GMC Motor Home, Travel with Teri and Dan

Are You a Shiner?

What is a shiner? I am married to a shiner. Am I a shiner? Sometimes I am and I am afraid sometimes I am not. I do work to be a shiner more often though. During my career I was not trained to be a shiner. Many of the people I dealt with would not allow me to be a shiner anyway. They were often deceitful and always trying to get out of being responsible for their own actions. I had to hold them accountable, as best I could. Many were very unhappy and blamed me for their present situation.
My definition of a shiner. Someone that comes into your life and makes it more joyful than it was before they came. Teri is certainly a shiner. She can make Satan smile. That is just how she is. She has worked on it for many years and pretty much has it mastered. Me, on the other hand, I took nearly a 30 year detour. I think I was born to be a shiner but got off track while I worked as a parole officer. I still recall the first day I walked into the prison, where I started my career. Those gates clanged behind me. I hear it in my mind like it was yesterday. After a week of being lied to by every inmate that got the chance I did not believe anyone about anything. As a kid my dad taught me to have faith in people and believe what they say unless you see otherwise. That just did not work in my profession. So, I put that on a shelf for many years. When I retired I promised myself I would be a nice guy from now on. I am working on it.
I even got a chance to practice it with a Good Sam rep yesterday. She assured me I was wrong on several issues. I just kept my mouth closed except to say thank you a few times. I could have really made her day nasty but I chose not to. I am proud of myself. Sometimes Teri helps me be a shiner. She makes sure I keep my mouth shut when in a bad situation. I do not always think she is right but I am glad she holds me accountable and makes me keep my mouth shut. Seems it can happen when getting stopped for speeding. Not lately but it has happened to me believe it or not.
Now, if I can be a shiner so can you. Just work on it. See if you can help sour folks smile, maybe a disgruntled Walmart employee. That is a good place to practice. I try to force a smile from a frowning face.
Oh, I did practice before I retired. I had a few guys thank me when the jail door slammed. About a year before I retired I got a call from my boss. He was laughing. Said a lady called him and complained about me getting her to say thank you after she called to complain about one of my officers. I remember it well. She called and was cursing me because one of my officers had locked up her son. He had done nothing. I just let her ramble on until she was done. Then I began my work, as calmly as I could. When I finsihed she said than you Mr. Gregg and hung up. After thinking about it for a few minutes she got mahered because she expected a big cuss fight from me. It worked, at least for a few minutes. How funny people are at times.
Oh well, nothing going on here today but wind so I thought I would help you to become a shiner.
We plan to leave here this weekend. We are waiting on a couple from the Bay area to meet up with us down on I-10. When they get close and call we will head out. I think we have the coach ready to travel again. I can not think of anything else that needs attention. The weather prevented our going to school earlier this week. We hope tomorrow is a nicer day so we can let the first graders visit with Gimmy.
Have a great day and work on that shiner thing.
Dan
Oh, if you are a GMC coach owner and need parts, click here. I work for Jim at the conventions.

posted by Dan & Teri Gregg @ 1:04 PM