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Cockrell Story

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Len does not like to dwell in the past. His thoughts and his talk are still of the future, with scant regard for his seventy-two years. He hopes to take over the farm again next year. He may be able to do so.

But he has a peculiar twist in his philosophy. He says that all old people should be dead. "Old people ain't got no business living; just being around in the way," is his manner of expressing it.

When reminded that he, himself, might be regarded as old, he said, "Yes, I'm in the way too. They ought to knock us all in the head and throw us out. "

Living and working alone so much, he long ago developed the habit of talking to himself or to animals and objects near him. When driving cows up for milking, it was a custom of his to get a small stick and wave toward the last one in line, every minute or two remarking conversationally "Go 'long, cow; go 'long, cow."

When they became unmanageable the remarks assumed more force and point.

He has his own favorite chair, and no other will suit him. For hours, he and his wife play dominoes until one of them sees a passerby coming. Unless there is some particular reason for not going out, Lida hurries to the front porch to hail the traveler and learn whatever he or she has to tell of neighborhood goings-on. Then the game is resumed while over it the two discuss the facts and hearsay collected.

The walls of the house are thickly spotted with pictures

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