Real People

Is your life full of real people? Mine is, and I'm so glad of it.

A group of us "real people" gathered to celebrate a friend's birthday last night. It didn't take much for us all to have a really good time. Good music, good conversation, good food and a little beer.

Talk centered around work (lots of railroaders there), the weather (this is Nebraska, after all).... which was bad. Why should we have to bundle up in a garage for a Memorial Weekend get-together, while we're looking at the prospect of 90+ degree temperatures later in the week? Also around the anticipated flooding when the spring thaws start in the Rockies (again thanks to those 90+ degree temperatures later in the week), and friends who may face likely flooding, and our plans for helping out. Of course that led to a discussion of the greater disasters that have happened throughout the U.S. and the relief efforts there. On a cheerful note, we also discussed the fun times this past week spent on the river, enjoying even more good music and made plans for summer fun.

Snippets of conversation included fixing cars, kids, horses, concerts, gardens, cooking, home repairs, some politics... just the every day things people deal with in our real lives. Not one mention of Lady Gaga, TMZ, the infidelity of The Governator, not even American Idol, or anything else of interest to People or US magazines. The supposed ongoing obsession of America with all things celebrity has yet to find its way into the backyard gatherings in the heartland. No fashion discussion, no fancy cars, no "who's in rehab"...

We found the same thing earlier this week as we made a road trip to hear a friend in concert in a rural town in northeastern Colorado. He was playing at a little dive biker bar, and since it was his last appearance anywhere remotely close to us, a few of us piled in and made the trek. What we found were more folks just like us. Good-hearted, hard-working, fun-loving and friendly.

We met the college roommate of the sister of one of our neighbors (how's that for a small world), and were promptly invited to camp out on her floor so we didn't have to make the drive back in the same night. We met a bull-fighter recovering from an on-the-job injury who is working his way back up in the business, and were invited back for a big celebration being planned in the bar next month. We were offered the free food that everyone had brought in to celebrate a birthday.

Real people. Real fun.

Here's hoping your life is filled with real people.

Thanks for stopping by. As soon as the coffee's finished brewing, have a cup with me.

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