 
Still Wind, Forgotten Days

Bobby A. Troutt

Copyright 2014 by Bobby A. Troutt

Smashwords Edition

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Table of Contents

Living on Yesterday's Dime

The Undertaker's Daughter

Living Between Two Stop Signs

In the Cold of Night

Stolen Heart

The Thorns of Rose

The Valley of the Lost

*****

Still Wind, Forgotten Days

Living on Yesterday's Dime

"Hear ye, hear ye," cried out the bailiff as the judge took his seat at the bench, the Honorable Judge Donald Allan Collins presiding. All rise."

"The sentencing hearing is now in session," stated the judge.

Donald and the other attorneys stood to their feet as Judge Collins lowered the gavel down on the sound block.

"Lewis Moore, you have been tried and convicted by your peers in the state of Oklahoma judicial system. Do you understand?" questioned the judge.

"Yes, sir, your Honor," answered Lewis.

"You have been convicted of aggravated burglary, selling and possession of stolen property, three counts of drugs for intent to resale and five other unrelated charges," he stated. "Do you understand, Mr. Moore?"

"Yes, sir," Lewis replied.

"I hereby sentence you to eight years in the Oklahoma State Prison at Akersville. Depending on your behavior, you will be eligible for parole in four years. Court is dismissed."

The sheriff's deputies escorted Lewis out of the courtroom. He was transferred that evening to the Oklahoma State Prison at Akersville which was located southwest of Oklahoma City. Lewis hoped he would only have to spend four years in prison. If so, he would be released in 1957. Lewis had an uneasy feeling about going to prison. He had heard a lot about prison life and none of it was good. He just hoped he could survive for four years without any trouble so he could get paroled. Lord, he thought, how in the world did I ever get so messed up?

The first year Lewis had a hard time; he struggled to stay sane. Lewis tried to be a model prisoner and kept mostly to himself. However, it wasn't easy. It was easy for trouble to find you in prison. He had been involved in some fights and had other little problems with the other inmates. The second year was better for him. He was moved from the general population to the trustee's cell block which wasn't as bad. Lewis worked in the laundry room for about six months until a job became available in the kitchen after one of the inmates was released. Working in the kitchen was better for Lewis since he could get a good meal for a change.

The next two years seemed to go by fast. Once again, he stood before his peers at his parole hearing. The parole board listened to his testimony and read a recommendation letter from the warden on Lewis' behalf. Considering it was his first offense and he had a good prison record, the board agreed to release him and gave him one year of probation. It was heavenly music to his heart and ears. Within a matter of hours, Lewis stood outside the gates of the Oklahoma State Prison at Akersville. He took a long, deep breath of fresh air before he lit up a cigarette. After taking a long drag of the cigarette, he blew the smoke out of his nose and smiled from ear to ear.

"Thank you, Lord," he cried out as he looked around with tears in his eyes.

He took another deep breath, ran his fingers through his hair and finished his cigarette. The sweet sound of the parole hearing continued to sound loud and clear in his heart and mind. Once again, he was a free man. He couldn't believe it. He looked at his watch; it was 12 o'clock noon. When he looked up the road, he saw a bus headed his way. It was the noon bus headed to Oklahoma City. Right on time, he said to himself as the bus slowed down. The bus stopped and Lewis got on. As the bus pulled away, he looked back at what he was leaving behind. But, he only looked back once. The last thing he saw of the Oklahoma State Prison at Akersville was the top of the guard towers that looked out across the yard.

Lewis was able to get a job at his uncle's place in Oklahoma City. His uncle owned a small diner in Oklahoma City and he hired Lewis as a cook. After a year, Lewis decided to go back home to Dry Gut which was a small town not far from the east Texas border; it was about twenty-five miles from Rocky Creek, Arkansas. As he hitchhiked home, he couldn't figure out why he wanted to go back to Dry Gut. His wife had divorced him while he was in prison and she also took his son, Daniel, with her. He hadn't heard from his wife or son since the divorce. His mom and dad were also gone. His daddy had drunk himself to death and his mother died in a nursing home a few months before he went to prison. As car after car passed him, he couldn't make any sense why he was going back. Yet, something deep inside of him was telling him to return to Dry Gut. As he walked on, the wind picked up and stirred the dust high in the air. The dust was so bad it was getting in his mouth and eyes. Luckily for him, a truck pulled over about fifty yards in front of him and stopped. He ran to get into the truck and thanked the driver when he got in. He was so thankful someone had stopped for him.

