Hollis Baker’s Blog

This past Monday was a grand holiday; Labor Day. I trust you and your family had an enjoyable day off. Labor Day holiday is much older than I had thought. With a little research I found the movement started in 1882. Congress passed a resolution in 1884 making the first Monday in September a legal national holiday to celebrate the work force of our nation. In the beginning parades and speeches by dignitaries were the order of the day. It was a day of leisure, and picnics for the entire family. In the time of six days, 60-hour workweek, the holiday was eagerly anticipated. And deserved. As usual as time passed the parades and speeches became less and less and the picnics, water sports, and just watching the grass grow became the usual celebration.

I did a highly scientific, carefully designed study of the local folks plans for the day. Most often the reply was, “Just enjoy the day with the family.” Some of the more energetic planned a boat outing on the area lakes with the kids and friends. Most even planned to cook on the outing. That is the man’s macho way of proving he can take care of everything out in the woods. I suspect, however, instead of killing a bear or mastodon they will drive by H.E.B. for steaks and ribs. My how times have changed.

I did not find anyone that planned to work. I can’t score them on that count for that is my idea of the day also. Which brings me to my old friend Mel Ellison. Mel never worked. He was spoiled early on to avoiding work. I have always admired him for his convictions. I asked Mel how he came by that vocation. He said it was his mother’s entire fault. “Early on”, Mel said, “mother gave me a chicken to sell so I could go to the movie Saturday afternoon”. “I sold the chicken, went to the movie, and had enough left over to buy two more chickens”. This is pretty heady stuff for a young man to handle at such an early age. Well the chicken project lasted for a while until Mel needed more income, so he went into the buying and selling hogs. That lasted until he found cows were bigger, and sold for more and didn’t stink so bad. Mel shared with me his method of buying and selling for a profit. To buy the farmers steer Mel would guess the weight, which was always low, and offer market price. The farmer would guess the weight of the animal, which was always high. They would then split the difference and Mel would become the proud owner of a fine steer that was soon out of the pasture and into his trailer. He would then go to little towns in the area and park on the square, with the animal in a trailer. Soon another farmer, needing to add to his heard, would approach Mel to buy the steer. The weight guessing game was played out again and Mel would sell the bovine at market price. The secret, Mel said, was an animal in the field looks smaller that the same animal in a trailer. That is where the profit comes from, and the fact that Mel never had to work.

I don’t think Mel ever celebrated Labor Day; he didn’t know it was a holiday. I hope you enjoyed your Labor Day time off. You deserved it.