It wasn't long ago, but some of the over 70 Nephi Jones kids were talking to each other....not with the hand held gizmos, but eye to eye in a secluded restaurant. We spoke of how we had the best school and the best parents; best home town of Nephi to grow up in, where each of us learned work ethics, and knew that if we were going to make it in life, we were on our own at about age 12, so we all went to work. One of us cleaning homes for those that had more money than us; cleaned motel rooms and some delivered papers and used socks for gloves and borrowed each other bikes. Weston learned how to deliver papers on his horse and on a sunny snowy day like today, and our Dad would pull us behind his truck on a tipped over hood, and nobody was ever hurt..nobody! In the summer we started selling garden seeds; bucking hay and cutting lawns and bought everything we needed on our own. Our entertainment was playing in the yard; used two by fours and potatoes as baseballs; hiking to the glory holes and sailing home made rafts down the irrigation ditch then drinking it if we got thirsty. Our Dad taught us if we had to hitchhike, always walked the direction we were going so the driver knew we were at least trying to get to our destination. None of us thought our family as poor, but we probably were. In fact we were the most rich in town. Regardless of where we were, we always came home to amble food and family togetherness. All five kids went to college and learned a profession to make money rather than see the sweat covered shirts of our father who in his late years worked hard at a nearby rubber plant. Each of us had chores around the house and feeding animals. If we had a gut ache, we were instructed so did the animals and ran to feed them before us, and by the time we were back to the supper table, our gut ache was gone. We were taught service to others was very important, like our mother who started the fire in the cook stove and worked full time. The two most important things were to graduate from Juab High and Vote and we all did....once for Goofy, and by golly, he won! We learned how to be an American by listening to John Wayne on the 8 track, even in my brothers 1959 Chevy Impala. John Wayne was a true American, and not just on the screen, He and Weston had the chance to chat with each other, both on their way to the Orient; one to fight our enemy and the other to Stand Fast against the enemy, even those within our own country. One brother learned how to kill another human being or be killed and how to save a life; deliver life and a sister to live in a country of extreme poverty. Three went on LDS Missions; and three in the military. Real love for another can be falling in love and falling out of love properly by listening to Anne Murray on an 8 track and with no interruptions of car warranties on my 1963 Studebaker. My only regret in life is I didn't pick up that hot chick in tight shorts thumbing a ride while driving a Semi on a part type job. Dam it to Hell and back. I had the chance I prayed for. Good old fashioned Road Music. Oh well, maybe I will see her again in the Nursing Home and pick her up in my wheel chair that has an overload capacity. Yes, my 8 track is my answer even with the match book in it.
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