December Roll Call Topic: Christmas Memory
Winner: Dennis L Porter, "Christmas of 1933"
A soup line stretched along the railroad track near the bakery. $50.00 a day for the expenses by three wealthy men. H.H. Champlin, Archie Butts and Judge Garber. Ray Williams volunteered labor along with others. Bond Bakery gave any excess production. Others gave what they could. The hungry waited in line. Banks were closed. The city gave police and firemen script which they took to their grocer. There was no hope, no money, no jobs. Fear and despair was in the air. Some carried cards printed, IWW, International Workers of the World, or I won't work, with Moscow ties. The Klu Klux burned crosses. Jews and Blacks were blamed. That was the Christmas of '33.
Then the people elected a crippled King, from the bowles of Tammany Hall. He put the idle to work. Boys went to the CCC to build flood control and plant trees. The WPA built court houses. Ever Christmas after '33 was better.
January Roll Call Topic:
Winner: James C. Arnold, "Don't Do It"
Oh no, not again, has it really been a year?
I'm still paying off 2010, I'll need another beer.
I've made resolutions, broken my fair share,
Well intended nonsense that didn't have a prayer.
They're only good for suffering and murdering self-esteem.
Even the simple safe ones, make you want to scream.
Exactly like a bucket list, it's best to leave them there,
But if you feel you have to make one, never, ever, share.
Silence is the golden rule and it can save a lot of gold,
'Cause if it hits the internet it cannot be controlled.
Working out will stress you out, dieting will gain,
Healthy food tastes like dung, marathons are pain.
Bring the new year in with cheer, lift a cup of ale,
But sober up before resolving, they're always going to fail.