OK Solberg: 00:00

I wanna again welcome you to the 04:05 coffee break. Get you a cup of coffee, glass of Hi C, bottle of water. Does this guy realize he says that every day? Yes, he does, and I do it for a reason. I used to be a farmer and rancher.

OK Solberg: 00:12

And I end with, but guys, there's more, much more, because I want you to know there's more to life than farming and ranching. And I can say that because I was a farmer and rancher. Spring weight, $6.21 a bushel. 550 pound steer calf, $3.96 on the top end. A butcher hog in Omaha will bring you just about 65¢ a pound, And a 100 pound fat lamb in Billings is worth $2.52 a pound, going up a little bit.

OK Solberg: 00:46

But guys, there's more, much more. Okay, yesterday, I told you that I have three friends of mine that all live in Malta, Montana, that were all born the same year as myself, 1957. All four of us were born in the Malta hospital and we were born within a three week period of time. That's true. Now realize, I do and you do, there's more right here in Malta, Montana that were born in 1957, but those four are told without even trying, myself, Jimmy, Rasmussen, and Todd.

OK Solberg: 01:25

Yesterday, I said, it speaks of community, commonality, and connection. And yesterday, I said, big cities have a lot to offer, but they can't come close to that one. Just saying. It reminds me of two songs in particular. The first one is sung by Hal Ketchum, and it's titled Small Town Saturday Night.

OK Solberg: 01:53

Listen, turn the radio down and I think you can hear it echo down the alley. There's an Elvis movie on the marquee sign. We've all seen at least three times. Everybody's broke. Bobby's got a buck.

OK Solberg: 02:10

Put a dollar's worth of gas in his pickup truck. We're going 90 miles an hour down a dead end road. What's a hurry, son? Where are you gonna go? We're gonna howl at the moon, shoot out the light.

OK Solberg: 02:22

It's a small town Saturday night. It's a small town Saturday night. Lucy's got her lipstick on a little too bright. Bobby's getting drunk and looking for a fight. Licker on his breath and trouble on his mind.

OK Solberg: 02:37

And Lucy's just a kid long for the ride. Got a six pack of beer and a bottle of wine, gotta be bad just to have a good time. The time they're gonna howl at the moon, shoot out the light. It's a small town Saturday night. Bobby told Lucy, the world ain't round, drops off sharp at the edge of town.

OK Solberg: 02:59

Lucy, you know the world must be flat because when people leave town, they never come back. They go 90 miles an hour to the city limit sign, put the pedal to the metal or they change their mind, they howl at the moon shoot out the light, it's a small town Saturday night. Oh, yes, it's a catchy song and it has some truth to it. But guess what? I love my hometown.

OK Solberg: 03:28

Don't let the world jade your thinking. We have something here that big city people can only dream of. So the second song captures more of my sentiment. Listen from John Cougar Mellencamp, titled simply small town. Now I won't do it justice, but the words tell the story.

OK Solberg: 03:53

Well, was born in a small town, and I live in a small town, probably die in a small town, all those small communities, all my friends are so small town, my parents live in the same small town, my job is so small town, provides little opportunity, hey, educated in a small town, taught to fear Jesus in a small town, used to daydream in that small town, another boring romantic, that's me, but I've seen it all in a small town, had myself a ball in a small town, married an LA doll and brought her to this small town. Now she's small town just like me. No. I can't forget from where it is that I come from, I can't forget the people who love me. Yeah, I can be myself here in this small town, and people let me be just what I want to be.

OK Solberg: 04:59

Got nothing against a big town, Still hasty enough to say, look who's in the big town, but my bed is in a small town. Oh, that's good enough for me. Well, I was born in a small town and I can breathe in a small town. Gonna die in a small town. Oh, and that's probably where they'll bury me.

OK Solberg: 05:24

I like that song. I like the message. And many people can dream of it, but guys, we have it. Yes, we do. And so this is Andy signing off from Mayberry.

OK Solberg: 05:38

I'll let Barney close with a bible verse then we'll both go home where aunt B has some homemade huckleberry pie, and maybe we'll get a bottle of pop. After doing everything required by the law of the Lord, Joseph and Mary returned to their hometown of Nazareth in Galilee. Luke two thirty nine. Nothing like getting back to your hometown. Hey, I don't have far to go.

OK Solberg: 06:07

I'm already here. So until next time, as you go out there, remember now, don't be bitter.