Rick grew up in Rolla Missouri. When he was young and growing up his heroes consisted of a modest cast-cops, firemen, and the kid up the street, Shawn, who blew his hand of making fireworks. He even set up a lemonade stand to help raise money for his hospital bills. The latter came by in his cherry-red corvette and ordered a glass and sped off without paying. He decided that day not to have any heroes.
This worked out exceptionally well because, as his father had left his mother for the road, he wouldn't feel disappointed by his baseball pitches, his fear of roller coasters and what not.
Consequently, Rick was a loner. He set up the Feed Store on his own account and successfully gleaned thousands from local farmers.  He can be found today on 8th street, over there past Phelps County Bank. Stop on by and check out Rick's cherry red Corvette.

This man told me that life was short, but he told me that life was short very slowly.

I saw you at the fishing hole last century and wanted to see if you caught anything beside your reflection?

"Back in the U.S.S.A."

Shivering through the Star Spangled Banner in baseball stadiums

While the bulldozer does its own patriotic thing in the suburb's‭ ‬radius.

I pulled quarters from 

behind your ears

and rushed off to buy you
flowers.
It took me months to convince
your mother
and myself
for that matter.

Progress, O Noble Destiny!

The Revenge of Tom Sawyer

"Tom appeared on the sidewalk with a bucket of whitewash and a long-handled brush. He surveyed the fence, and all gladness left him and a deep melancholy settled down upon his spirit. Thirty yards of board fence nine feet high. Life to him seemed hollow, and existence but a burden. Sighing, he dipped his brush and passed it along the topmost plank; repeated the operation; did it again; ...Nah fuck it! he said." - Mark Twain

/

Ah to be young in North Africa!