I’m sitting here on a cloudy, drizzly Monday morning.  
That would be a pretty good excuse to be down in the dumps. The blues, they’re called.  Nope, I don’t have them today, not to say that I never go there.
Today I started out thinking about the mid-1950s.  
A time not too much different from today.  
Not a good job market for a recently honorably-discharged Marine.  
After looking around, and not looking forward to leaving Knoxville, I took a U.S. Civil Service exam for the United States Border Patrol.  
I’ve got to brag a little here. About 300 took the test, and 12 were accepted for a final interview, myself included.  
Two of us we appeared for the interview. I was accepted. In May of 1955, I reported to the Border Patrol Academy at El Paso, Texas.
My first assignment was to Chula Vista, Calif. My wife and her family came out in December, and Jo Ann Riggs of South Knoxville and I were married. We still are.  
During the day, probationary Border Patrol officers served at the pleasure of the sector chief.  
Anything at all that went wrong sent you on your way. Knowing this, Jo and I became frugal shoppers and hoarders.
A few years and three children later, we were assigned to Miami, Fla., where we lived in Hialeah.  
With this much family, we were still good shoppers. We were very lucky to have three major markets about a mile away, and competition was fierce.  
Thursday was grocery ad day. Also, we had a stand-alone major chain store on the route home from the big three.  
We spread the ads out on the floor. We read and made notes of who had what and the price. Covering everything we needed and deciding what we wanted was a lot of fun, fed us well and saved time in the stores.  
Yes those were great days and fond memories.   
 I am retired from the INS, which is now known as Immigration Customs Enforcement.  
I do get my pay every month – a retirement that was funded by employee contributions.
I pay taxes, too, and most of all, I thank God for looking out for all of us.  
I don’t have much advice for those who are losing or have lost jobs. Times are hard.
We had a president who used to say “I feel your pain.” But no one can feel your pain but you.
I do feel sympathy, though. I’ve been there, and I know how it feels. That’s why I say keep praying and trusting God.

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