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IODINE AND MERCUROCHROME
Growing up during the Great Depression of 1929 preceded the advent of exotic medicines for all kinds of illnesses. In every household, in the medicine cabinet of a Depression family was a bottle of iodine. When iodine was administered to a cut anywhere on the body, you had a very stinging sensation. But that was…
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BETWEEN A ROCK AND A HARD PLACE
When the calendar gives a reading of November 1, a sense of hopeless gloom settles over many Americans. In these days, that gloom also includes Cubans, Venezuelans, Canadians, Dominicans, and all of those who pursue the wonderful game of baseball. As a diagnostician of many years’ standing, I can tell you that the hopeless gloom…
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A FEW WORDS IN PRAISE OF SANITY
I hope that my readers will not think less of me when I offer a few words of praise of sanity in the American relationship with those who practice the Muslim faith. During the month of September, pious adherents of that faith are celebrating the month-long holiday of Ramadan. Ramadan requires that the faithful consume…
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CANDIDATE EZRA’S FIRST DAY AS PRESIDENT OF THE US OF A
The last time I ran for an office of any kind was in January of 1950. In that case, I ran to be the president of Local 6350 of the Communications Workers of America, which was located in my home town of St. Louis. As it turned out, my candidacy was successful but my tour…
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SAUCERED AND BLOWED
In previous essays, I have noted the fact that my ancestors were rural folks who carried their country customs to the big city of St. Louis. They were farmers in Pope County, Illinois and had one peculiar custom that I have not seen for many years. Basically, the custom was that, when served a cup…
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“…THE LAST OF LIFE FOR WHICH THE FIRST WAS MADE”
-ROBERT BROWNING (7 May 1812 – 12 December 1889) Those of you who have had the misfortune to hear me address several retirement banquets will know that the title of this essay is a lift from a poem by the English poet, Robert Browning. The first line is “Come grow old along with me /…
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IT GOES WITH THE TERRITORY
In July of 1951, I accepted a transfer from St. Louis to Kansas City. I knew that Kansas City had hot weather in July and other summer months, but St. Louis was no bargain either. One of my colleagues told me that in Kansas City during the summer, it gets “hotter than the hubs of…
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QUESTIONS UNANSWERED
To this old Missouri essayist, it is a cardinal sin to grow older but no wiser. At this moment, there are four or five questions unanswered that are floating through the vacant space in my head. The first question has to do with wine. In the early 1980s, a lovely saleslady at Svensk Glas sold…