Opinion: Cousin’s honest act shows good people will do good things

By JOHN CLAYTON
Guest columnist

Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2014, 12:40 a.m. — So I was riding with my cousin today; I have too many cousins around Kentucky to have time for friends, so I’ll call him Cousin J.

He needed some help with taking some items to the recycling place at Waddell’s and so I was there to help him. After we got the work finished, we drove to a liquor store on 245 to purchase some refreshments.

Cousin J and the person behind the counter started talking about the cold snap we’ve been having and the trouble it has been causing on water lines. Apparently the person behind the counter — we’ll call him Mr. M — and Cousin J had both been having problems with their water lines freezing. Mr. M had a lot of water in his basement. Cousin J had the water line leading to his toilet freeze also.

After they talked for a few minutes and as it seemed they were about done, Cousin J spoke up and said, “Oh, I forgot! The other day I came by and bought some beer and a half-pint of Bourbon. The Bourbon was for a cousin. When I got to his house, I showed him the receipt so he could pay me back but we saw you did not charge me for the Bourbon; only for the beer. So I guess I owe you for the Bourbon”.

Hmmm? What just happened, I thought? My Cousin J had just brought a bunch of scrap metal in to get some money. He had paid his other bills but could just have left without saying a thing. But he decided it was the right thing to do to pay for something he had received.

This is a true story. I don’t mention any names here because they prefer to remain anonymous. It is just the way they do things. I will be 54 years old in March, Cousin J just turned 41. Both of us have roots in Nelson County and a large family base in Kentucky. To me, it was just so pleasing to see one of my kin, who could have used the money, be honest and pay what was due. It made me happy.

It reminds me that, left alone, good people will do good things. Good people are those who were raised well by their family. It also reminds me that good deeds, even though I was there to witness this one, are those you do in private.
Character goes a long way.

Thank you Cousin J. You are a good person. And as “ Tom Broke-Jaw” might say, “This is an American Story,”

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