I May Be Rancid Butter....

I was given a great big ol' slap in the face today. A good kind of slap. So, maybe not a face slap, more like a back slap...... or ass slap..... mmmmmmm ass slap........ Anywho....... My good friend Jeff sent me a response to an apology that I had recently written to him. At the top of the note from him, in quotes, was one of my favorite sayings from one of my favorite movies. It was a line spoken brilliantly by Gene Kelly, playing the role of E.K. Hornbeck in "Inherit the Wind." The quote was spoken to the two young lovers, one of whom was the defendant in the Scopes Monkey Trial, as they questioned Hornbeck's sincerity. He plastered on a cocky grin and said, "I may be rancid butter, but I'm on your side of the bread." What the Hell is that supposed to mean? Who wants rancid butter on their bread? Wouldn't you rather have no butter at all than rancid butter? Ask the kids from the book "Lord of the Flies." You know, the book where the kids are stranded on an island without ANY adults around. Party, right? Read the book? Go read it. Tell me if they would like the rancid butter or no butter at all. Ask my mother who 24 hours ago was looking at a Thanksgiving with just the Old One, Vivian and myself. Now, in less than one day, she gets to spend it with both of her sons, all four of her grand babies and her daughter-in-law. Shitload of extra work around the house to do. More cleaning. More planning. More food. You think she gives two shits? Rancid butter, baby. She'll take it over no butter at all. The last example I will give is the hardest for me to admit to but it is a great one. My baby girl. She does not have Daddy around like most of her friends. Only gets to see him when it's "his turn" with her. No kid LIKES that situation. I have to say though, she has a helluva step-daddy around to help ease the pain. Phillip is a good man. He loves her. He can never replace me. He WILL never replace me. He does not try to replace me. He just does an amaZing job as a step-dad. For that I am grateful. It is with this gratitude that I have to apologize for calling him rancid butter, but I am sure he'll understand the point. She could have done a lot worse. She could not have done any better. Better having him than not having him at all. Rancid butter. Do you get it yet? Are ya feelin' me? I am fairly sure that it was in this tone that Jeff included the quote in his note. I think he was calling me rancid butter. A well-deserved moniker. At least, lately. I had allowed so many things to go wrong around me that I stopped being the good friend that so many of my old friends remember. I am still a friend to these people. If they will still have me. Jeff has said he will. For this, I am eternally grateful. Working on me is going to be the most challenging obstacle I will have faced in 35 years but I have to do it. I am glad to know that on the other side of the work, there will be open arms waiting to tell me how great of a job I did. I am sure of this. I have some great friends and you all know who you are. If I tried to start naming you all, I know I would forget one, and then they would get all pissy and shit, and then I would get a nasty response, and then I would..... Oh.... Sorry. Suffice it to say, I have been blessed and you ALL KNOW WHO YOU ARE. Thank you. From the bottom of my big heart that just closed up for a bit. Thank you, Jeff, for the inspiration. I'll take it any day. Mad props for tossing one of my sayings right back at me, bro. Much Love. Peace. Have a great Turkey Day and all that other crap.