My grandfather was a poor mud weasel hunter from bratslavia. The only way to earn a living in bratslavia was to hunt a weasel species that burrows into deep mud, using your bare hands. You reached into the mud weasel hole and pulled out the mud weasel and quickly ring it’s muddy little neck before it bites your fingers off.
He’s a proud walmart greeter today.
Holy cow. I’ve never even heard of Bratslavia! Thanks for sharing that story... if you think he’d like to tell his story, please let me know by Freepmail.
Of course it should be a given that each person’s story will be treated with the utmost respect, and I check everything with them for accuracy.
Thanks...
“mud weasel hunter from bratslavia”
Oh Lord.
Here is a TRUE story similar to your “grandfathers”:
I cut out an article for my kids about an invention that some group is trying to get to the rat catchers in India. It is just a metal pot with a hand pump to blow smoke into the rat holes. But, at $50 or whatever it is still too expensive. The catchers use their own breath now - not very powerful, slow, health effects, etc. Often the rats figure it out and flee out another route before they are overcome.
Anyway, this one rat catcher said this device has changed his life. He now catches something like 15 rats instead of 5 a day. He gets paid 25 cents a rat by the farmer (ther rats destroy the crops). Plus, he gets to keep the rats and any grains he finds in their burrows for his food. And, with more rats, he now has extras that he can sell to his neighbors for their meals! He now makes enough money that he will be able to send his kids to higher education so they won’t have to be rat catchers.
An amazing story of ingenuity, hard work, and Capitalism.
Also - will try to remember to mention this idea to the gal that cuts my hair. Owns her own shop, fled Vietnam, etc.