Dirt Roads
What's mainly wrong with society
today is that too many
Dirt Roads have been paved.
There's not a problem
in America today, crime, drugs,
education, divorce, delinquency
that wouldn't be remedied,
if we just had more Dirt Roads,
because Dirt Roads give character.
People that live at the end of
Dirt Roads learn early on that
life is a bumpy ride.
That it can jar you right down to your
teeth sometimes, but it's worth it,
if at the end is home...a loving spouse,
happy kids and a dog.
We wouldn't have near the trouble
with our educational system if our kids
got their exercise walking a Dirt Road
with other kids, from whom they learn
how to get along.
There was less crime in our streets
before they were paved.
Criminals didn't walk two
dusty miles to rob or rape,
if they knew they'd be
welcomed by 5 barking dogs
and a double barrel shotgun.
And there were no
drive by shootings.
Our values were better
when our roads were worse!
People did not worship their
cars more than their kids,
and motorists were more courteous,
they didn't tailgate
by riding the bumper or
the guy in front would choke
you with dust & bust your
windshield with rocks.
Dirt Roads taught patience.
Dirt Roads were
environmentally friendly,
you didn't hop in your car
for a quart of milk you walked
to the barn for your milk.
For your mail,
you walked to the mail box.
What if it rained and
the Dirt Road got washed out?
That was the best part,
then you stayed home and
had some family time,
roasted marshmallows and
popped popcorn
and pony road on Daddy's shoulders
and learned how to make
prettier quilts than anybody.
At the end of Dirt Roads,
you soon learned that
bad words tasted like soap.
Most paved roads lead to trouble,
Dirt Roads more likely
lead to a fishing creek or
a swimming hole.
At the end of a Dirt Road,
the only time we even locked
our car was in August,
because if we didn't some
neighbor would fill it
with too much zucchini.
At the end of a Dirt Road,
there was always extra
springtime income,
from when city dudes would
get stuck, you'd have to
hitch up a team and pull them out.
Usually you got a dollar...
always you got a new friend...
at the end of a Dirt Road.
- - - Paul Harvey
Last Updated 5/22/2000.