The Small End of Nothing Sharpened

The Small End of Nothing Sharpened No matter what I asked, he always had some smartass reply, pulling some metaphor or clever saying out of thin air— like when I asked him for a new bicycle and he said "Boy, if I had a nickel I'd put it in my mouth and pray for Lockjaw! Sarcasm crept into me, planted in my brain like heirloom seeds waiting for sunshine, rain, and warm winds. "One for the mole, one for the crow, and one to grow. . .," he always said as we put three kernels of corn in each hill of dark Appalachian dirt. Some things just can't be said any better. Once, after a brutal ten month strike, the coal company gave Daddy five more cents on the hour. "Damn if I wasn't expectin' less! Looky here, they've given us the small end of nothing Sharpened!" He said as his black, scarred hand slammed his dented dinner pail Down on the table. —James B. Goode 116 ...