"Where are you headed?" asked the driver.

"I'm on my way home," he replied.

"Where might that be?" questioned the driver.

"Oh, it's just a small town," he replied, "called Dry Gut."

"I've heard of it," the driver said. "I'm headed to Little Rock. I can take you that far."

"That's good," Lewis said. "I can get out at junction 537 near Kendall."

"You got it," replied the truck driver as he put the truck in gear and pulled back out onto the road.

"I'm glad you picked me up," Lewis said. "It looks like it's going to rain."

"Ah, no problem," the truck driver replied. "I'm glad I could help you out."

It began to rain as the big truck moved on down the road. They talked and listened to the radio. Not too far up the road, they stopped at a truck stop for a bite to eat. After a good meal, they continued on toward Little Rock.

"Do you like country music?" the truck driver asked.

"Sure, I do," Lewis replied. "I was raised on country."

"Me, too," the truck driver said as they both laughed.

A few miles up the road, they came upon Junction 537. The truck driver pulled over to the shoulder of the road and let him out.

"This is the best I can do," stated the truck driver.

"This is fine," Lewis replied. "Thanks a lot for the ride."

"You're welcome," responded the truck driver. "Good luck."

As the truck driver eased back onto the road, Lewis waved and smiled. Lewis hadn't been walking long when a man came by in a pickup with a load of hay on the back. The man stopped and asked Lewis where he was headed.

"I'm going to Dry Gut," Lewis answered.

"I'm going that way," the man said. "Hop in."

Lewis got in and they headed toward Dry Gut. The man told Lewis he was taking the hay to town for a hayride.

"You like hayrides," the man asked.

"I used to," replied Lewis. "But, it's been awhile since I've been on a hayride. In fact, I was just a kid when I had my last hayride."

"Well, that has been awhile. You got any family in Dry Gut?" the man asked.

"No, I mean yeah I did. However, my mom and dad are deceased and my marriage ended in a divorce," he explained. "I'm sort of on my own now."

"Me, too," the man replied.

The rest of the way to Dry Gut, they didn't talk much. Lewis was tired and all he wanted to do was get home. They finally reached Dry Gut and the man stopped and let Lewis out.

"Here you are," spoke up the man.

"Thank you, sir. I really appreciate the ride."

As the man drove off, Lewis looked around. It had been a long time since he had been home. Other than its funny name, Dry Gut wasn't much of a town. He couldn't recall how Dry Gut got its name. Years ago, the county was a dry county. No hard whiskey or any alcohol could be bought in Dry Gut. However, that changed over the years. Lewis was glad to be home. As he walked around town to see how much it had changed, he was greeted by some and ignored by others. He went by the house where he, his wife and son lived before he went to prison. It still looked the same. The only visible difference was that a new family lived there. As he moved on about town, he tried to find out some information about his wife and son. All he could find out was that his wife and son had moved to somewhere in Kansas. Discouraged, he decided to try and let it go. He told himself he had to move on.

It had been a long time since he'd had a cold beer so he decided to go see if the old tavern, The Watering Hole, was still there. He ran in to a few of his old drinking buddies on his way to The Watering Hole. They were just as glad to see him as he was them. He was so happy to finally see someone he knew. He invited them to have a drink with him. As they approached the tavern, he stopped and looked at it.

"It hasn't changed," he said.

"Neither has the beer or the women," replied his buddies.

As they entered the tavern, Benny, the owner, and Randy, the bartender, recognized him right away.

"Hey, men, look who's out and decided to drop in," yelled Benny.

