Middle East Answers

Iran has created quite a stir in the news of late, Especially in the last week. In the wake of North Korea dismanteling its own nuclear reactor, Iran seems to be posturing itself for aggression.

I've thought of Peep the more I've heard of Iran. Peep (short for Pee-Paw) is long gone from this world, but he always had an answer for anything. He told me many times if he had it his way, the US would park a couple of aircraft carriers in the center of the Straits of Hormuz and dare ANYBODY to sail as much as a jet ski through there. In his words..."them rascals would get tired of eatin oil before I got tired of walkin to the grocery store". You know, sometimes the politicians may not have all the answers. Maybe if corn and wheat were to cost Arabian Nations $145.00 a bushel, it wouldn't be very long till the price of crude oil started coming down a bit. It may also ensure somebody got a newborn respect for the American Farmer. Doesn't it gall you a little bit that our government is selling the Arabs a bushel of grain for $7.00 that cost some farmer about $50.00 to produce. So then we get a barrel of oil for $145.00 in return that cost them about $7.00 to produce? What's wrong with this picture? Our government says it helps "ease world tensions". Do you really believe some poor fellow sitting in a tent surrounded by camels and goats in the desert of the Arabian Peninsula ever gets a handful of that grain? Every last kernel is snatched up to feed oil sheiks, militia and terrorists.

Sometimes I get a newfound appreciation for Peep's simplistic insight. He wasn't the most highly educated person, but he was well read and had hustled a good living for his family sweating away as a plumbing contractor all his adult life. You know, the more I've thought about it, the more sense he made about a lot of things. It's awful easy to "over analyze" something. Our politicians are good at that. I remember many afternoons with Pee-Paw just talking away the afternoon. Well, actually I did more listening than talking. I really wish I had paid more attention. He knew somehow that Jimmy Carter was the worst diplomat ever on earth. He knew when the terror issue really began to heat up that Clinton would back down. He knew right at the outset what a dishonest man John Kerry was. He knew where his own mistakes had been, what it had cost him, and had learned the value of his family. He knew a man had to come to terms with his own fraility and sin in order to ever see the throne. It was amazing to me that such an outwardly simple man could know so much.

Looking back now I know how blessed I was to have those long sessions with him. I'm certain I know more about his hopes thoughts and fears than even Tilena. I've been his soundboard and his confidant. I know what it is like to be suspicioned by him and ultimately loved and trusted by him. I'll bet I know things about him and his kids (even Tilena) that they don't know I know. He experienced an awful lot in his life. But alas...a confidant is a confidant. I'll never tell. I do know there was an awful lot he never told me either. He had his own confidences. You've got to admire that in a person. He was genuine and fun, and he was truly sorrowful for the mistakes he had made. He regretted too that some things he had done, he had only done once. He had clear blue eyes that twinkled in delight one moment and flashed with anger and lightning the next. And believe me, when the lightning flashed, thunder was quick on its heels. I have a hundred images of you in my mind. I spend hours sometimes turning them over in my mind. I can still hear your voice. I can still hear your laugh. Ed..... Peep..... Pee-Paw.....I miss you. I wouldn't take anything for the memories. I love you Peep. See you soon. Have a Reuben ready for me.