Dr. Ray

I don't think I've ever been as disgusted, or ashamed of, a group of people as I was on Saturday in Cleburne. And before this goes any further, it is a "group of people" until the jackasses running their mouths come forward and have the courtesy to say what they need to say to mine, Gary's and Dr. Ray's faces. And in the meantime, it's called process of elimination and it's not to hard to figure out who's running their mouths, Bruce and Drucilla Stewart and probably one other.

So....everyone has their panties in a wad over Dr. Ray. You people don't think he cooks his own chili. I hate to disappoint everyone, but he does. Gary helps him, Zoe helps him, and I've helped him - we all have. Question is, why haven't you, Bruce or Drucilla? Or anyone else who's known Dr. Ray for the past 20 odd years. I think it's sad and shameful that all of you "old friends" can't feel some joy for someone who absolutely LOVES cooking and want to see him, one foot gone and in a wheelchair, doing what he enjoys doing and helping him do it at the ripe old age of 76. Instead, you accuse him of not cooking his own chili and basically accusing Gary and myself of helping him cheat. You tell us to stop picking him up, you tell me to stop mixing his spices. You know what the problem is you bitter ass people? He's beating your asses and you can't stand it. You are threatened by a man who couldn't place at a chili cook off if there were only ten cooks for the past five or six years and now you're pissed that he does. It was really sweet of us to take him to cook offs when he wasn't placing, but as soon as he started to get points, everyone started running their mouths. It is a FUCKING BOWL OF CHILI PEOPLE. I thought this was about "Chili, Charity, and Fun". No, it's about some of you not being able to place anymore and you want to diminish what Dr. Ray is doing instead of chalking it up to luck and good chili....or bad luck and bad chili on your part. These are the same people that bitch at everyone who cook after they're qualified, also.

At some point, each one of us is going to be in the same shape as Dr. Ray. I hope like hell I have someone in my life who will help me continue to do the things that I enjoy so that I can live the rest of my life in the company of my friends doing something that I love. Instead of tearing down his accomplishments and giving us shit for helping him get to cook offs, why not be happy for someone else's accomplishments? Over the past few years, I've noticed how absolutely bitter people have become and how there are so many people who complain incessantly, find fault no matter what someone does and now, accuse people of not cooking their own chili. You need to go back and read the rules before you tell me how to follow them. No one is doing anything wrong by helping that man drain his grease. He puts his meat in, his spices in, his broth, and his peppers. For the record, one of us always pricks his peppers because I don't trust Dr. Ray with a knife. But then again, this is the same shit I hear about my kids. Hell....how do Gary and I manage to cook our own chili if we're cooking three other pots? We're not...we're good people and we've been the ones to help Dr. Ray when he still wanted to cook chili. I'm not going to have mine or my husband's integrity questioned. I know the rules; problem is, we're following them and it still isn't enough to satisfy any of you. I guess Dr. Ray winning Traders Village is what set everyone over the edge. Funny thing is, he didn't have any help that day. There was $1000 on the line and I wasn't going to spend my time helping him when I wanted to win it - did any of you ever think of that before you started running your mouths? Do any of you ever think that when Gary isn't cooking, he can help Dr. Ray as much as he wants? You can have a cooking team and a head cook who turns in the chili. Do any of you want to go so far as to say he isn't cooking a pot of his own chili and he's dipping out of one of ours? I dare you...please, say it to my face. Then pull out your wallet and send in $20 to protest the cook off...or shut the fuck up.

Why didn't anyone ever look at Ray Medlin and tell him to make sure Dani cooked her own chili? I know why - she hardly ever placed so after all of Bruce and Drucilla's bitching, it was all for naught - they got their points and Dani didn't get any and it was okay until the next cook off.

You all wonder why some of these pods are dwindling and you can't get anyone involved? Take a good look in the mirror. No one wants to hear your bullshit anymore than they have to. Dr. Ray comes to Pod meetings, say something to him next time you see him. Don't hide behind a cook off referee (which I'm sure was an instigator, too) and start shit. And if you don't want me including you in a blanket statement in front of people, have the nerve to voice your opinions or complaints like an adult - face to face. I used to have so much respect for so many people in the chili world. Now I see why so many cooks fall out of the chili world; they get tired of the bickering, the bitching, the arguing and the need of some people to complain no matter what. You people need to get a life...or get yours in order and quit looking for reasons to tear others down. Ya'll are a shameful lot and I feel sorry for you. Hell, he cooks my recipe and beats my ass on a regular basis. Do you think I'm bitching? I'm tickled pink for him and you so called friends of his should be, too.

Maybe some of you need to remember why you got into chili in the first place. I know it wasn't because you won all the time because we all suck when we first start out. You did it for the friendship and good times. You cooked chili because it was a hobby and a fairly inexpensive way to socialize on the weekends, drink beer and have a lot of laughs. So many of you have lost your way over the course of time and now you're just bitter and pissed at those who do well and have a good time. We're all supposed to be friends who have chili in common and want to have fun together. I got a really good look at who our friends are, and aren't, last Saturday.

Have a nice evening.....

Kelly