# I am really not a bad person...



## azpredatorhunter (Jul 24, 2012)

I am really not a bad person...

I am sitting here on the couch waiting for a phone call from an old neighbor who's at the Phoenix Veterans Hospital. I got up at 5:30 am. this morning thinking he was going to call, nothing yet. My old neighbor is a Korean war veteran and a Vietnam war veteran, he was a pilot in both war's, he has flown numerous planes, gunships and helicopters. When he was a child he had the opportunity to sit in the court room at the Nuremberg trials... He's quite the character and it's quite interesting listening to his stories. I've never asked him if he sprayed the jungles of Vietnam with agent orange, but I can tell in his eyes he did. He's now suffering from cancer and from exposure to agent orange. I hope I get a call soon, I am getting worried, I am supposed to pick him up and take him home. The wife and I have been helping another veteran, he joined the Air force during World War Two, he's another interesting character, he's 94 years young. I hope I can get around like him if I make it to that age. He doesn't have any family close to check on him, so the wife and I do. Last week he didn't answer the phone so we drove over to check on him, I really don't want to find him dead, it brings back bad memories... Well he was fine, just outside in the back yard. We were relieved, my wife gave him a big Hug and he said what you thought I was dead... lol. He has some awesome stories too, I will tell one later it's pretty cool. I just wanted to let some of you know that I am not a bad person after all lol, I am kinda like Donald Trump, I say what's on my mind without thinking sometimes, minus the f bombs I use frequently... PS . A few days ago I got a little old lady a shopping cart so she could make it to store entrance, yea I had to listen to her story about why she couldn't walk well... yes I try to do a good deed whenever I can.

Thanx for reading my ramblings...

Have a wonderful day!


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## kiyote (Jun 15, 2014)

ok. if you say so. I will take your word for it.

glad to hear he was ok.

actually had a similar deal on my block. old women across the street, fell down in her home and couldn't get up. laid there for for over 24 hours. till for reasons unknown, I had feeling she needed help and went to check on her. she has now passed on. but she lived a couple more years after that fall.

I have zero doubt someone was looking out for her that day


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## Rick Howard (Feb 25, 2012)

I'm not sure where you got the impression we thought you were a bad guy. Matter of fact, my impressions of your character matched the description of your deeds in this post. Keep it up. Good things come for good folks.


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## jimmy shutt (Jun 2, 2013)

like


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## azpredatorhunter (Jul 24, 2012)

Ok...picked up Bob from the Phoenix VA, he's doing ok.

Here's the story my other neighbor told me.

Back in the 1920's Lee's father was in real estate, after the stock market crash the family lost everything they owned, by the early 30's they wound up living in the desert some where outside of Laredo Texas. Lee told me that they were running out of food and only had $5 to their name, getting desperate and unable to find work, his father was sitting around the camp site looking at a magazine and on the back page there was an ad saying for $5 they would place an ad for your business and it would be circulated nation wide. So they came up with a name and decided to use their last $5 and put an ad in the magazine advertising cactus for sale, they named it Texas Cactus Growers, well they didn't really grow cactus, but were surrounded by them. Lee's father had him drive to the nearest town to put the letter in the mail. Three weeks went by, so Lee's father told him to drive to town and check to see if they got any orders, Lee drove to the little town where the country store was the place to get your mail, Lee goes into the little store and asked the clerk if he had any mail for him, he said the man didn't speak english so he had a little bit of trouble asking him, but the guy kinda understood what he was looking for. The clerk got out a box that was full of mail and started looking through it, he placed the letters one by one on the counter and then scooped them up and put them back in the box and shook his head no. Lee was devastated that he had to return to his father without any letters, Lee said that they only had a quarter tank of gas left, so he drove back to their camping spot to wait and see. Two more weeks go by and Lee's father told him to go to town and check the mail. Lee drives to town and asked the clerk if they had any mail so the guy pulled out the box of mail and goes through them one by one, he picked up the pile of letters and put them back in the box and shook his head no, Lee was heartbroken.. nothing again! So Lee drives back to camp and tells his father the bad news. By this time Lee said they only had enough gas to go to town and back one more time so they waited two more weeks, this time they were out of food and didn't know what was going to happen. Lee drives to town for the last time hoping and praying that there would be at least one letter with an order. Lee goes into the little store and asked the clerk again if there was any mail for him, the clerk gets the box out and started looking for a letter, the clerk pulls out a letter and hands it to him, Lee says oh my God! please let it be an order, he opened the letter and there was an order for cactus with $4 in it! He was so happy he started to cry, he looks up a the clerk who's going through the mail hoping for maybe one more letter, the clerk goes through all the letters and scoops them up into a pile and hands them to Lee, it had orders from all around the country! each one with cash in it! Lee in tears of joy drove back to camp to show everyone, he just couldn't believe it. Well they were able to officially launch Texas Cactus Growers witch led to his mother and father opening up a gift shop and later a restaurant next to the gift shop. Lee's father eventually ordered a new car from a factory in Detroit, I think he said it was a Windsor automobile. Lee took a train to Detroit to pick up the car... Lee still works to this day, he'll be 95 soon, he created the desert botanical garden in Sedona Arizona and many other small business here in Arizona.

