Sweet Billy, 94

    My Dad woulda been 94 this coming May 3; born in 1922. I've told some of these stories before, but my soul was opened a while ago. You know what the poet Mary Oliver said about the soul, it comes and goes.

    I was gonna blog today about what an ass my Dad's brother Prentice has come to be in his twilight years. He texts me 30 something times a day when I politely ask him not to. Either that or join the righteous chorus in denouncing the GOP Ticket, Trump and Cruz and Fiorina, the whole pompous asinine card

      https://baptistnews.com/2016/04/29/faith-leaders-denounce-trumps-call-to-bigotry/

     But I will come back to that later.

    Here in the Ft Payne Library I saw my friend Reverend Doctor Pat McFadden retired from the FBC here; born in Cheraw South Carolina and a Clemson grad. He had on his Clemson shirt today.

   We talked a little about the recent inhouse study of Jesse Helms church Hayes Barton and the implications for other congregations including FBC Gaffney.

   And that stoked some memories of my Dad in Gaffney and playing tennis, his doubles team with Mrs Sossamon and Mrs. Reaves and sometimes their niece, the mother in law of Tim Childers who was on Clemson's 81 natty.

   I think it was Bobby Crocker who named my Dad Sweet Billy. They went to a Baptist Convention in 74 or So in Seattle and had to share a double bed. When they got back somebody asked Crocker if he had any trouble with Billy's snoring.

   Crocker said none at all. Said after they had Bible reading and prayer they got  in bed and Crocker said I leaned over and kissed Sweet Billy on the Cheek and he didn't make a sound all night.

   Crocker was a card. Played football at Furman until the doctor told him he was one hit away from eternity. Then he took up motorcycle ridin and telling people at Draytonville about Jesus.

   I saw Luke Griggs son Max at Jacks last week. Sometime will tell him the story of  JoJo Morgan, Sweet Billy, Wild Bill and the cyclamines at Trade Day.

     Sweet Billy has three great grandsons now he never got to see on this earth. But they all seem to have a great disposition like their great granddad. I will do my best to tell them some good stories as appropriate, even the one about Leon Culberson and Dom DiMaggio, Chile Burgers at Lynn's Number One on Wilkinsville and blackberry pickin with With Whiteside and before that on the Berrong property in Clay County North Carolina, Guy Carter; and Uncle Jesse Nease out from Baltimore and Newport Tennessee.