Kinky Friedman, known for his satirical and often provocative style, has passed away at 79. A post on his social media announced, “Kinky Friedman stepped on a rainbow at his beloved Echo Hill surrounded by family & friends.
Kinkster endured tremendous pain & unthinkable loss in recent years but he never lost his fighting spirit and quick wit.
Kinky will live on as his books are read and his songs are sung.”
Richard Samet “Kinky” Friedman earned a cult following for his unique take on country and Western music.
He released numerous albums, starting with “Sold American” in 1973, a record that laid the foundation for his career.
Known as the “governor of the heart of Texas,” he even toured with Bob Dylan during the “Rolling Thunder Revue” and made history as the “first full-blooded Jew” to perform at the Grand Ole Opry.
Apart from his musical endeavors, Friedman was a prolific writer. He wrote detective novels and contributed as a columnist for Texas Monthly.
He also ventured into politics, running for Governor of Texas in 2006 with the campaign slogan “My Governor is a Jewish Cowboy,” securing 12.6 percent of the votes among six candidates.
Born in Chicago and raised in Texas, Friedman studied psychology at the University of Texas at Austin.
His passion for music led him to form King Arthur & the Carrots and later Kinky Friedman and the Texas Jewboys. He described the latter as a “country band with a social conscience, a demented love child of Lenny Bruce and Bob Wills.”
Reflecting on his life, Friedman once wrote, “Somewhere in heaven, I’m sure there’s a quiet corner with a big easy chair, a bright floor lamp, a big stack of biographical books, and a few old dogs wagging their tails to the faint smell of cigar smoke.”
I moved my mother into a nursing facility and only occasionally visited her
After my father passed away, I found myself overwhelmed and unable to provide the care my mother deserved. With a heavy heart, I made the decision to move her into a nursing facility, a place where I believed she would receive the daily support she needed.
At first, it seemed like a practical solution, but it quickly became apparent that my mother was not happy. I promised myself I would visit her more often, yet as life grew busier, those visits became less frequent than I had intended.
Everything changed the day I received a call informing me that my mother’s health had drastically deteriorated. I rushed to the nursing home, where I found her lying motionless in her bed. The sight of her in that state shook me to my core.
When I asked if there was anything I could do for her, she looked me in the eyes with a mix of sadness and determination. She had a few requests she wanted me to fulfill, and I immediately assured her that I would do everything in my power to grant her last desires.
Among her requests were new fans and a refrigerator. She explained that the old fans didn’t provide enough ventilation, causing her discomfort and many sleepless nights. The refrigerator was also a problem; it was often filled with expired items, limiting her access to fresh food.
I was taken aback by these revelations. The reality of my mother’s living conditions hit me hard. I hadn’t anticipated that her life in the nursing home would be so challenging, nor that she felt so close to the end.
With a heavy heart, she then told me something that I will never forget. She said, “When your children no longer want you around, make sure they provide you with better circumstances than you did for me because what you give is what you get.”
Her words shattered me. I realized then that I had failed her by not ensuring her comfort and happiness in her final years. I had assumed that the nursing home was enough, but I hadn’t considered her quality of life there.
This painful lesson taught me about the depth of a mother’s love and the responsibilities we carry as children to make sure our elderly parents can enjoy their golden years in peace and comfort.
I’m sharing this story as a reminder to myself and others about the importance of caring for those who once cared for us. Let’s not forget the unconditional love our parents gave us and strive to return it in their time of need.
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