The World According to B. B. Sweet

Speakin of Stupid

2012-05-21T17:53:00.002-07:00

You know, when I listens to the news these days, and I hears some brainee politisian spoutin some nonsense like only folks in Washington knows how to do, I can't hep but recollect the words of ol Honest Abe; " tis better to be silent and thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubt." Now, I sometimes says some things ought not be said. And I spose I has now and again spouted off some perty fine nonsense. That mostly cause I generly ingage my mouth afore my brain. Anyways, when you gets to bein my age, folks just nachurally make allowances for you. Ever time I says somthin mule stupid, folks just say, "ol B B can't hep it, cause he is old". And I is might proud to use that as my ekscuse. But them fellers in Washington, ain't got no ekscuse. They ain't old as B. B. and they sur nuff got more book learnin.
But you know, the way I figure, most everbody got a bit a stupid they carry around inside, and ever once in a while it just kinda sneaks out when theys least ecspects it. I spect I wood have a mite more teeth in my mouth if'n I just could'a kept some a that stupid inside when I were a young'un. But you know ol B B, he jus can't keep his jowls shut mor'n five seconds but what he think he gonna explode. Sos I spout off and next thin you knows we be dancin the two fist polka.
It don't make no never mind tho. I has enjoyd ever minute. I don't think I wood change a thing even if'n I
could. Remember, Life is what you make it. Don't waste it folks. Live it.

Play Somethin Perty, Sweet

2012-05-01T18:33:00.001-07:00

I spose its about time for a good yarn today. Some folks consider a yarn to be a tall tale or a made up story. Well sir, I gots plenty yarn to spin from the onest to goodness true storytellin of my youth. Lord, I remembers things what would make your hair curl up like Shirley Temple. I has seen and dunn more in my years than most folks dreams of. Some I kin repeat and some I spose I best not.

I recollect I spent some time in Chicago in the early 20s after hoppin trains for a spell. I took to checkin out the local clubs and speak-easies at night as I had a hankerin for music and a tolerable likin for mash. I weren't no great shakes as a musician but sometimes theys would let me sit in with the band. I took a real shine to them fellers and we shore had a fine ol time. One of them fellers went by the name a Olly.   Olly played horn and I played a tolerable guitar. Ever once in a while Ol Olly would pull that horn down from his lips, look over at me and say, play somethin perty, Sweet.

Ol Olly and me, we would paint the town when we weren't musican. We didn't go alookin for trouble you know, but it seem like it sure enuff could find us perty frequent. That feller were a fine friend and he pulled me out of a scrape or two whiles we was livin on the south side. I spent nearly three year in Chicago and us two fellers played more music and drank more mash than mos folks does in a lifetime. When I left town, Ol Olly and me tried to keep in touch for a while but ventually, the letters and Christmas cards quit comin.
Then one day in 1958 I gets a letter. This young lady says would I be the B B Sweet what used to play guitar in a place call the Red Diamond in Chicago.  She say her daddy is Oliver Young and is not well. She tell me that he ask to see me. Well, I went straight down to that train station and hitched a ride for Chicago the next day. I spent two weeks with Ol Olly, rememberin and talkin bout the good ol days. Them last couple days, Olly couldn't talk much no more, but he sit and listen to me go on bout the old days and ever once in a while he would smile. The last words I hear Ol Olly say were - play somethin perty, Sweet.

Remember folks, tis sweet to remember what was hard to endure.

Still Fishin

2012-04-12T17:23:00.002-07:00

Well sir, I sur enuff did catch me a mess a fish last week. Most enjoyedment I has had in I can't remember when. I mean to tell you, them catfish was itchin to be catched so bad, a feller hardly even need bait. Well maybe a smidgen. Lord amighty that was a good time.
Folks I has to tell you, there ain't much in this here world give ol B B more pleassure than a good day at the fishin hole. Don't much matter if'n I catch a big mess or not. Jus sittin on that creek bank, suckin in that fresh country air is right near enuff to plant a smile cross my face what would last a month. If'n you has a passel of problems, they is one shur fired way to chase away them blues. Grab yoself a pole and chase on down to the nearest fishin hole. They ain;t nothin in this world is better medicine.

