My name is Alfonso McGinneeshack and I'm a retired Log Hauler for the paper mill in Pickwick. I worked haulin' logs for 44 years. Now I live by myself except for my cocker spaniel, Jackson, and we live just outside of Shiloh. I drive a small tour bus in the pickwick area. We have 3 hour tours of the Pickwick Dam and State Park as well as the Shiloh Battlefields. We work only during the tourist season. During the off season I drive a school bus.

These young fellas who own this magazine coerced me into writing a column each week about the strange stuff that happens on our tours and the school bus. I asked them how much I was getting paid to do this and they told me that it was a free type of thing but if it was good enough I could win this here Pulletzer Award. Never heard of it but I like getting awards. So I guess I will give it a try.
Alfonso

I was on my way home from hauling these kids home on the school bus and I saw this ol' boy hitch hiking. He looked a bit scruffy but so do I so I asked him if he needed a lift? He said he was heading towards the Pickwick Dam area. I told him that I was going through there and to get on in. This fella sure needed a bath. Even my dog Jackson was covering himself up with a blanket in the back seat. He was definitely tired and worn out from his journey. I was very sorry for him. I asked him what his name was and he said back that his real name is Bennet Jordanski but he goes by the nickname, Bullet.

He said he had a sister that lived in Selmer but he was livin' in an old farm house outside of Counce. I asked him where he was coming from and he said he was working in Kentucky doin' some road construction. That the job was temporary and he was coming on closer to his family. I officially welcomed him to the area and told him if he needed to go straight to his new home that I would give him a lift all the way there. He was really happy about that. We pulled over to get a sandwich cause he looked real hungry. Bullet was real thankful for the hospitality.

He told me how to get to his house and I knew exactly where it was at. This bus driving makes me very familiar with the roads. When we pulled in the driveway I saw that this house was a wreck. I mean he was going to have to do some work to get this place to living condition. He thanked me for the lift and asked for my name again and address. I gave it to him and asked if there was something else I could do. He said that I could take him back a couple miles where he saw this pick up truck for sale. So I did.

He went to the front door and this nice young man came out and gave Bullet a good look at this truck. The man said he wanted $1500 for it. I was figuring that I would be giving Bullet a ride back to his house. Instead, he pulled out a wad of cash from his pocket and paid the guy. I asked him why he didn't buy a car up in Kentucky and save himself the walk. He mentioned that his Father was a walker and he wanted to see how it felt as long as he had the time. He told me that he was fine and thanked me again for my hospitality.

Almost three weeks goes by and I see this pickup truck at the diner and I decided I was going to say hello. I knew that Bullet had to be exhausted from working on that house. I went in and didn't believe my eyes. He was all shaved with a new haircut. He was cleaned up real good. He mentioned that when I get a chance, to come out to the house and see him.

So yesterday I decided to drop by and see Bullet and I couldn't believe my eyes. That old torn up house is now beautiful. He has painted the house and the 2 barns and has cleaned up around the place so it really looks great. I was so impressed! I told Bullet, who was getting me an iced tea, that the place looks great. I mentioned that he cleaned up real good. The day I gave him a ride here, he looked like he was in his sixties. He told me that he was turning 50 next week. I asked if he got permission to paint the place from his landlord and he told me that the house was his family place and that it was his now and he was glad to be home.

Well, as I was riding home, I thought about making first impression judgements about people and how it's not always as it seems. Bullet made me see that underneath that scruffy man was a generous and totally different human being. At my age, I'm still learning about people and what a great world we live in.