Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Kenny and the American Way
American Thinker ^ | 10-19-09 | Lloyd Marcus

Posted on 10/19/2009 4:35:34 AM PDT by Lloyd Marcus

A knock came to my front door. It was a small built, average height white guy in his late thirties, early forties dressed in jeans and a white t-shirt. "Excuse me sir, I need work. I have seven kids and a wife to feed." Kenny proceeded to tell me in his thick southern accent about his many skills; construction, lawn care, tile, mechanics and more. Due to downturns in the economy, Kenny was having great difficulty keeping steady employment.

As I am admittedly technically and mechanically challenged, I put Kenny to work. Upon discovering that I was a black man married to a white woman, Kenny looked surprised; not judgmental or disapproving, just surprised. Kenny did a meticulous job tiling a floor at our Arts Center. He tuned up my car and fixed my lawnmower. He poured the concrete for our patio; very professional, meticulously done. Kenny likes to listen to country music on his radio while he works. When Kenny was working on my patio, he asked if the music bothered me and offered to turn it off. I said, no problem, enjoy yourself.

When Kenny was working on our air conditioner, we chatted a bit. Through my typical probing questions, I learned that Kenny had a difficult childhood. His dad was an alcoholic. Kenny himself has also had problems with alcohol in the past. Kenny's wife is ill, suspected cancer. They have a combined family of seven kids from previous marriages. So, Kenny has a lot on his plate.

I am struck by this simple man's positive attitude, character and pride in everything he does. Kenny told me he has forgiven his dad and moved on. When hit with bad news about his wife's medical condition, Kenny's response blew me away. He said, "Sometimes "laufe" (life) challenges you and you just gotta deal with it." I thought, Wow!

Sadly, many in America today are infected with an entitlement mindset thinking they should reap the benefits of hard work by others. It was refreshing to meet Kenny, a man who does not believe anyone owes him anything and simply wants to work.

I've grown to have the utmost respect for Kenny. Rather than whining, he literally knocked on doors seeking work. He is a man of his word, does a great job and always goes the extra mile. He loves his kids and his wife. They are a happy family. My wife Mary and I are growing close to them. Though I do not require it, Kenny insists on addressing me as sir. Some would call Kenny a redneck, country music, southern drawl and many times shirtless. I call Kenny, a friend.

Lloyd Marcus, (black) Unhyphenated American.
LloydMarcus.com


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: america; economy; entitlement; unhyphenated
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041 next last

1 posted on 10/19/2009 4:35:36 AM PDT by Lloyd Marcus
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Lloyd Marcus

Great Story


2 posted on 10/19/2009 4:40:58 AM PDT by sr4402
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Lloyd Marcus

Inspiring.


3 posted on 10/19/2009 4:42:34 AM PDT by Huebolt (Democrat = (national socialist) = NAZI)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Lloyd Marcus
Bump for a great article ...

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


RESISTOR

Swear allegiance to the flag, whatever flag they offer;
Never hint at what you really feel.
Teach the children quietly for, someday, sons and daughters
Will rise up and fight while we stood still.

Der Elite Møøsënspåånkængrüppen ØberKømmändø (EMØØK)

4 posted on 10/19/2009 4:42:35 AM PDT by BlueLancer (I'm getting a fine tootsy-frootsying right here...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Lloyd Marcus

Looks like two men able to look past the race of the other one.


5 posted on 10/19/2009 4:42:42 AM PDT by libertylover (The problem with Obama is not that his skin is too black, it's that his ideas are too RED.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Lloyd Marcus

Lloyd Marcus, I like you!


6 posted on 10/19/2009 4:51:55 AM PDT by marstegreg
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Lloyd Marcus

Thanks for posting. I really enjoy reading his articles. He is a true American!!


7 posted on 10/19/2009 4:55:53 AM PDT by KEmom (Please send viable Conservative candidates to Massachusetts!!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Lloyd Marcus
We don't have a trash pick-up service, so many Saturday mornings I gather up the trash from the house and take it to the local dump. Many others participate in the same ritual.