Thought for the day : Let us live so that when we come to die even the undertaker will be sorry.
Mark Twain

Fish Medicine

2012-03-28T19:14:00.000-07:00

Another beautimus day on the mountain. I swear I is feelin mighty favorable toward a trip to the creek. My ol sawbones keep on tellin me I has to take it easy, not strane myself and such. But I has a feeling a little fishin exspidition might be jus what the doctor ordered. Ol B B been cooped up and drugged up all winter long. I be takin a notion to kick up now that I is feelin human again.
A feller can get mighty low layin flat a his back for to long a spell. But sunshine and a five pound catfish will most surely britin up his gizzard. I jus wish ol Silas were still topside sos he could come along and help carry back the fine mess I is gonna catch. Me and ol Silas dang neart fished out every creek in the county when we was younguns. Weren't two better fishin buddies afore or since.
I suppose you be a noticin I kina miss ol Silas. Happens every year bout this time. Soon as I starts to hankerin to do some fishin, I naturlly starts thinkin bout him. Well ol buddy, I think I'll jus take two poles with me today sos I can catch somes for both of us.

Remember, a bad day a fishin is better than a good day a workin.

Fishin Story

2012-03-21T19:42:00.004-07:00

Well if'n anybody care to know, ol' B.B. is feelin much better. I might even feel up to makin garden in a few weeks. Lord knows I was a mite puny there fer a spell. But I thinks this fine weather is bout to make my gizzard stand up and bark again.
I has been lookin forward to spring for quite a spell now. Now I is chompin at the bit to get out and tend garden and wet my line in the creek. This time a year I almost feels like a kid again. When I starts to feelin purky, I begins to relive my youth. I recollect a time, I think it was a few years afore the big war, that be WWI, when me and my buddy Silas went down to ol' man Jennings pond. We uns knowd we weren't supposed to be there, but we'd hear tell that they was some powerful big catfish in that there pond. Well that kind a talk was just like wavin a red flag afront of mean old bull. Me and Silas took off one mornin when we knowd ol man Jennings was drivin his team into town, and we snuck through the back pasture to the pond. Within a couple a hours we had landed mite near a dozen good size catfish and was figurin on how we was gonna clean them fish and then make tracks afore ol man Jennings got back from town. Bout that time ol Silas let out a yell that'd curl your hair. I ran over to wheres Silas was a layin and a moanin. I looks down at his foot and I be dogged if they weren't snappin turtle had aholt a Silas toe and wouldn't let go come hell nor high water. I beat on that dad blasted turtle for what musted been 10 minutes afore that blasted animal finally turnt loose. Ol Silas was a bleedin somthin fierce sos I grabbed aholt of him and was headin him back for home when Silas hollered , what bout them fish we catched. I told him I couldn' t fetch him and the fish both. So, there we were, two young uns, tryin to figure out what was most important, them fine catfish we catched or Silas big toe. Well, the toe finally won out, but not afore we did some serious cussin and discussin. They weren't never two more broken hearted boys in this world than me and ol Silas when we turnt loose them catfish in ol man Jennings pond, sos I could fetch Silas back home to patch up his big toe.

"All you need in this life is ignorance and confidence; then success is sure. " <Mark Twain>

Sick and Tired

2012-01-28T18:01:00.000-08:00

Been sick and tired these last few weeks. But ol Grim Reaper ain't got aholt a me yet. It'll take a might more than a few old flu bugs to take Ol B B down. I recollect back in 1919 how folks all over was frettin bout the sickness spreadin cross this country. Weren't a family I knowd that weren't touched by it. It was a mighty sorrowful time. Soldiers just comin back from Europe, most of em just happy to have made it out of that war alive. Then they finds theyselves in the middle of another powerful struggle and once again it seem like death were everywhere.
But like my onry ole mule, Sally, I just too dadburn stubburn to get sick and pass on. I has dissapointed the gate keeper so many times I suspect he just about given up on me. Don't bother me none. I'll keep a walkin top side til ol St Pete and Lucifer get it figured out which one of em gets stuck with me.
I is feelin a might tired now. I reckon I had better get some rest. Remember, keep your feet on the ground and keep reachin for the stars.

