Ezra's Essays

Category: October

  • SAINTLY THOUGHTS AND OTHER ECCLESIASTICAL MATTERS

    I am quite aware that it is unseemly of me to dictate an essay on saintly matters and other ecclesiastical thoughts.  Be that it as it may, on this Yom Kippur afternoon that is where my thoughts are headed. A learned gentleman once said to me that Catholic saints offer some specific qualities.  For example,…

  • TALL GRASS

    When I was a child, my friends Charlie Aldridge and Billy Seyfried liked to play baseball.  There were plenty of empty lots which we often converted into ball fields.  There was a problem because the weeds and grass had to be cut down before the ball game could start.  But the only means of cutting…

  • THE GIs

    In the summer of 1942, I enlisted in the American Army.  When I took the oath to become a soldier, automatically I became a GI.  The term GI means Government Issue.  The uniforms that we wore, for example, were Government Issue.  There was no such thing as buying a fancy uniform to serve.  The covers…

  • THE BLACK CAT ESCAPES FROM THE BAG

    I had hoped never to have an occasion to write an essay that charges racial discrimination against a presidential contender.  But the facts are clear.  The Republican campaign in 2012 is aimed at vilifying Barack Obama.  In spite of all of his accomplishments, Mr. Obama is vilified for no apparent reason.  I have long suspected…

  • SONIA GOES HUNTING

    As most Americans will recall, there are eight Associate Justices on the United States Supreme Court.  One of them is Sonia Sotomayor, who originally came from the Bronx in New York City.  Now it is important for readers of these essays to know that no self-respecting fox, raccoon, squirrel, or rabbit has ever inhabited the…

  • EZRA’S OWN 700 CLUB

    When I was a child, my parents forced me to attend a succession of churches.  First there was the Southern Baptist, followed by the Nazarenes, followed by the Pentecostals and finally the Free Will Baptist Church.  During this period in life, as I have told you on many occasions, I disliked or rather loathed church…

  • TOO JUST RIGHT

    At this point I have written a few essays beyond the 700 mark.  It is possible that it is a repeat of an earlier essay, but I doubt it. And in any case, it is a pleasant memory which obviously bears repeating. In 1955 my employer decided that he had a promotion for me and…

  • HAVE AMERICANS GONE SOFT?

    In the late 1940s, I found myself in Boston.  I had always thought of Boston as being among one of the cooler climes.  But this was in August and I found myself sweating profusely.  As a final resort, I repaired to a movie theater that offered some sort of cooling.  I am not sure at…

  • GETTING KISSED

    As soon as I could after the war, I returned to work for the AT&T Corporation in St. Louis.  It may not have been the wisest move I ever made but Congress had passed a law that provided that those of us who had worked in industry prior to military service should be reinstated. AT&T…

  • PURGATORY

    This essay about Purgatory comes about because of my insatiable curiosity.  It is not meant as a diatribe against the Catholic belief.  On the other hand, it is meant to determine what is meant by Purgatory and what we must do while we are here on Earth to enjoy the benefits or lack of benefits…