My pad, and the reason I live at the edge of the village.
I guess I’m old school, literally. I taught social studies in middle school for 34 years, before an early retirement. I couldn’t do it anymore and I think you understand why. Raye says that this is not where we debate history and what we “know”, and I’ll respect that. I even like that. I used to think every day about the young minds I shaped and whom I had to lie to in every class. That still haunts me every so often, but this newfound place gives me something to look forward to, and some hope. Foremost, I hope that we can put together that school project and start saving some souls. In any case, I used to teach in a better neighborhood in the tri-state area. Both of my parents were 2nd generation there, both with roots in Abruzzo. Compared to recent times, even the ‘80s, as bad as they were, look better in hindsight. At least we had some remnants of natural order and tried to get along while respecting who you are, white, black, semite. I remember feeling satisfaction in helping those kids. I remember feeling god’s hand on my head, silly me, catholic goy. I didn’t know who "god" was and what was in the works for us and how this upheaval had been set in motion ages ago. I'd still like to help with the betterment of individuals of any race, if I can see some appreciation. It makes sense to improve our society. But, since we’ve been pushed to the brink, I need to keep with our people, period. That means with the honest people of our kind, who are aware and grateful for their heritage. Besides that, I cannot mind the great culling going on. It hurts, but it's evolution.
