Sometimes the smallest things tell the biggest stories. 1958. I drive past this torn American flag frequently. These days, it has become a pretty good indicator of which direction the wind is blowing and what kind of weather might be coming. But there is something about that flag that bothers me far more than its ability to tell me whether the cold air is coming from the north or the warmth is coming from the south. It once flew proudly above Ball & Prier Tire, a family tire company in Golden, Missouri. After 68 years in business, the company was sold in 2023. The business that took over apparently wasn't able to carry on what had been built before it. From what I see driving by, the business and the flag that once stood proudly for decades have both been left to deteriorate. I don't pretend to know everything about the company's history. I did purchase a set of tires there a few years back. Sometimes I bought from them, and other times I bought f...
