One Pharmacist's View

“People” sometimes ask me to write more about Allen’s olden history. There was no Allen newspapers in 1834 but according to a Historical Marker about 3.6 miles West of Allen on SHW 1 there was something going on here. A large group of Osage Indians were camped out in those flats.

Allen has a long and colorful history. The earlier Cold Springs name came long ago when settlers heading west passed through this area on their way to (where else?) further out west. Many stopped here because of the cold springs. Some simply stayed a bit, camping on the river.

Easter was subdued and strange this year. There were no Easter church services this year. Stores were mostly locked and empty. Shopping centers in the cities are shuttered. There is no Annual Easter Egg Hunt in Allen City Park.

Pinched in between the Corona Pandemic and the Presidential election this fall is the Venezuelan crisis which continues to live a life of its own. Or is it? President Trump was, before the Corona Virus reared its ugly head, moving more warships to the Venezuelan area.

Well, Nancy Pelosi gave in—finally—and signed the big Corona Bill that will hopefully give $1,200 in stimulus dollars to each taxpaying adult. The bill was stagnating for two or three days on her desk before she finally yielded to pressure and wrote her name on it.

Here it is. Another week. Same old Corona virus. Well not really. But it does make me think of the old 1918 Spanish Flu that swept the world. In 1918 there was not much radio and no TV. News traveled slow.

My dentist up at the VA Hospital had me in his chair the other day and started talking about my options on long term care of my teeth. He mentioned the fact that I was nearly 85 and then spent a few moments giving me a long searching look.

A few years back Pat and I were in a place called Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Beautiful area, ringed by the Grand Tetons, was so appealing that I didn’t know where to go first. The big Tetons or just stay in town and see the sights.

Christmastime for an old guy like me is a time to remember. Like Scrooge, old guys like me seem to dwell on “Christmas Past.” But why not? The memories of the past are the best, aren’t they? Especially when our selective memory alters our memories, so they seem even more special than they were.

I’ve always enjoyed celebrating Veterans Day in Allen. People really do appreciate the men and women who have served in the armed forces to protect our country from aggression and to keep our freedoms. I especially appreciated the program up at Allen Schools remembering and honoring their veterans.