Steve Bates and Mona Bates

[00:02] STEVE BATES: Hi. My name is Steve Bates. I'm 65 years old. Today's date is Monday, April 25, 2022. We're in the Ozarks, Missouri. I'm here with my wife, Mona Bates.

[00:16] MONA BATES: Hi, my name is Mona Bates, and I am 68. And today's date is Monday, April 25, 2022. We are in the Ozarks in Missouri, and I am here with my husband, Steve Bates.

[00:31] STEVE BATES: Mona, how about start us off? Give a little brief rundown. Give me a brief rundown of your life before you and I met.

[00:41] MONA BATES: Do you want the whole story or snippets?

[00:43] STEVE BATES: Snippets, please.

[00:45] MONA BATES: Okay. Well, let's see. I mean, like, how many years back? I'm old. Talk to me.

[00:54] STEVE BATES: Just give me a brief rundown of when your first memory up to the time we.

[01:00] MONA BATES: Oh, for crying out loud, I was three years old. I'll make this short. Well, you know, my family, they were Christians, and my father was an evangelist, and with the tent revival, you know that. So we traveled in a little red rambler with my brother and sister in the mid fifties and ended up here in Springfield, Missouri. My father was taught English and was a chaplain at Evangel college back then in the early sixties, and. Good grief, it feels like I've told this a hundred times, or I 2 million. Mom died when I was ten, and then we moved to the south side of town, and dad started a church. And then after I got out of high school, I rebelled, you know, and got drunk a lot and lived with whoever would open the door for me and did what women do on the streets of every manner. And then I got sober in 1982 and was dead serious about sobriety. So I wasn't a lot of fun to be with, but I was a very serious person. Went to school to be a surgical technician, and I was very serious about all of this because, you know, I'm very serious person.

[02:36] STEVE BATES: You still are.

[02:37] MONA BATES: Oh, thank you. I know I am. But we do laugh a lot. Yes, we have a lot. We. There's a lot of laughter. I guess it's gonna have to be forever to make up for all the times in years we did not laugh, because I know a lot about you, Steve Bates, because I've been married to you almost 23 years, so there's not a whole lot you can hide. I know you can hide your emotions from me, because I was thinking about that the other day in church, but let's see. So I worked as a surgical technician for 30 years, and I lightened up a little bit. I think I grew up a little bit. But then when we got married, then I realized that I was not so grown up because then I was not going to be independent. I was going. And not dependent on you, but we were going to have to have a communion, a unity between us. And so I think I fought that for a while because I'm very independent and very serious, and you are very protective and very serious. So we had to figure all that out. Did that tell you enough?

[03:52] STEVE BATES: That's perfect.

[03:53] MONA BATES: Well, what's going on with you?

[03:54] STEVE BATES: What are you doing? Well, let me share my early days and then we'll get into where we're together.

[03:59] MONA BATES: Oh, okay, good.

[04:01] STEVE BATES: I was. I remember very little before the age of 14.

[04:06] MONA BATES: That's what you say.

[04:10] STEVE BATES: My mom said. I turned a corner and went a different direction and it wasn't good. And drugs, alcohol, crazy, wild women. And all of that went on for years. And I finally got clean and sober. And then we met.

[04:38] MONA BATES: Well, that's true, but you weren't sober for a long time. You had been in a short relapse. When we got, we became friends because we didn't get married straight up. We decided we were going to be best friends. And so you told me a lot of things about yourself that you said if you knew we were going to be married, you would have never told me.

[04:59] STEVE BATES: That's true.

[05:00] MONA BATES: Do you know, I don't hold any of those things against you because I can't remember them.

[05:04] STEVE BATES: That's good. That's a good thing.

[05:08] MONA BATES: So let's see. What do you think has been the sustaining factor? What was the sustaining factor in your life, Steve, as a child growing up and to the point where we met, what has sustained you all those years? To be a hard worker, which you've always been a hard worker and very responsible, even in your years of drinking and stuff like that. But what do you think sustained you to get to the point where you decided you were gonna stay sober and just what was within you?

[05:54] STEVE BATES: That's a good question.

[05:55] MONA BATES: Well, that's what I thought. I wanna know. I have never asked you that question.

