JIM HENDRICKS: Keep those ‘B’ words in mind

When I was a teenager, a period when I no doubt was personally responsible for a large number of the silver strands of hair that Mama developed over the course of those particular years, I could pretty much guarantee I was going to hear one of the “B” words as I was leaving the house to “head up to town,” which is what we called Albany.

Growing up in Newton, Albany had quite a bit of attraction on account of it had things to do other than hanging out at somebody’s house or talking with friends in the parking lot at the old underwear factory.

Albany had the mall, movie houses, bowling alleys, fast-food joints and — after I hit 18, the legal drinking age back then — various and sundry nightspots that beckoned with neon lighting, loud music and the opportunity, no matter how unlikely, to meet a girl.

That latter optimism, by the way, is exactly what has fueled the success of the Georgia Lottery, at least from the perspective of a guy who was elected “Most Resistible” in a unanimous decision by the much heralded Class of ‘77.

I didn’t even have to campaign.

Mama had any number of pearls of wisdom to bestow, but, for some reason, three especially came to mind today. Back then, I knew I’d hear one of them, maybe all three, when I was walking out the door.

Be nice.

Behave.

Be good.

There was actually a fourth — Be home early — that I didn’t mention on account of it never really took, best I can remember.

It’s good advice, however you want to look at it, to be good, to be nice and to behave.

I can’t say I always followed her advice to the letter, but I do know that it rattled around in my head, sometimes uncomfortably. Wherever I fell short, I’m sure I would’ve fallen a lot further if those carefully placed earworms (maybe earbees is a better name for it in this case) hadn’t been buried deep in my brain.

Be nice.

Behave.

Be good.

I guess what brings this to mind — outside of the approaching Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays always bringing to mind a little more poignantly memories of Mama and Daddy, which is what even us old Southern guys still call our parents — are some of the goings-on by people who either never heard that kind of advice or flat out ignored it.

It seems that everywhere you look, there’s another example of someone who’s acted, as Granddaddy used to say, “purely wild, got less morals than a durned ol’ alleycat.” And neither Mama nor Daddy ever saw a statute of limitations on bad behavior getting found out.

“It’ll catch up with you sooner or later,” Daddy would say.

That’s certainly been true lately in the entertainment industry and in politics, which have turned into competing West Coast and East Coast versions of scandal du jour. You could say it’s a case of life imitating art, if only trashy reality TV could be considered art which, and I can’t emphasize this enough, it ain’t. And it’s a reminder that while you still have to be proven guilty in a court of law, the court of public opinion has its own way of weighing evidence.

I can’t help wondering how different this American life would be just now if these folks who have been accused of or outright caught committing these untoward acts had taken those “B” words to heart.

Be nice.

Behave.

Be good.

It’s still marvelous advice, certainly worth keeping in mind.

Oh, and tonight, I plan to be home early. After all, it’s never too late to listen to your Mama.

Email Jim Hendricks at [email protected]. Follow @ABH_JHendricks on Twitter.