Everyone in the tavern turned around to see who Benny was talking about. When they say Lewis, they applauded and cheered.

"Free beers for everyone," cried Benny

Lewis took a seat at the bar with his buddies and anticipated the ice cold beer while Benny and Randy handed out drinks to everyone.

"A toast to Lewis," exclaimed Benny.

Everyone lifted their bottles and glasses and toasted Lewis. Eventually, the tavern settled down. Several people went over and shook Lewis' hand, patted him on the back and hugged him. Lewis was relieved that the people of Dry Gut welcomed him back.

"What brought you back to Dry Gut?" asked Benny.

"I really don't know," answered Lewis. "With my wife and son gone, I haven't figured out why I wanted to come back."

"I hate it for you, Lewis," replied Benny. "Nevertheless, I'm glad you're back."

"Where are you going to stay?" asked Randy.

"Right now, I don't know," answered Lewis.

"Have you found a job?" asked Randy before an intoxicated man across the bar interrupted them.

"Well, well, well," the intoxicated man said, "look at the pretty ex-con. Lewis, when did you get out?"

Lewis looked at him but didn't say a word because he sensed troubled and that was the last thing he needed. Benny told the man to watch his mouth and to back off.

"It's Raymond Green," said Randy. "He's nothing but a troublemaker."

"Hey, jailbird, did you have a girlfriend in the big house or were you somebody's girlfriend?" teased Raymond.

Irritated, Lewis jumped up and grabbed a cane from a man sitting nearby. Benny grabbed his arm and held him back. It was enough to make Lewis pause for a minute.

"Randy, how much will it cost me to get out of jail if I beat him over the head with this cane?"

"About twenty or thirty dollars," replied Randy.

"To the sissy at the end of the bar," Raymond said as he lifted his beer to Lewis.

As much as Randy tried, he couldn't stop Lewis from hitting Raymond over the head with the cane. The cane splintered in a million pieces when it struck Raymond's head. As Raymond lay on the floor, an off duty officer, who was a friend of Benny's, that was in the bar at the time came over and questioned what had happened. Benny explained everything to him. The officer let Lewis go and took Raymond to jail. Lewis went back and sat at the bar with a worried look on his face. Benny told him not to worry about going back to jail and enjoy the rest of the evening.

"Here's one on me," Randy said as he slid a beer down the bar.

"You going to be okay?" asked Benny.

Lewis replied, "Yeah, I think so. But, I was just thinking about a lie Raymond told on me about ten years ago."

"That's been so long ago. You need to let that go and forget about it," said Benny.

"Yeah, you're right," replied Lewis.

"Hey, man, I'm sorry about your cane," Lewis said to the man. "Here's twenty dollars so you can replace it."

"Don't worry about it; I've got another one at home. It wasn't worth that much anyway. Besides, I'm satisfied with seeing Raymond get what was coming to him. Someone should have done that a long time ago."

"Hey, Lewis," interrupted Benny. "You never did say where you're staying."

"Right now, I don't know. I'm taking it day by day," replied Lewis.

"Hold on a second," stated Benny. "I'll be right back."

Benny went over and talked with Randy for few minutes. When he returned, he offered Lewis a job at the tavern and told him he could stay in the backroom until he could find something better. Lewis hesitated before he answered.

"I need another bartender to relieve Randy and I need a night bouncer to keep away trouble," insisted Benny. "What do you say?"

"Sure," answered Lewis. "When do I start?"

"Tomorrow night," said Benny. "That will give you a little time to relax and get settled in.

"Okay, Benny, thanks," Lewis replied. "Thanks for giving me a chance."

"Then it's settled," said Benny. "Randy, fix Lewis one of those tornado twisters."

"What's that," questioned Lewis, "a new drink?"

"You'll like it," replied Benny. "It is one of our bestselling mixed drinks."

"What's in it?" asked Lewis.

"Oh, some Oklahoma white whiskey, a jigger of straight bourbon and crushed ice," laughed Randy. "Here, try it."

"To Akersville," Lewis said as he raised the drink in the air.

