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GOBGB : Bail Out

ubba stood in the old flooded skiff, the water well over knee deep on his chest waders.

     “Hand me that bailing pump, would you?”?he motioned to LeRoy as he pointed at the old hand bailer made of galvanized sheet metal.

     “Looks like the water got ahead of you in that old boat,” LeRoy observed.

     “Yeah, kinda reminds me of all these big businessses asking for handouts from Uncle Sam,” Bubba grumbled.

     LeRoy chuckled at his good friend’s observation. “I?take it you aren’t in agreement with the Feds giving the banks all that loot?” LeRoy quized his friend - knowing well what the answer would be.

     “Ha!, you should know better than to even ask that question,”?Bubba replied smartly to his friends question.

     “Well I figured you’d have something witty to say about the whole meltdown of the banking system,”?LeRoy added, as his friend primed the old bailer with a bucket of water.

     Well you see, the banking system is obviously broken. They went on a bedner of loaning money to any tom dick or harry - whether they could pay it off or not.

     LeRoy listened intently.

     Bubba continued, “Then, they started trading them de riv a tives, behind the scenes - and writing insurance on the bad loans.”

     What ticks me is that all the while this thing has been going to Hades in a hand basket, them boys are up there partying to beat the band, giving themselves raises and patting each other on the back for what a good job they’re doing,” Bubba finished, somewhat winded.

     LeRoy nodded in agreement, as he was sure his friend hadn’t finished.

     “So now here they come to Washington, paintin’ a picture of doom and gllom. ‘Lo and behold, their old buddy Paulson - who’s not too far removed from Wall Street - is holdin’ the purse strings for the grand bailout plan,” Bubba grumped, as he pumped the water outta the old skiff.

     LeRoy added, “you know, if it had been you or me, they’d have let our businesses flounder and sink, just like we found this old skiff today.”

     Bubba pointed at the partially submerged boat, “you got that right. Hey! You reckon, I can send old Paulson a letter, and paint a picture of doom and gloom about some make believe failure of the collard crop?”

     LeRoy laughed aloud at his scheming friend, “wouldn’t hurt to try, maybe they’ll cut you a check right along with the rest!”

     Bubba said sarcastically, ‘well you know if I?go under, the seed dealer, the fertilizer dealer, and the saltpork dealer are gonna be hurtin! This has far reachin’ consequences,”?he said.

     They both broke out in laughter as they headed off to the dockhouse.

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