I also enjoy outdoorsmen – but I like outdoorswomen better. I like social-butterflies, wallflowers, homebodies, party-animals, and redheads. I love poets, singers, fishermen, talkers (like myself), thinkers, smokers, non-smokers, black folks, white folks, all the other skin colors, beer-drinkers, vodka-snobs, lesbians, gays, fry-cooks, butchers, bakers, and the proverbial candlestick makers.

Consequently, I made candles in the third grade. I used an old gym sock for the wicks, like the instructor suggested. Our house stunk for a week.

The truth is, I just love people. And I mean it. I like talking to them, I like understanding their approaches to life. I learn from them.

Well, at least I try to.

But, I haven’t even mentioned the rotten people yet. I mean flat-out selfish folks. You know the ones. They’re money-hungry, jealous, angry, grumpy, miserable, cocky, egocentric, or mad. They think of themselves first. They hate to pay for their own lunches, much less leave a good tip.

Sorry to say, I learn more from mean folks than I do nice people. They teach me about myself. I learn how good apples go bad. About how good people turn into angry ones, how integrity can be lost, how people can be cruel. Often times, I learn these folks don’t even know what love is.

Well.

I love these people most of all.