Dreams and Regrets

2011-12-20T20:08:00.000-08:00

I has become a bit of a slebrity round town cause a my age. I dont mind attention none and lord know I loves to talk to folks. But when you gets right down to it, don't take no talent to get old. I is right glad that folks enjoys to talk to me and hear my yarns about the good ole days, and I is plum proud a bein older than dirt. But it aint all peach and apple blossoms.
When I were a young'un, I had dreams and plans and ideas, lord my noggin was a burstin with ideas. I rode train for a spell in my teens and use to sit in a boxcar soakin up the beauty of this great big land. Lord my dreams were big as a Montana morning back then. Dreams, they is mighty important. Some folks got riches, some folks got power, but they is some folks what ain't got nothin if you take away theys dreams. They say a man ain't old til regrets take the place of his dreams. Well folks, I knows I is old, but I got no regrets. I has lived, I has laughed and I has loved and I remember all of it. It were powerful wonderful. My dreams has been replaced by satisfying memries.

Hold fast to your dreams!

Season's Greetings

2011-12-18T15:04:00.000-08:00

Ol' B B been thinkin about the spirit of this here season and I jus thought I ought to share some o' my thinkins. I has been around a powerful long time and most a my friends and family done passed on some time back. This time a year gets a fella to thinkin 'bout family and that sure enuff is the way it ought to be. I know folks what spend their time frettin 'bout this that and the other and in hard times like these it hard not to fret a little. But sure as a rooster got feathers, frettin ain't never done nobody no good. This time a year a feller ought to put aside his frets for a spell and put his mind to family, friends and the lord. All that other stuff is just chaff in the wind. I ain't sayin work and payin bills ain't important. It just that if'n a feller don't pay attention he lible to end up workin and frettin his life away and never livin.

I heard a man say one time "Every feller has got to die, but not every one really lives".

Merry Christmas from Ol' B B

Christmas Thoughts

2011-12-04T19:04:00.000-08:00

I suppose it ain't escaped most folks notice that its Christmas time again. Lessen you live under a mule fritter theys ain't no way you could help but notice. I ain't agin commerce and folks tryin to make a livin but this holiday shopping mania, seem to me has gotten a bit out of hand. Seem like folks need a catchers mask and a chest protector just to go shoppin. I recollect a day when folks didn't spend their holidays standin in line to buy a big screen television or some new fangled elektronic gadget. Holidays was a time to visit family, reconnect with old friends and contemplate our lord. We have the most advanced economy in the world but we's lost sight of our foundations stones. I suppose foundation stones has to be buried deep if'n theys gonna provide a solid base. But don't forget and don't neglect em.
When a feller works, he ought to work and be proud of his labor. But he ought not confuse his work or his possessions with life. Life is an altogether different thing that a feller reflects upon more and more as he draws near to his judgement. But I assure you, nary a soul has ever lay upon his death bed a wishin he had spent more time at the office. This Christmas folks, make it you solemn pledge to yourself to LIVE!

Merry Christmas from ol' B B

Walden Pond

2011-11-23T16:05:00.000-08:00

I suppose some folks probly wonders what its like to be older than Betty White. And I reckon they are some folks what wonders who the thunder gives a second thought to it. I was a kid once upon a time, and I remember that feeling of invincability. I understand that young folks don't really tussle much with mortality and that's the way it should be. If'n you are young and full of piss and vinegar, don't waste your precious time thinkin bout the grim reaper and such. Young'ns need to live life and make every day count;

An educated man name of Henry David Thoreau once spoke of life thus : "I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived." These are the words that a man should live by.

Bucket List

2011-11-11T17:43:00.000-08:00

When a feller gets to bein my age, folks just natur'lly starts to gettin curious 'bout you. Ain't hardly a day goes by what someone don't ask me when I was borned or if'n I fought in the Civil War, stuff like that. I like to tell folks that by the time the Civil War started I was too old to fight. Gets a good laugh from 'em. Ain't no matter though. I know my days on this here earth are numbered. But afore I goes to cash in my chips, I got a few more stories to tell, a few more songs to sing, a few more beers to drink and a passel more fish to catch. Folks nowadays calls it a bucket list. Well, I may be older'n the Black Hills but I needs at least two buckets for all the fat I's got left to chew.
Now you might think I is bein selfish but I been so busy lately I have takin a notion not to die at all. Lord, I reckon it'll take me forty 'leven years just to get caught up. Folks keep on tellin me I need to slow down, but I got to tell you, the thought of retiredment just sticks in my gizzard. Sideways at that. I don't cotton much to lazy folks and I got no plans on bein one.

