"Whistling Dixie"

I got called a southerner today! Driving back from Idaho to be with Charlie and spend the night at the hospital I stopped to top off the Hy-railer in Burley, Id. and the service station was full so I pulled up behind a car that was in mid-fill to wait my turn to over pay for fuel. I got out of the truck to stretch the legs and the AARP member at the pump glared at me and randomly spouted off with, “You southerners are all in such a blank blank hurry.” and that was it. Apparently I am unaware of some arcane rule of petroleum procurement that says it is improper to queue if pumps are all occupied… my bad. What I now know is that if no pump is available you should drive laps around town until a spot opens up as to not cause the current patrons to feel rushed in any way. Bear w/ me for a bit as I have some other issues with this exchange that I need to get off my chest and then we can get to the purpose of this post. At what point in our world did coming from Utah make us southerners? Admittedly, I love NASCAR, grits and firmly believe that if someone cuts you off in traffic and doesn’t give the little “sorry” wave you ought to be able to get into the back of’em, git’em loose, and put’em into the wall, but I am no southerner. Marilee, Gary, Chumney and Bruce no offense but I still have all my teeth, my family tree does fork and I have never been to Kentucky.
Here’s the point of the story. Today at that gas station I saw in myself actual evidence that Charlie has changed me. Before Charlie got sick I wasn’t really known for keeping things copasetic in situations where tact and patience was required and I probably would have humored myself w/ a snide comment in reply or some other measure of antagonism in attempt to berate this ornery man. But instead I just smiled and thought to myself that stupid crap like that is so paltry in the grand scheme of prudent priorities that it shouldn’t even warrant a response. You always hear the cliché “don’t sweat the small stuff” but for the first time in my meager existence I get it. Charlie has changed me. I’ve got a new priority set and if you don’t believe me just ask Angel, I did a batch of laundry the other day. I read daily comments from you all about how my little boy has changed/affected your lives and I’m somewhat ashamed to admit that it took this long for me to realize that he got me too.
I probably should apologize to any members of the Gem State that I may have offended in this post and maybe you too think that I am a southerner but let it be known that I love your State and would consider it a privilege to call it home.

Charlie Update: “Finally” you all are saying. He’s slept ok tonight but its all clonadine induced. Other than that he’s pretty fired up when he’s been awake today. I’ll miss him again since I head to Wyoming in the morning but it has been great to be here tonight. He really is a special little southerner. Randa, a RN here and a surrogate grandma to Charlie persuaded the Doc’s to change his formula back to what he was on before we started having the feeding issues so who knows maybe he’ll take to it a little easier?.

Angel told me about some visitors from Summit County we had this weekend and I am blown away at how wonderful people truly are. Complete strangers yet so generous. Thank you so much, I don’t really know what to say, and that rarely happens. I just hope that I get the chance to influence a family someday in the way you have influenced ours. Thank you for being so thoughtful.

Here's a few pics from the day.