White Collar Hippie

I came across a typed note from my father that was written with no date (!) but it was in the months preceding his ultimate passing.  Here is what it said: " Your good wishes may not have seemed like a big deal to you but they were to me " Dear ones:  I came very close to being gone from you and all that we have shared would only be a memory now.  Two firemen, minding their own busness shopping for supplies for their crew at HyVee, changed that outcome. They, along with Methodist Hospital, doctors, nurses and other staff kept me in life so that I can be with you today.  Things will never be the same. That experience has for me changed the nature of my relationships.  My realization is that I may never havev gotten the chance to express how I feel about you so I am going to do that now.  I love you, I appreciate you and I am grateful for your presence in my life.  Thank you for caring about me and for your wishes for a speedy recovery and a ...

Charles I. Scudder, Jr.'s roots were in the dust bowl . (For a fascinating documentary of the history of the dustbowl see Ken Burns' treatment here:   https://www.pbs.org/kenburns/dustbowl/share-your-story/  ) But that legacy during his early life quickly changed to become what was an advancing popularity of factory work and post WWII economics which benefitted an expanding economy causing a boom of work into the bread basket of the U.S.A.   For my parents, their story unfolded with a new home purchase in Omaha, Nebraska and both of my parents taking on work at the Swift packing plant . (Second link:  https://digitalcommons.unomaha.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2259&context=studentwork ) The American economy experienced a shift during the 1950s that created more income for more Americans than ever before. Though during the early 1950s the American economy was negatively affected by inflation—prices were rising, currency was losing its value, ...