Sorry I am not a writer... I hope you enjoyed this true story, he started to cry when he told us about it.


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## azpredatorhunter (Jul 24, 2012)

Well I couldn't go back and correct where the Windsor was made and change factory to dealer... The Windsor was made in St. Louis Missouri. I am not the greatest at remembering certain details... lol.


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## glenway (Mar 27, 2011)

So, Eric, is that the person your wife was making the pretty containers of cactus for?

And, nothing wrong with speaking your mind.

Your stories remind me of a visit I just made to my Uncle Van Wunderlich of Georgia a couple of weeks ago. He's also a WWII veteran of the Air Force. His job was the bubble turret gunner on a B-17. He enlisted at the age of 19 and crammed himself in the tiny bubble - even though he was 1 inch too tall for the job at 5'9". He flew only one mission and the war ended.

He's 90 years old now and in great shape and still painting pictures. In fact, he gave me one when I arrived. A keepsake for sure.

I went to see him because he wanted me to send him some venison. I thought it would be better if I delivered it in person. Sure glad I did.

Looking forward to a visit to Arizona in 2 weeks and some coyote hunting with you.

Take care.


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## sneakygroundbuzzard (Nov 1, 2012)

Eric, never thought of you any other way but a good guy.you checking in and help taking care of an elderly neighbor just goes to prove what kind of good person you truly are.

i loved that story.

being a bit of a car buff,i remember the Windsor automobile.


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## Bigdrowdy1 (Jan 29, 2010)

Erik Bad guy !! Yea Like I am too tall !! Thank you my friend for acknowledging those who have given their time for us it doesn't matter whether they served or were part of the past for the past made today. The

hardships they shared were for us and a lesson most of today could learn from. To take your time for them Today speaks greatly for your spirit. my hats off and a Heart felt Thank you!!So often we push aside that that was so we can see the now and so often we don't understand that that it took to get here. The youngers of the day don't have a clue and really never will. My Grand parents came to Oklahoma in a covered wagon and my mother swept dirt floors! We strive to give more to our off spring but please don't let them forget the past as the past will rlive its self in the future along different lines but same terms.

Thanks Erik for your service to Those who have given theirs in one form or another!!

Big D

Rodney


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## sneakygroundbuzzard (Nov 1, 2012)

Rodney, your grandma swept dirt floors

now thats a never ending task right there

how do you know when its clean 

my grandmas did the same

i also remember them cooking on wood stoves,and had hand pumps in the kitchen for fresh water

non of my family was ever wealthy

but we were always rich,we had food,clothes and lots of love

what more could one ask for


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## kiyote (Jun 15, 2014)

well since you asked, a new coyote gun would be nice. :wink2:

great cactus story.it is amazing, and humbling, how fast ones situation can change.

GOD may not give us all we want, but this story proves he gives us all we need.


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## prairiewolf (Feb 19, 2012)

Geez SGB and Rodney, am I that much older, I lived in one of those dirt floor houses and we had an ice box, no electric at all. lmao


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## Bigdrowdy1 (Jan 29, 2010)

Know your not that much Older!! I remember the town Ice house where you got the ice for the Ice box. We had the hand pump for the well in the kitchen . I remember the red and white porcelain laitle we all share when we were kids coming in from playing. The well was under the back porchThat water as I remember it was cold and better than any I drink today. Grandma did have electricity though. LASY LOL


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