[05:58] STEVE BATES: You know, I think that. I think that for so long, drugs and alcohol was my solution. That was what worked. That's what took care of all this inside. That was miserable. And then it quit working. And there were attempts at recovery before we got together many different times. And in this treatment center, that treatment center. And when we got together, I think of a time and someone that influenced me more than anyone. I want to ask you this question, too, but I'll answer that question. Yes, sir, I believe you influenced me more than anyone. I really do. As we met, and we, like you said, we became friends. I had divorced my third wife and lived with her for three weeks before we. Before I moved out.

[07:03] MONA BATES: How long did you know her before you got married?

[07:06] STEVE BATES: Let's not get into that.

[07:07] MONA BATES: I want you to speak this out and get it out in the open, in the air.

[07:11] STEVE BATES: This was.

[07:12] MONA BATES: Tell me.

[07:13] STEVE BATES: I didn't waste any time.

[07:15] MONA BATES: Tell me.

[07:16] STEVE BATES: I don't even remember.

[07:17] MONA BATES: Oh, come on. Wasn't it about a few weeks or something like that?

[07:20] STEVE BATES: Yeah, it was a few days. But anyway, we.

[07:24] MONA BATES: I love you, Steve.

[07:25] STEVE BATES: I love you, too. But anyway, when we got together, I saw a kind, considerate spirit in you that changed me.

[07:38] MONA BATES: Oh, I'm gonna cry.

[07:39] STEVE BATES: Has done that over the years.

[07:42] MONA BATES: Wow.

[07:42] STEVE BATES: And I think of my relationship today with the Lord, and I think of how you have really influenced that more than anyone else that I know. I think I'm gonna cry.

[07:55] MONA BATES: Well, I can see your glasses all getting foggy.

[07:58] STEVE BATES: That's the mask.

[08:01] MONA BATES: Oh, come on. Give it every excuse you can, but I know who you are. A little moisture.

[08:08] STEVE BATES: But, you know, I'm really serious there. It's. I saw you stand on the God's word and what that meant to you and not swaying from that in any way. And your kind, considerate. You have always been extremely compassionate, kind and considerate to people, everyone. Everyone you meet. And that, and that. That really changed me. That really did.

[08:40] MONA BATES: Oh, I'm so glad. And I'm not laughing at you. I'm just thinking about the times when I been extremely stressed, or we've had some stressors. And I remember that one day I said, I hate everything. I hate everybody. I don't want to do anything. I just hate. So there's that kind and compassionate, loving character come out in full force.

[08:59] STEVE BATES: Thank you.

[08:59] MONA BATES: Full color, kaleidoscopic color. But I know what you're saying, steve, because that same character is in you. And I think that that character in me, because I was not a. I was a. I said I was a Christian when we met in 99, we got married in 99, but I was not a practicing Christian in the respect of, oh, my thinking, my attitudes, my behaviors, they cleaned up a lot. You know, when you're not drinking and you get serious about work and I. Your health and stuff, you know, you can live a pretty good life and say you're a Christian. But that's a lot of baloney for most people that do that, because a good life is not what makes a Christian a Christian. So, yes, I had that kind of consideration stuff in mercy because I had a praying mother, and I was. I learned that in the first ten years of my life, those marked years, that's what I learned, and that's how I was treated and taught with respect and kindness. And you have yours from your praying mother, who is probably one of the most gentle, loving people I've ever met. She. I've never. All these years, I've never heard an angry word out of her, even though she has some really trying times. Very trying. And you, you know that. You've told me your story growing up, but, man, I tell you what, you have her character. I think that is what the link was, because when we met, we were still pretty wild in our personalities, not our characters, but our. How we exhibited our lives with attitude or words or, you know, I was very independent and was defensive of you trying to protect me, you know, and I didn't want. I didn't need protection. I've been doing this a long time.

[11:17] STEVE BATES: We've changed a lot over the years.

[11:18] MONA BATES: Well, we've had to. It was necessity to stay married, but God helped us. But, yeah, so I think those things drew us together. But the other thing I believe, and I don't even know what the question is, so I'm going to side, side go sideways, is that we had a lot of fun. We had. We still have a lot of fun with each other. Yes, we do some pretty goofy things.

[11:45] STEVE BATES: Yes, we do. We're pretty goofy.

[11:47] MONA BATES: We're pretty young in our. If we don't have fun, we don't want it, you know, we got to have some fun. That's all. You got anything to say on that matter?

[11:57] STEVE BATES: No. Hey, I've got another good question, though.

[12:01] MONA BATES: Okay.

[12:02] STEVE BATES: How would you want to be remembered? When you're dead and gone? How would you want to be remembered?

