Listening

Now y'all may think I'm a big talker from me writing all this stuff all the time. At least from me telling Hollis what to type out for me. Well it ain't so, that I'm a big talker. I am a big listener though. While I were working down at the library yesterday a young fellow come in looking for a book what were named War and Peace. I looked it up and found it for him and it were a big thick book. I told the fellow that the man what wrote down this book must have had a lot to say. He said he were assigned to read the book and were dreading the task ahead. Then he asked me something what kinda set me back. He wanted to know what were the main advice I would give him about living out his life. At first I thought it might just be a smart alecky kinda question but from the look in his eyes I figured he really did want my comment. I thought a minute and told him I reckon the most important thing I could tell him were to listen more than he talked. I said you already know the things you gonna talk about but you may hear something new from what other peoples says. He gave me a funny kinda look and said, "Is that all? Is that the most important thing you can come up with?" And I told him it were and he better be off and start reading if he were gonna finish that big book. I doubt if my advice took with him one bit.