Scott City Musings: I ‘should have’ done that instead

As Marge and I’ve aged along with many of our friends, going to the doctor has become a regular occurrence.

A cousin of mine and I normally text every morning at least for a few minutes just to say good morning and check how the week looks. One thing we cover is what we are up to, which usually includes a doctor visit or two or even three.

A week or so ago, Marge took me to the emergency room on an unexpected visit. I hadn’t planned on it, but things happen. We were loading some of our steers and Mark, the steer, knocked a couple gates over on me. I was under one of them. In the process, I tried to catch myself, hurting one shoulder. When I hit the ground, my other arm was under the gates. Marge chauffeured me to the ER. She and I could tell by the reaction of the nurses that not many ER patients come in with green stuff on their pants telling how a 1,200 lb. steer got the best of them.

Since then, two words keep coming to mind as we make future plans on trying to load them again in a couple weeks. The words are “should have”. Maybe I “should have” driven some T-posts in along the gates, which maybe would have helped. Maybe I “should have” asked a couple of friends (younger friends) to come and help. Maybe I should have just planned on loading just two steers rather than four and making two trips. The “should haves” are running wild through my mind.

Along those lines, I buy green coffee beans from California and then roast them myself. It usually takes about 20 minutes to roast a pound of coffee with the final temperature in the roaster a little over 400 degrees. As the green coffee beans roast, they will go through the first crack, which sounds like popcorn popping as they lose a kind of thin covering. If you keep heating the beans, they will go through a second crack, which sounds like Rice Krispies and end up really dark and shiny and burned. I like them right after the first crack.

I don’t know how many times I’ve gone past the first crack into the second crack and, for me, the beans are ruined or burnt. I “should have” stopped sooner! I “should have” been paying closer attention. I “should have” cracked the door on the coffee roaster, which is a Behmor, so I could have heard the first cracks. “Should have!”

Many a time I’ve gone fishing and possibly caught a few but, on the way home, I’ll have the “should haves”. I should have used a different color. I should have gotten to the lake earlier. I should have taken the time and went and bought minnows. I should have fished shallower water or maybe deeper water or structure. “Should have”.

As a minister and preacher, many a time I’ve preached my heart out only to have the “should haves” later. I should have used that verse or that illustration. Most people who smoke meat with wood or pellets or charcoal will think later how they “should have” used more heat or less heat or more spices or fewer spices or whatever. How many times have you worn certain clothes only to tell yourself later you “should have” worn that other pair of boots or pants or shirt?

Our lives are full of “should haves” from way back when we were just coming out of cloth diapers clear up to today. Some you can’t do anything about, it’s too late. Some you can though.

Make a list of your “should haves” and separate what’s really important from what really doesn’t matter and get with it. Maybe classes at Southeast Missouri State University or Cape Girardeau Career and Tech. Maybe go visit Crazy Horse up in South Dakota. Maybe go get your feet wet in the ocean.

Maybe call a family member you’ve been feuding with for decades. Maybe apologize for what you should have done years ago. Maybe even going to church, which you should have done back then.

No more “should haves” but more “done that!”

Just me,

Rennie

Phillips began life as a cowboy, then husband and father, carpenter, a minister, gardener and writer. He may be reached at phillipsrb@hotmail.com.