Lewis turned the tornado twister up and didn't stop until the glass was empty. Benny and Randy laughed as Lewis coughed and tried to clear his throat.

"Huh, not bad," he coughed. "It's definitely been a long time since I had anything that strong," said Lewis.

They were all laughing and having a good time when one of the girls waiting tables came over.

"Who's the new cowboy?" she asked as she slowly rubbed and patted Lewis on the shoulder.

"He happens to be your new boss," replied Benny.

"Hey, my new boss, what's your name, cowboy," she asked.

"Lewis," he replied. "What's your name?"

"Terri," she said with a smile. "I'll be getting off work in an hour," she said. "Would you like for me to show you around?"

"What about it, Lewis?" butted in Benny. "Would you like some company?"

"Yeah, sure," Lewis replied with a nod.

"Give him another tornado twister, Randy," instructed Benny.

"No thank, Benny. I think I've had enough of the tornado twister. But, another beer would be nice."

"Give him another beer, Randy."

Terri grabbed a few bottles of beer and headed toward a table of men who were laughing and playing around. The hour passed quickly. Terri took off her apron, grabbed her purse and told Lewis she was ready to go. As they walked out, the men in the tavern whistled at her and cheered Lewis on. She and Lewis went out for a late night snack. They sat in the park and talked for quite a while. He found out that she had only been in Akersville for about a year; she had moved to Akersville from Little Rock. They shared their life stories and enjoyed each other's company. Lewis felt comfortable talking with Terri so he told her about his son and how much he missed him.

"One of these days I'm going to find him," he stated.

"I'm sure you'll see him again," she replied.

"I hope you're right," he said. "It's getting late. I better get back before Benny locks up."

By the time they got back to the tavern, Randy was cleaning and stocking the bar for the next day and Benny was in his office taking care of the business matters.

"Hey, man," Randy cried out when they walked in. "Did you have fun?"

"Yeah, it was nice," Lewis replied.

"The nights still young," Randy said. "Let me show you where you'll be staying."

"That would be great," replied Lewis.

"Follow me," motioned Randy.

They left the barroom and disappeared in the back where there was a stockroom which held odd pieces of furniture and a little bedroom off to the backside. The bedroom had a twin bed, mismatched furniture, a small eating table, a small closet and a bathroom.

"This is it," said Randy. "It's not much but it's a place to stay. Plus, it's free. I used to come here and sleep when my old lady and I were having trouble."

"Oh, it's fine," replied Lewis. "It's a lot better than spending the night in jail."

"You got that right," replied Randy. "Well, I'll see you tomorrow."

"Thanks, Randy," said Lewis as Randy left and closed the door behind him.

"It's still a little early, Terri," Lewis said. "You want to stay awhile?"

"Sure, I mean, if you want me too," she replied.

"It would mean a lot to me," he said.

He hugged and thanked her for spending time with him. They kissed, hugged and made their way over to the bed. As they undressed each other, their silhouettes embraced the walls of the room. Click went the light and darkness filled the room. All that could be heard were moans and heavy breathing. Out of the blue, Lewis stopped and sat up on the side of the bed. Concerned, Terri clicked on the light.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"Nothing, nothing," he replied. "I don't know but it's not you, it's me. I...forget about it. Terri, get dressed and I'll walk you home."

"It's almost morning now," she replied as she eased over to him, kissed him and rubbed her body against his.

"It's been a long time," he explained. "Four years can change a man."

"Relax, I'll take good care of you," she insisted.

He gave in and rewarded her kiss with his. She reached for the light but he stopped her. He took her hand away from the light and gently kissed the back of it. They didn't say another word. When Lewis finally awoke, Terri was gone. He was worried that he had made a mistake until he rolled over and saw the note she had left for him. He lay in bed for a while with his hands behind his head and a big smile on his face. He finally got up, took a shower, got dressed and headed out the door to the barroom. Benny was back in his office and saw Lewis when he walked by. He motioned for Lewis to come in. As Lewis drank his breakfast, Benny filled him in on his job. It wasn't a hard job; it was really simple. However, Benny told him the bouncer's job could get sort of nasty at times. After Benny finished filling him in on his job duties, they left and headed down the street to get a bite to eat. They had been there long when Terri walked in and saw Benny and Lewis finishing their breakfast. She waved and went over to them.

