Dirt Roads
by
Paul Harvey
What's
mainly wrong with society today is that too many Dirt Roads have been
paved. There's not a problem in America today, crime, drugs,
education, divorce, delinquency that wouldn't be remedied, if we just
had more Dirt Roads, because Dirt Roads give character.
People that live at the end of Dirt Roads learn early on that life is a
bumpy
ride. That it can jar you right down to your teeth sometimes, but
it's worth it, if at the end is home ... a loving spouse, happy kids
and a dog.
We wouldn't have near the trouble with our educational system if our
kids got their exercise walking a Dirt Road with other kids, from whom
they learn how to get along. There was less crime in our streets
before they were paved.
Criminals didn't walk two dusty miles to rob or rape, if they knew
they'd be
welcomed by 5 barking dogs and a double barrel shotgun. And there
were no drive by shootings. Our values were better when our roads
were worse!
People did not worship their cars more than their kids, and motorists
were more courteous, they didn't tailgate by riding the bumper or the
guy in front would choke you with dust & bust your windshield with
rocks. Dirt Roads taught patience.
Dirt Roads were environmentally friendly, you didn't hop in your car
for a quart
of milk you walked to the barn for your milk. For your mail, you
walked to the mail box.
What if it rained and the Dirt Road got washed out? That was the
best part, then you stayed home and had some family time, roasted
marshmallows and popped popcorn and pony rode on Daddy's shoulders and
learned how to make prettier quilts than anybody. At the end of
Dirt Roads, you soon learned that bad words tasted like soap.
Most paved roads lead to trouble, Dirt Roads more likely lead to a
fishing creek or a
swimming hole.
At the end of a Dirt Road, the only time we even locked our car was in
August, because if we didn't
some neighbor would fill it with too much zucchini.
At the end of a Dirt Road, there was always extra springtime income,
from when city dudes would
get stuck, you'd have to hitch up a team and pull them out.
Usually you got a dollar ... always you got a new friend ... at the end
of a Dirt Road!
Contributed
by
Bette
Thompson
Defining
Moments
Archives
Copyright
© 2006, Jace Carlton. All International Rights Reserved.