[12:09] MONA BATES: That's a good question. I tell you, I think back over the years and how foolish I have responded to so many incidents and people and my reactions and my words have been so foolish. And I just pray that the people around me do not remember those things I've said and done. Maybe they don't because I'm not so important to them. That would be good. But I suppose I would want to be just have the wisdom and courage to do the right things and to be known to just have wisdom from God, which is the source of wisdom, and to have been faithful to you and to my lord and to. Faithful to all the things that God has laid upon us and given us you know, faithful steward, good steward, and what's that other word? Steward and prudent, you know, and to really be grateful, I would want people to know how grateful I am for what God did in my life and me. And I would want them to know that anything that good that came from my life or was extended to others was because of God's grace upon me and how desperately I depend on that.

[13:50] STEVE BATES: Because that was what I was getting at, was how you and your interaction with other people, how to me, that's a huge quality that people would really will really remember in you. And I think in me, too, especially our relationship together, is our mentoring other couples and other individuals, and even through victory mission here, how we can just be a friend, be kind and considerate and be encouraging to people. And I think that our marriage, I think we will both be remembered as that. As a encouragement to people. And that people, it seems like people just want to be around us for whatever reason, but, you know, because we.

[14:48] MONA BATES: Like to be around them, I guess.

[14:50] STEVE BATES: But, you know, we've had people one, just Saturday, hey, can I come over and just visit with you guys? And those people come over and it's an honor that they want to come over. And maybe they just come over to see the cats. I don't know.

[15:09] MONA BATES: I don't know. That's what they say.

[15:10] STEVE BATES: But we put the cats up.

[15:11] MONA BATES: We get more questions about the cats later on, like, how are the cats doing? And that. So it may be the cats, but what I want to say about your. What you will be remembered as, because really, Steve, and you know it, and I've spoken it and I've said it, I am a more recluse person than you. I'm more vibrant in settings, perhaps, or I'm more outlandish in my behavior and words. And you're more, really steady, stayed back and quiet more so. But I am really. That's not a good word to keep using. Really, really, really very. Since I'm a writer, I'm learning not to use those words. Okay, so. And that word, too. So you will be remembered as being the most generous, kind hearted, reaching out to people. Person. Because all my girlfriends, they love you more than any. All the girls love you. They communicate to me through you. Because I don't get on the phone or Facebook or you alert me to emails or texts. I know that, but that's my own laziness. It's nothing about personality. It's laziness. But you reach so many people's hearts and lives in such a way that those men, they just call you and can we get together? Will you mentor me? They pursue you greatly, but you offer them a lot. You offer a lot of attention with, you keep people alerted with Facebook and with communication, you know? And when there's some texting going on, after the first text of a few words, I'm going, well, that's a done conversation. And you sit there for the next 30 minutes, converse per text or whatever, or Facebook. You continue that relationship. Is that an electronic type of thing? I don't know. I don't like buttons. I don't know.

[17:33] STEVE BATES: But at first I was going to pay you for being so kind, but.

[17:37] MONA BATES: Now I'm not being kind, I'm just speaking the truth. But you keep the communication going there. Like text, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding. I'm going, for crying out loud, what are they talking about? I just like quiet. And you are the most communicative person, even though you're real deep. So it's kind of a mixture of you're real deep, but you reach out. I want to be more quiet and alone, but I'm more outlandish in words and talk when I get going.

[18:13] STEVE BATES: Do you think that is a huge part of why our relationship works so well? It's the differences.

[18:26] MONA BATES: What do you think?

[18:27] STEVE BATES: I sure do.

[18:29] MONA BATES: Well, tell me about it.

[18:30] STEVE BATES: Well, I think that I take care of the text messages.

[18:39] MONA BATES: You speak for me.

[18:40] STEVE BATES: I think that we are. We are definitely different in a lot of areas. And I think that we complement each other from one to the other. And you. Where I lack, you're there for me. And where you lack, I'm there for you.

[18:58] MONA BATES: Yeah. And it took. It took some time. It's taken.

[19:01] STEVE BATES: It has taken time.

[19:02] MONA BATES: You know, this last week we heard some very, very serious hard news over a couple of matters.

[19:11] STEVE BATES: Yes.