Thought for the day: Remember if,n you don't suffer from stress, You is probly a carrier.

Progress

2011-11-10T17:25:00.000-08:00

This ol' world surely is a peculiar place. I been pacin 'round top side for might near long as Methusala, and I seen sights what would make Admiral Byrd look like a piker. I's seen horrible death and destruction in cyclones, floods and war. I seen beautyful mountains, valleys, oceans and all what nature has to ofer. And I seen man at his best and at his worst.
We the most intelligent creature what ever walked this earth. In my years, I have gone from riding my old mule Sally into town on a Saturday night when I were a pup, to ridin a train to Alabama when I weren't but 15 years old, to ridin a 747 jet clear cross this great big country just two years ago. Oh we have done some amazin things. Lot a good stuff happen in the last hundred years. Folks don't fret bout polio or consumption no more like when I were a youg'un. Folks got all kinds a gadgets what make life easier. But they is a cost to all this progress. And someday, if we don't wise up and take better care of this here world, I fear we is, sure as sugar, gonna get our comeuppance.

Quote Corner : "I am a slow walker but I never walk back" A. Lincoln

Provdin A Service

2011-11-09T18:09:00.000-08:00

I suppose I does a fair amount a complainin and some folks get tired of hearin Ol' B. B. moanin 'bout one thing and then another. But the way I figures it, tain't really complainin. I's providin a service. I tells it like it is without putin a right or left spin on it. I ain't pitchin no curveballs or screwballs, just plain old straight shootin. Seem like folks ain't got no place to get information these days what ain't already been been justed to fit some news bigwigs idea of truth. Therin lyes the problem. When folks listens to the same station ever day, perty soon theys got a cock-eyed view of the world and don't even know it.
Theys no such thing as non-biased news. You folks best bet is to listens to both sides and try to cipher out the crap as best you can.

When I was a young'un I met a wise old philosofer went by the name of Will Rogers. Mighty fine feller and outstandin story teller. He's known for sayin a lot a smart words and I holds the man in high regard. In these tryin times when ever feller and his brother has an opinion on what ails the conomy, I thought these few words from Mr Rogers was quite fittin: "An economist's guess is liable to be as good as anybody else's:.

That's the important Stuff

2011-11-08T16:52:00.000-08:00

Ol' B B been around the block a time or two. He know a bit 'bout life, love and what else they is thats important. Folks hears me talk, they knows I ain't educated. Ain't hard to tell that Ol' B B been raised on the poor side of the tracks. But it don't take no Herford education to figure whats important in this here world. And don't take no Sanford degree for a feller to tell right from wrong. Right there is where the mule's hoof hits the corn row. We got important folk runnin round these days with great big educated degrees, what don't know right from wrong. Theys big company presidents what thinks nothin but dollar signs.

The common man sees things a bit different. Wokin folk, wearin blue collars, and drivin ten year old chevys, thems the ones what knows whats real. Theys got mortgages, and bills and problems. Men what got wives and kids theys got to feed and educate. They helps the neighbor, they takes care of family and they gives thanks for the blessings they got. They goes to bed under the same roof ever night, with the same woman, and prays to the same almighty ever night. They knows love, repect and courage. Thats the important stuff.

Today's thought comes from a fine American name of Mark Twain: " I am a great and sublime fool. But then I am God’s fool, and all His work must be contemplated with respect."

