Good News Doesn’t Sell

Even so, I don't believe evil is winning. I'm sorry if you disagree—even more sorry if you watch much TV. Because no matter how bad the idiot-box makes it look, I know good people.

Jeni Stephens got married. She’s a pretty girl with blonde hair and lean features. It was a happy day, as weddings go. But truth told, she misses her daddy, who was shot and killed in 2006.

Now meet Tom, a seventy-two-year-old who’s had a bad heart all his life. One decade ago, he inherited Jeni’s daddy’s heart.

Last week, Tom showed up to the chapel in a three-piece suit, presented his arm to Jeni, and walked her down the well-known aisle. At the altar, he turned and said, “Here, feel my pulse.”

Jeni touched his chest. “I felt my father,” she said.

As it happens, Tom did too.

LaGrange, Georgia—Dylick, Dennis, Deion, and Jalen are the targets of inner-city gang-recruiters. One such gang, the Insane Gangster Disciples, will not leave them alone. But, these boys aren’t giving in. They want more from life than drugs, sex, and drive-bys.

They want to be farmers.

So, they called Miss Zsa Zsa, who operates a farm. “I thought they’s looking for handouts,” she said.

Turns out they wanted to learn to grow summer squash. They’re the best farm hands she’s ever had.

New Orleans, Louisiana—Single father, Reynold, lost his job just before his boys started school. He stood in line at a supermarket with a cart of school-supplies and groceries. He swiped his card.

Denied.

Reynold left his buggy and cried in the parking lot until his face got puffy. When he looked up, he saw a man coming out of the store pushing two carts, headed straight for him.

“He didn’t just buy MY cart,” said Reynold. “He gave me HIS cart, too.”

Right now, I can see the television in the other room. The anchor is reading headlines about bombs, murders, and rapes, while wearing a half-smile. A woman convicted of murdering her kids wears the same odd face. So do politicians, celebrities, pop-stars, and whatever the hell the Kardashians are.

It’s a numb look, and it disturbs me.

Even so, I don’t believe evil is winning. I’m sorry if you disagree—even more sorry if you watch much TV. Because no matter how bad the idiot-box makes it look, I know good people.

I’m talking about folks who like life; who still watch fireflies and feel impressed; who cry at Steel Magnolias; who aren’t afraid to pay for a stranger’s groceries.

Folks like Tom.

Who danced with a complete stranger at her own wedding reception and said: “I don’t know why, but my heart feels really happy right now.”

I don’t either, Tom.

But that makes two of us.

4 comments

  1. Marshas - February 6, 2017 10:07 pm

    Isn’t it nice that they did not have to wait for the government to dictate to them when she could receive her grandfather’s heart? Wouldn’t it be nice if the government just left us the heck alone so the niceness in us could be displayed instead of legislated or dictated or licensed? LESS government is what we need! Mostly because most people ARE good. It is the power of government that corrupts.

    Reply
    • William Taylor - April 6, 2018 5:16 pm

      Wrong!
      Just look at EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt. He is the definition of corruption. Trump and his cronies are raping America! Open your eyes!
      Government protects, or is supposed to, protect us from these kinds of people. Pull your head out of the sand. This is not supposed to be a political blog!

      Reply
  2. Susi Mitchell - April 2, 2018 11:05 am

    I don’t watch television, only movies because it just makes me feel bad. I’ve been off TV for over 20 years now and I don’t miss it for one minute. I’ve worked with child abuse in the fostercare system and I’ve taught parenting classes to court mandates (many of them the abusers) and teen parenting. Sometimes my work made me sad but more often it gave me hope. There are plenty of good people doing random acts of kindness. But kindness doesn’t sell the soap. I buy generic more often than name brands because I don’t want to give my money to fund the dumbing down of America. I much prefer to promote love and tolerance and ignore the idiot box. Thanks for being a voice that speaks my language.

    Reply
  3. Wendy Becker - April 2, 2018 7:46 pm

    Like Susi, we’ve been off TV for 5 years and don’t miss it one BIT! We watch movies and read. It is amazing how much better your outlook on life is when you’re not constantly inundated by all the negativity. I love your columns and follow you on Facebook!

    Reply

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