[19:12] MONA BATES: And so there's been some more. There's been a little tension in me, a little irritability. And I know there's been a burden in your heart and mind, too, and your emotions. I mean this, and we've talked about it, you know, and we don't fight or argue in the respect that we would let that carry on any length of time. Holy spirit will not let us get away with that. Thank goodness for the Holy Spirit's conviction, power, and power to give us wisdom. But we. It's like that one time, long time ago. I've referenced it several times when you were so mad at me. Oh, my goodness. And so when I sat down and I said, okay, you just tell me everything bad. I've done, or you just tell me everything going on, and so you start listing something. What else? What else? What else? And then I just. I guess you ran out of things to think of that I had done bad.

[20:17] STEVE BATES: I should have looked at my list.

[20:20] MONA BATES: Yeah, you stuffed that list back in your pocket. But then I got up and stormed to the bedroom and shut the door and sat on the bed. And then I thought, well, what do I do? What do we do next? What do I do next? What am I supposed to do now? And it was in us even before we even knew it about each other, that that is not who we are. That is not our life.

[20:50] STEVE BATES: That wasn't acceptable.

[20:50] MONA BATES: And we would never abide that kind of relationship. Even before we had committed our lives to the Lord. We had the God in us directing us. So. And so I came out and we did the what we do. Reached out our palms.

[21:06] STEVE BATES: Reached out our hands. That's right.

[21:09] MONA BATES: Palm. And so we've done that since then. Anytime there's a little discord or something or we need to come to agreement, we do that, we still might have to get some things clear, cleared out, is spoken out. But I am so grateful because we are not people to contend with anger, keep that as a weapon against each other, even in ourselves. You know what we were talking about this morning? That when we get angry with our. When we get angry or exhibit that it's more anger or upsetness with ourselves.

[21:49] STEVE BATES: Absolutely.

[21:51] MONA BATES: Why is that? Why would we do that to ourselves?

[21:55] STEVE BATES: Just natural.

[21:57] MONA BATES: It is.

[21:57] STEVE BATES: I think so. I think it's human, natural human behavior. But, you know, we had so much, so much horrible life in our earlier years, in our drinking and drugging years. We had so much, just a horrible lifestyle, a horrible thought process, a horrible attitude that today is just not acceptable. And I think we both love our life today. Whereas back then, I didn't love my life at all. And so I think that's a huge. Has been a huge 180 degree turn that we have both taken from the way things used to be to where they are today.

[22:54] MONA BATES: I agree. And so what is it in James, the book of James says that I may be wrong, so I confess that right up, but that perseverance moves us into character. Character or no trials move us into perseverance. Perseverance moves us into character and character into hope. So if we didn't have those angst moments within us that sometimes come out in the open or, you know, kick the. We don't kick the calves. We love our animals, but, you know, throw something on the floor. Cause it won't get out of your hand fast enough. You know what I'm saying?

[23:43] STEVE BATES: Yes.

[23:44] MONA BATES: Oh, my goodness. Toss something away real fast. Cause you're just angry. But who knows what those. Something has happened. Something happens in our lives which are trials to our perseverance, character and hope.

[24:01] STEVE BATES: Yes.

[24:02] MONA BATES: And the human nature, I believe, does. It goes into angst. Soul goes into angst with our spirit, which is the spirit of Christ. And the soul that comes into an angst type situation. And we do react. People do react when they're angry. But I think underneath anger is fear at any given moment.

[24:26] STEVE BATES: Okay, I got a question for you. Tell me, ask me, how did we meet? Give us the story. Tell us the story. How did we meet?

[24:36] MONA BATES: Okay. Well, I was divorcing my second husband. So between us, we've had how many marriages?

[24:42] STEVE BATES: A lot.

[24:45] MONA BATES: No, let's see. One, two, three. I'm your fourth wife. You're my third. So that seven is that perfect heavenly number. Thank you, Lord, because I was divorcing my husband and we.

[25:00] STEVE BATES: Do you recommend that seven number for everyone? You.

[25:03] MONA BATES: No, but I recommend the perfection of the Lord upon people's lives. Okay.

[25:08] STEVE BATES: Okay.

[25:09] MONA BATES: And I'm not trying to say that glibly because seven is a heavenly number, but. And God does create. He what Satan means for evil, he means for good. He redeems and changes the purposes of all things. But we.

[25:27] STEVE BATES: How did we mean.

[25:28] MONA BATES: I know. I'm getting to it. I digressed a little. Give me a second. For crying out loud. I asked you and a whole bunch of other AA buddies because we met in Alcoholics Anonymous. I asked you to be party to the party of moving me out, the party of which I had been married to. Did that make sense?

[25:51] STEVE BATES: That makes sense.

[25:52] MONA BATES: And you said you would help move my furniture into where I was moving. So you were one of probably ten AA buddies who helped me move my furniture and stuff.

[26:06] STEVE BATES: Mm hmm.

[26:08] MONA BATES: Stuff. Isn't stuff unnecessary? So what? So why is it that we identify our stuff ourselves with stuff sometimes? That's another question, another discussion. But that's how we met. And then I remember I do not smoke cigarettes. I've never smoked cigarettes. But after all the furniture was moved in and everybody sitting around in my new little abode, did you go out to smoke a cigarette, or did I ask you if you'd go out and give me a cigarette so I can smoke a cigarette? Cigarette.

[26:43] STEVE BATES: I think I was smoking, and you came out and wanted one too. Or smoked it with me? I don't remember.

[26:50] MONA BATES: Yeah, I did come out. I just had to do something bizarre to confirm that what I was. That I was a bizarre in my mind and emotion. So give me a cigarette for crying out loud. But then we. You start talking about bicycle riding and we decided we would go bicycle riding and really frankly we didn't know each other, just acquaintances. And so we started riding bikes together and doing fun things and you know, going places on our bikes and crossing over fences and getting people's territories and land that we weren't supposed to get. And then you were dumpster diving. Taught me about dumpster diving and all the treasures and the dumpsters. And so, I mean we just. We just clicked as far as, you know, having fun Orlando. But then, you know, we started talking and that's when we decided we'd be best friends. And we met and you spilled all your guts. I spilled all my guts and we were. We never knew we'd be getting married.

[27:49] STEVE BATES: Right.

[27:51] MONA BATES: Does that explain how we met?

[27:52] STEVE BATES: Yeah, that was perfect.

[27:53] MONA BATES: What would you say about the matter?

[27:55] STEVE BATES: I would say that you're right.

[27:58] MONA BATES: What else? So after we. That one hug that lasted 2 seconds.

[28:03] STEVE BATES: Too long, that was where things changed.

[28:07] MONA BATES: What happened in your heart that changed your opinion of me or our reality?

[28:11] STEVE BATES: I think it was just a slow process that just worked into started office of friendship and became more as time went on. We went to a movie once. Had a date.

[28:26] MONA BATES: Oh, yeah. But as friends, we weren't even thinking about anything more.

[28:32] STEVE BATES: Right.

[28:32] MONA BATES: We were just two lonely souls, weren't we?

[28:35] STEVE BATES: Yes, we were.

[28:36] MONA BATES: Needed a friend.

[28:38] STEVE BATES: Yes.

[28:40] MONA BATES: What else? What else is on your mind?

[28:42] STEVE BATES: What's one of the proudest moments of your life?

[28:50] MONA BATES: Proudest.

[28:51] STEVE BATES: Proudest that you are the most proud of in yourself.

[28:56] MONA BATES: Ah. Oh my. I may have to ponder that. Can you answer that yourself?

[29:03] STEVE BATES: Well, I would say the day I made a decision to follow the Lord.

[29:14] MONA BATES: That's good.

[29:16] STEVE BATES: That was my proudest moment.

[29:18] MONA BATES: Wow.

[29:19] STEVE BATES: And probably still is today.

[29:21] MONA BATES: Yeah. What was going on in your mind, in your heart that we went to that one church service. And what clicked in your mind that you said next Sunday you were going to go to the altar. Okay, tell me you never have told me what happened.

[29:39] STEVE BATES: That that is a combination of. Are actually an accumulation of your influence over my life, over the times we were together. Because we'd been together. We've been married for ten years or so.

[30:01] MONA BATES: No, no, no. It was the end of 2006. We got married 99. So what? Six.

[30:06] STEVE BATES: Oh sure. Like I said, six years.

[30:09] MONA BATES: Well, you know, our timing.

[30:11] STEVE BATES: Yeah.

[30:11] MONA BATES: The way we frame time is differently.

[30:13] STEVE BATES: But anyway, we had been together for a period of time, and you say six, I'd say ten.

[30:20] MONA BATES: It's all worked out. Somewhere out, it all works out.

[30:22] STEVE BATES: But that influence really moved me into realizing that there's more to this life than we can see.

[30:37] MONA BATES: Wow.

[30:37] STEVE BATES: Yeah. How about you?

[30:40] MONA BATES: Well, I would reflect on that and say that those things had to be in you to recognize them in somebody else. Do you understand that?