Last Saturday I arrived to find the line rather long to get to the bins and dump the trash. There was a seven or eight year old Chevy truck there, sporting a small confederate flag on the back window. It's twenty-something, tattooed driver noticed that a black man and what could have been his son had just emptied their twenty year-old heap of a truck, and were having trouble starting it. I was still inline so I had time to observe.

The young white guy walked over and asked the older black gentleman if he could help. He then retrieved some jumper cables and hooked them up to both vehicles, and eventually got the older truck going. The conversation was peppered with courtesy, including the young white guy referring to the elder black man as "sir".

How much longer will the race-baiters be able to maintain the lie that white America is congenitally racist?

I know there are at least two black residents of my town that have reason to believe otherwise now, and I bet they've experienced other actions that also put the lie to the prevailing meme. We all see these things every day.

8 posted on 10/19/2009 4:57:27 AM PDT by wayoverontheright
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Lloyd Marcus

Well by golly, I say let’s let them ILLEGAL ALIENS stay here...I’m so “touched”.


9 posted on 10/19/2009 5:02:42 AM PDT by Your6
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Your6

Ummm, it says that the guy in this story, “Kenny” was white, not hispanic.


10 posted on 10/19/2009 5:05:29 AM PDT by chae (I am karmic retribution)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: Lloyd Marcus

A positive story.Thank you for posying it.


11 posted on 10/19/2009 5:06:45 AM PDT by HANG THE EXPENSE (Life is tough.It's tougher when you're stupid.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Your6
Well by golly, I say let’s let them ILLEGAL ALIENS stay here...I’m so “touched”.

Gotta get kids ready for school, I'll come back later and try to make sense out of your reply.

12 posted on 10/19/2009 5:06:57 AM PDT by Graybeard58 ( Selah.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: Lloyd Marcus

Love you, Lloyd!

What Kenny has is called CHARACTER. He is his own man, lives from the heart and doesn’t try to be somebody else.


13 posted on 10/19/2009 5:21:58 AM PDT by RoadTest ( But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: imahawk

“A positive story.Thank you for posying it.”

It’s comforting to read that I’m not the only one making typos this morning. Error likes company.


14 posted on 10/19/2009 5:23:08 AM PDT by RoadTest ( But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: Your6

Somebody should have checked your 6 before posting. I didn’t see a word about illegal aliens; unless you consider good ole southern boys illegal aliens, which I thought was a dimocrat trait. Of course illegals do go door to door looking for work, but this article was about a red-blooded American trying to improve his lot in life.


15 posted on 10/19/2009 5:23:44 AM PDT by sako shooter (cib&eib)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: Your6

Since your sign-up date is very recent, you may not know that you can ask a Moderator to remove a post, when you see you have made a mistake in posting. Just hit the ‘abuse’ button and ask for the removal.

On the other hand, if you did mean what you wrote, could you explain why you posted it on this thread?


16 posted on 10/19/2009 5:30:39 AM PDT by maica (Freedom consists not in doing what we like,but in having the right to do what we ought. John Paul II)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: Your6

Dang Right!!! Theres NO WAY Oswald could have made that shot!!!!


17 posted on 10/19/2009 5:45:42 AM PDT by MGBGUN (Freedom is not free.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: sako shooter

On a weekly basis I’ll answer the door to at least, 2 illegal aliens looking for work.


18 posted on 10/19/2009 5:51:44 AM PDT by Your6
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: sako shooter

How did you know it was a red-blooded American looking for work? Because he was white? Hmmm.


19 posted on 10/19/2009 5:53:31 AM PDT by Your6
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: Your6

“”On a weekly basis I’ll answer the door to at least, 2 illegal aliens looking for work””

I’m really trying but I can’t make the connection.


20 posted on 10/19/2009 5:54:59 AM PDT by MGBGUN (Freedom is not free.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 18 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson