When it comes to national scares, I don't
scare easy. And it is my mother's fault.
The frenzy over the bird flu brings to mind
the years of the 1950's. We were taught
to jump down and under our desk at a certain
tone that was given over the P.A. system.
I was in high school at the time. I really felt
sorry for one teacher we had. He would shake
at the sound of the warning. We learn later
that he suffered from shell shock from World
War I, Some of the boys and maybe
some girls were cruel, as they would slam
their books on the desk just to see him duck.
In the 1950's there were bomb shelter built
in people's back yards. I don't recall any in
friends of the family. But then maybe they
didn't talk about it. Because along with
the scare that the Russians were coming,
was the scare of your neighbors breaking
into the shelter and stealing your food and
water. So mum was the word.
I asked Mom why we didn't have a bomb
shelter, as it was on the news, in the
paper and magazines. (Life, was her
choice). She always had the attitude
that the Russians weren't coming.
A bomb shelter would do no good
if there was a bomb. As you had to
have air in a shelter. If you have air
coming in, so would the gases. So
you are dead anyway. So why bother.
Dad, seem to be in agreement, as he
never talked about it either. So we
went thru the 50's not really knowing
or caring about the threat.
Sadly, I was so absorbed with my
teen years, of horses, girlfriends,
boyfriends from afar, Coke, Pepsi,
smoking cigarettes, and Elvis, that
I missed out on the Korean War and
what it meant. We didn't have
any friend or family that was in the
war. Dad worked civil service since
before World War II, so life had
not changed. And by the time I
went to work for the Naval Exchange,
we were thru the war and living what
we now call the good times.
So over the years, when "they" say
beware, it is coming... what ever the
scare of the year is, I tend to just go
about my business. Even when we
had a flu scare a few years ago, I didn't
get a flu shot, even though they were
given at work for free. It wasn't that
I wanted to get sick. Just I have been
one of those lucky ones who usually
has good health. I don't usually get
colds. And it only is the last 5 years,
that if I do get one, I get the bronco one
and the best way to get thru it, endure it.
At the place I worked, I saw just as many
get sick that had the flu shot as the ones who
didn't. The residents, were guarantee to
be sick with in 2 days of the shots. Thus,
finding out that the shot only lessen the
effect of the flu, not prevented it.
The only time I had a flu shot was
the year before I retired. We were
told if we did not get a flu shot, that
we would not be paid for sick days.
As we brought it on ourselves by
not having a shot. Being I believe in
the Gods that will prove you wrong,
I decided to get the shot, even though
I didn't think I would get sick. As
the law of averages was not in my
favor. Never is. Murphy's law is
alive and well, in my life.
Even when we had the scare a
couple years ago, of Anthrax.
The country was gathering up
shots for that.
I was sitting in the back
of the room, at the in-service we
had on it, so I could bolt out the
door, if they decided to hand
out free shots. But they said
they didn't have any as there
was a shortage. Then the
in-service person who is of
good knowledge, told us that
on the food chain of life, we
in Idaho were on the low side.
Besides that Anthrax was all
over the field floor in Montana
where cows eat daily, for many
years... That was good enough
for me, no shots.
So any of you, who want the shot,
and if they are short, just them
you know a gal in Bonner County
who is going to refuse the shot, and
you would like to have hers...
Guess I didn't read the book
Chicken Little, well enough, or
too well.