Let's Get Back To Work

2011-11-04T17:22:00.000-07:00

Folks been walkin round town lately carryin a mighty sad look on they face. This here resession is a gettin everbody down. They's lots of hard workin folks in these parts what been out of work for the first time since they graduated school. Don't make a lick a difference if'n you a democract or republican, without a job you can't buy groceries and you ain't payin no taxes. Even them darn fool politicians in Washington got enuff horse sense to know that ain't good. None of 'em seem to got much notion how to fix it though. Yeah, some want to throw a wad of money at it and some want to cut taxes, but ain't a one of 'em really got a handle on the real problem
They was a time in this country when folks worked. And when they finished a workin, they had somethin to show for it. Back when I was a youngin, if'n you didn't actually make somethin useful it were'nt considered work. Now folks is a gettin paid more than Babe Ruth just to buy and sell stocks, bonds and somethin they calls futures contracts. Theys don't make nothin useful, just push buttons on a typewritin board all day and pick ups a big paycheck at the end of the week. They was a time when a fellas value was based on what kind a crops he grew, or how he fared with a hammer. Every town had to have a blacksmith, a storekeep, an innkeep and of course a barkeep. Your standing in sosiety was accordin to the value of your trade. Maybe thats what ails this country nowadays. Folks just puts value in the wrong things

Thought for the day: Just remember if'n everything seems to be going well, you has obviously overlooked
something.

Super Committee

2011-10-20T17:30:00.000-07:00

In Washington they got this new thing they calls a super committee. It ain't really nothing knew. They been doin it for decades. Folks on Capitol Hill gets the bright idea to appoint a few smart fellas to a committee to study a partcular problem. After they study for a spell, they comes back with a whole passel of solutions. Then our reprehensible congressmen dutifully debate and discuss,them solutions. After all the debatin is done, they dissolves the committee, throws the solutions in the trash can and starts all over from scratch. Happens every time.

Quotation Corner: I think Mark Twain was speakin of poiticians when he wrote, “It ain't what you don't know that gets you into trouble. It's what you know for sure that just ain't so."

Political Right and Left

2011-10-19T18:07:00.000-07:00

I suppose they's a lot of smart folks in Washington. Most of em got degrees in somethin or other. Mr Romney, he got a law degree. Mr Cain got a masters in computer science. Mr Perry own a bachelors degree in animal science. Mr Obama he too got a law degree. The sad fact is there ain't one man in three could tell you what schoolin them fellas had. If you asked most folks, 'bout all they could tell you is one's a mormon, one sold pizza, one's from Texas and one was hatched in Hawaii.

Nowadays politics seem to be more about right or left 'stead of right or wrong. And if you just plan on votin' for the best man, you can forget it cause he ain't runnin.

Today's words of wisdom: "Always drink upstream from the herd".

Countin Stuff

2011-10-18T16:56:00.000-07:00

I hear tell recently they is seven billion people what live on this here earth. What concern me is who the feller is a counting all them folks. That sure is a powerful lot of people for anybody to be trying to number 'em. It seems like nowadays we have to count everything from the number of people walkin' top side to the number of roastin ears in Nebraska. Course I know its mighty important to know how many barrels of oil they is in Iraq or how many nuclear warheads we has got stored away in some mountain. Ain't nobody more concerned 'bout those important things than old B.B. But how come we ain't never heard of nobody countin' things that common folks really care about. I sure would be curious to know how many barrels of Jack Daniels we got stored away for a rainy day.

Before I sign off for the day let me pass along this bit of sage advice from a wise old philosopher name of Satchel Paige: "Ain't no man can avoid being born average, but there ain't no man got to be common."

In the Beginning There was B.B.

2011-10-17T19:16:00.000-07:00

Old B. B. been around a long time. Some folks around Washington used to say I was so old, I must'a been Strom Thurmond's third grade teacher. Of course that weren't true. Heck, I never made it much past third grade myself. And most folks I meet don't have the foggiest notion who Strom Thrurmond was. So I guess I am older than dirt. That's okay though. I'd rather be stomping on the grass than pushin' up daisies.

But whatever happened to the good old days when our politicians had flair. We had great nicknames back in the day. Remember ol' Silent Cal and Give "em Hell Harry. If that's too far back, how about Dutch Reagan and Tip O'Neil. And who was the genius what slapped the handle "Newt" on Speaker of the House Gingrich.

I guess that's a sign you're a gettin' old; when a man would rather look back than forward. I seen a lot things happen in my time. Some good, some bad. Some funny, some sad. But its been an interesting life. Stick around and I'll tell you about it.