"Look who is here, Lewis," chuckled Benny. "Did you two have a good time last night?"

"It was great," Terri replied before Lewis had a chance to say anything.

"It was definitely great," Lewis looked up and said.

"Will I see you tonight?" inquired Terri.

Without hesitation, Lewis nodded his head up and down.

"Yes, I'm looking forward to it," he replied.

"Me, too," she giggled. "Well, I got to go. I'll see you later."

"Terri, watch Lewis," Benny said, "and keep him out of trouble."

"See you," she said.

"Bye," they replied.

The rest of that day, Lewis piddled around and visited some of his old friends and neighbors. Most everyone seemed to welcome him which made him feel better and a little more at ease. But, you know how life is; there is always that person or people who have to be different and difficult. There were several who slurred and made fun of him. After the day passed, he went back to the tavern, sat in his room and thought about his past. He just couldn't seem to let go of some things from his past. No matter how hard he tried, he figured he would have to carry those things with him for the rest of his life.

When it was almost time for him to go to work, he looked in the closet for a change of clothes and noticed an old guitar. He got it out and started strumming and picking it. Many years had passed since he had played a guitar. It brought back good feelings and memories. As he played it, he softly sang some of his favorite old songs. He was not only a picker but a beloved writer of music. Deep down in his heart, his lifelong ambition was to write songs and sing at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tennessee. But, as he grew up, life turned him a different way and his dreams settled in the back of his heart.

That night, the tavern was packed. The tables were full and the smell of whiskey and smoke hovered about the room.

"It's Friday," yelled one patron.

"I'll drink to that," cried out another.

"Hey, Terri, what about another drink?" asked another.

"You bet," she replied.

Randy and Lewis fixed drinks and served plenty of beer. The tavern was a block building; it was nothing fancy. The bar area had a giant mirror behind it and bar stools in front of it. The rest of the tavern was filled with tables and booths scattered about. The flashing neon sign, The Watering Hole, flashed on the outside and the neon lights that lit up the room on the inside advertised beer and whiskey. There was a small stage in front of the center of one wall and a dance floor down in front of the stage. The music was provided by anyone who wanted to sing. Some of the singers were pretty good and others were booed off the stage. The bar stayed busy serving drinks, a lot of beer and some mixed drinks. The tornado twister was a big seller along with Oklahoma whiskey straight, whisky and coke, 7-up and scotch, Kentucky bourbon and of course Jack Daniels anyway you wanted it. There were always a few arguments but they didn't get too out of hand. You know how it is in bars. It was mostly out-of-towners that brought in trouble; they always thought they could take over and run the place. But, Benny was strong and kept the trouble down to a minimum. Of course, there was always one that still tried to cause trouble no matter what. However, Lewis had no problem handling those situations.

Weeks went by and everything went good for Lewis. He and Terri kept each other company. Whenever Lewis got a chance to be alone, he played the guitar and sang in the back room of the bar; he was actually very good. One day when Lewis was in the back room playing the guitar, singing, resting and killing time, Terri dropped by to see him. As she started to knock on his door, she heard him playing and singing. She was amazed by what she heard. She was still listening at the door when Benny came by. She motioned for him to come and listen to Lewis. He, too, was amazed by what he heard. Terri and Benny smiled at each other before Benny headed on to his office and she knocked on the door. Lewis told her to come in. Hurriedly, he placed the guitar back into the closet. She never mentioned to him that she had heard him playing and singing and neither did Benny. Two weeks later, however, the scheduled singer sent word they wouldn't be able to sing that weekend. When Benny got the word, he wondered who he could get to perform. He asked Terri if she knew anyone who could fill in. She smiled at him and he knew exactly what she was implying. Friday night rolled around and there was a full house. The night went on as usual until it was time for the special singer to sing. Benny slowly walked upon stage and explained that the singer canceled. However, he told them not to worry because he had a bigger and better surprise. Lewis listened as Benny continued to explain. Terri stood beside Lewis with both of her fingers crossed.

