alongside human obits. I do wish he would channel that senseless rage into something worthwhile. He could write his congressman, senators, representatives, governor, etc., about the human scum who subject innocent dogs to brutal fighting. He could suggest that this human trash be subjected to the same penalties that drug dealers get — all monies, houses, cars and physical properties be confiscated and sold and that money put directly into the nearest animal shelter. He could go as far as to include all animal abusers into this proposed law.

Getting back to pet obits. I would rather have my name listed beside an animal any day over any human. I’ve yet to see an animal behave as treacherously and evil as the average human. I applaud the good taste of The Telegraph and wish more pet obits were published. Our animals deserve just as much respect and love as any human. I hope Ricketson does not acquire any more pets, as he does not understand how precious they are.

“Heaven goes by favor. If it went by merit, you would stay out and your dog would go in.”

Fond memories

Seeing the picture of an 11-year-old boy mowing the lawn at the Rose Garden of the White House reminded me of my own childhood experience. On Aug. 16, 1942, my 10th birthday, my daddy took the train from Fitzgerald to Brunswick to work at the shipyard during the war. Among other things, I assumed responsibility for cutting the grass at home with a push mower. If the grass got too high the blade would choke; then I had to raise it, cut the lawn once, lower it and cut the lawn a second time.

After school in the winter I had to chop kindling from a pine stump and break up coal from the coal bin to fill the scuttle in my mother’s bedroom. The next morning at 6 a.m. I got up and built a fire in the fireplace so the room would be warm when my mother got up at 6:30. All this was a positive experience except for the fact that I have always hated to get up at 6 a.m. Now I am retired and can sleep until I wake up.

Not going to take it

During part of my career working for a Fortune 500 company, I had a sign sitting on my desk that read “It’s hard to soar like an eagle when you’re working with a bunch of turkeys.” Now that I’m retired and have become a certified GOM (Grumpy Old Man), I can attest that this theory also applies to my relationship with people and companies whom I thought really wanted my business.

In the last 30 days, the following incidents happened in my good faith attempts to conduct commerce with various companies:

1. An order for a double wall oven from a major national retailer “was lost by the computer,” a fact learned by me only after delivery was two weeks late.

2. A pair of solar eclipse glasses ordered from a major online retailer arrived four days after the eclipse. Turns out the glasses were manufactured in China only after I ordered them. An Aug. 15 promised delivery date turned into Aug. 24 actual delivery. It took three weeks and many phone calls and emails to finally get a refund. (I didn’t have to return the glasses).

3. I ordered a pair of pre-drilled tennis ball glides for my wife’s walker. The pre-drilled holes were sufficiently larger than the walker legs that the glides fell off when you picked up the walker. Both the glides and the walker were made to match by the same manufacturer. Even after I pointed out the defect, the manufacturer wanted an outrageous restocking fee and wanted me to pay return shipping. Again, it took me several days and numerous phone calls and emails to get the matter resolved, i.e a full refund, waiver of the restocking fee, and authorization to dispose of the defective product.

It’s a shame that one has to fight so hard to get a common sense resolution to situations like this.

This story was originally published September 18, 2017 at 9:00 PM with the headline "This is Viewpoints for Tuesday, September 19, 2017."