[30:52] STEVE BATES: I agree.

[30:53] MONA BATES: Because if you just look on other people or watch their words, their movements, they're even married. If there is no correspondent is not the word I'm looking for. If there is no if. You have no clue why a person is the way they are, and it's just like a mystery. It's like, I don't understand why you're that way. That's good. That's good. I like watching what you do and say and all that. But if there is no nothing that you can understand, to have it reflect back on you, does that make sense? So those things were in you, and I know that. So thank you. Go ahead.

[31:44] STEVE BATES: Okay. I got another really good question that we can both ponder on, if you. What is it? What is it that we love about victory mission? And this isn't about victory mission, but victory mission's a big part of our life.

[31:59] MONA BATES: Oh, it is?

[32:00] STEVE BATES: Yeah. And we are on board with what happens, what goes on here, and the lives that are changed. How would you see? What is it about victory mission? The program restoration, the different aspects of victory mission. What is it that is appealing to you or to us?

[32:24] MONA BATES: That's a good question. I want to say this and have you respond in a mannerly way, because it touches the very depths and the very deepest parts of humans in their need and in a person's deepest needs, you know, out on the streets or have lost everything, you know, in that respect. That's when a person is so vulnerable and so open. And when they come to victory Mission, they have a chance to receive everything they need in the spirit of the Lord, in the kindness, but the discipline of the program of restoration, going out into the workforce, finding a church family, serving in the church, serving in the community, they receive all the education they need in such a short span, twelve to 18 months. My goodness. When they go from a life of pure, dark, dirty hell, of blackness, and then they come out and we see them. We see a lot of them leave. And that's the sad thing. But when we see them excel because of the godliness that's taught here and just the way they do that, you know, no, no throwing pity on people here, but because people change who I am. Because empathy or, you know, whatever, it is so compelling to me to be here because I get to be part of that, a very tiny little part of it, but I get to rejoice in the whole big part of it. So my little effort, think of the privilege it is to be on the receiving end and watching people's lives change and to be just, to even be allowed to come in here is like such an honor and privilege. It is a rich thing in me to be part of people's lives in a yemenite way that is the right way, the right way, the right path, and it's just an honor. It's never a struggle or a chore ever. What about you?

[34:52] STEVE BATES: I think that over the years, I go back to even my early days, even before maybe 810 years before we even met, I was already a sponsor to people in twelve step programs. And so over the years, I've been working in and with people in that regard, mentor, discipleship, whatever you want to call it. And I think that victory mission has a way of helping people without enabling people.

[35:31] MONA BATES: Right.

[35:31] STEVE BATES: And I've seen that be such a struggle for people in the secular world or in any, even in churches. And I think that there has to be a line drawn so that people are not unable to continue to live in the, as you said, the hell that people live in. And they're encouraged and empowered and restore their dignity. And it's just such a, it's such an honor to see that happen. And it happens on such a regular basis here, whereas so many of the programs, the percent of success is very low. And we see some real miracles that are even involved in people's lives that have had a miracle worked in their life. And that's an honor to be a part of that and to see just the staff and the leadership here and how that marvelous pans out. And we want to be a part of that. People are on board with things that are, that they're all for, you know, all in. So I think that's, I think that's my part of it, is the, is just the mindset of we can help these people. You know, we can really help these people and not just enable them to continue the way they are.

[37:20] MONA BATES: Are, wow. You know, and this real quickly, because I know that our conversation, you know, our conversation time, you know, will continue. But I just want to note that when I saw that doctor of psychology and he said, what do you want to do great in your life? What? And I went home and I was thinking, well, I'm going to finish my books and get them out for editing and for publishing. And then I thought, no. The way you make people great is. You may. The way we become great people is to help make others great. Be those shoulders that others can stand on. Because we get to share that we're part of the foundation of helping others be great. And that lifts us up. So. I sure do love you, Steve.

[38:12] STEVE BATES: Well, shucks.

[38:13] MONA BATES: Well, don't you love me? Aren't you gonna respond?

[38:16] STEVE BATES: Thank you so much.

[38:18] MONA BATES: This is a two way street, brother. I love.

[38:23] STEVE BATES: Like I said before, I'm gonna pay you for saying all this stuff. Good things.

[38:26] MONA BATES: Well, cold cash. I'm the penny. I love you.

[38:30] STEVE BATES: Love you too, babe. Anything else? Love you, babe.