About a month ago, I was at a grocery store, and a man about 35 years old was at the checkout counter with a friend. For payment, he gave the cashier an EBT card. The cashier said, “This won’t cover it.” The man whipped out another card and said, “If that one doesn’t cover it, I’ve got another one.” How many cards are given to people?

A couple of weeks later, I was in Florida with my daughter and son-in-law, and our wives were on an errand. My son-in-law and I went to a local restaurant for a snack. The tables were full, so we sat at the bar. A man sat beside me, and I asked him where he was from. He replied, “Michigan.” He said he had been coming to the restaurant every day for four years, adding that he was retired. I said, “Gee, you don’t look old enough to be retired.”

He said he was 58 years old and has three pensions. A union carpenter, he said he couldn’t swing a hammer anymore. He showed me his hand, which looked like one of mine. He said he gets union disability insurance, a union pension and Social Security Disability Insurance. He said in four years he would get his Social Security pension.

I casually asked him what he thought about Judge Judy. He got mad and said, “I hate that bleep-bleep.” He said, “I would punch her out in a minute.”

I said, “I believe her right-hand man, Byrd, would take care of you.” The man then got up and changed seats as I pondered what a beautiful woman Judge Judy is. She is my favorite role model.

Duke DulacAugusta and Cape Coral, Fla.


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