So, who are your people?

 I found the question odd. I had never thought of others in terms of what power connections or influence they may have or have not. That seemed something limited to politicians and powerful religious leaders. But certainly nothing a poor bumpkin would ever need to address. My people… were trash men, welders and caretakers… the salt of the earth (though we certainly have more than our share of ne’er-do-wells. My families have long been the soil of humanity that greased the wheels of industry and life, not those who called it’s shots or told others what to do.

But, it was important to the recycling king of Wichita Falls. He wanted to know if I was worth his time or not perhaps. He likely deemed me a nice enough fellow, but that his energy was best expended elsewhere.

And so, that one-time glancing blow with the intelligentsia passed without leaving any permanent damage. Today, nearly 10 years later I know not what happened to the man. Perhaps he met some other more influential persons and they danced that night away and many more since. As for me, I got back to the humble ditch-digging of life that gives me so much enjoyment.

At one time, no doubt, my town produced many a great family of wealth and power. But as manufacturing moved, first to Mexico, then to China, we are here left with mostly people who control construction, legal or military contracts. I expect this is a pattern recurring in place after place in the west of the twenty first century.

The funny thing about being a nobody and being happy to be so, is how often others attempt to assess your value or worth by having you BE someone. 

The irony is the contrast of the truth. It is hard to introduce yourself as an emissary of the King of the Universe. That takes time and nuance to not sound like a kook. Perhaps I should have explained that I believe in extraterrestrials and other dimensions as well. That would have sold him! 

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