"Tonight, The Watering Hole would like to welcome Lewis Moore to the stage for his first debut," announced Benny.

Shocked, Lewis turned to walk away. Terri held tightly to his arm and encouraged him to give it a shot. When he turned back around, he saw Benny holding his guitar.

"Come on up, Lewis. Pretend the stage is your backroom."

By then, the crowd was chanting his name. Lewis jumped upon the stage and took the guitar from Benny. He was so nervous and afraid he would get booed off the stage. It was an awkward moment for him.

"I've never sang for an audience before," Lewis said.

"Give it a try, Lewis," cried a man sitting at the bar. "Let's see what you got."

Lewis nervously strummed the strings and cleared his throat. After a few verses, it became natural to him as he opened up his heart and sang. At first, the crowd was rowdy and loud. But, by the time he was halfway through the song, they were mesmerized by what they were hearing. His velvety, country voice had moved about the room, pierced through the noise and humbled the crowd. Terri's eyes were filled with tears. Benny also had a few tears in his eyes but he tried his best to hide his emotions. Everyone in the tavern had gathered around the stage to listen. His words were like satin and the notes he strummed were as ivory as he played and sang. His country style voice was that of a polished pearl. A new country, twinkling, shooting star took off that Friday night amongst the other country favorites. When he finished the song, he thanked the crowd and started walking off the stage. However, the crowd cheered for more. With tears in his eyes, chills ran down his back and his heart raced. Lewis, for the first time in his life had found his place in the world. Terri couldn't keep from crying. She went upon stage and gave him a hug and a kiss. Benny, well, lowered his head into his hands, nodded his head and shed a few more tears. Lewis sang two more songs. Some of the tavern patrons danced and others listened and enjoyed their drinks. When Lewis finished singing, he went back to bartending. He finished the night filling glasses with Oklahoma whiskey and straight bourbon. He received praise and encouragement from nearly everyone. They gave him plenty of pats on his back and words of encouragement to pursue a singing career. He felt his childhood dream was coming true; he believed he would actually make it to sing at the Grand Ole Opry. Saturday night proved to be even better for Lewis. The word of his talent had spread fast. People from all around came to hear him.

The next couple of months, Lewis played, sang more and wrote more songs. He became restless and wanted to share his songs with a broader audience. Benny also noticed that Lewis didn't seem as content. Benny knew deep inside that Lewis wouldn't ever be happy and content unless he tried to fulfill his dream of singing at the Grand Ole Opry. Terri had noticed as well. She loved him but she didn't want to hold him back from pursuing his dream. Benny and Randy weren't too surprised, one day, when Lewis came to the tavern to say goodbye. He told them he was on his way to Nashville to sing at the Grand Ole Opry. They understood and had been expecting it. They told him they would miss him and hated to see him go. But, they knew Lewis had to find his way and wished him the best. After he left the tavern, he stopped by to see Terri. As soon as she saw him with his guitar on his back and a suitcase in his hand, she knew exactly what she was about to hear. Terri wished him luck. They hugged, kissed and said their goodbyes. Although she didn't want him to go, she never said a word because she didn't want to hold him back. He told her he'd be back for her when he made it big. She knew he meant well. She believed in him and if there was anyone who could make it, Lewis could. But, she also knew different. She knew the music business was tough. Even if you were good, it was still a rough life.

As he left Terri's that day, he looked back and saw her looking out the front door; he waved at her and she waved back. That afternoon, Lewis reached the main highway leading to Little Rock. He stuck out his thumb to catch a ride with only his suitcase, guitar and the dream in his heart. He eventually got a ride into Little Rock. But, he walked most of the way there. Since he was running a little low on money, he had to find work doing odd jobs before he could continue his journey to Nashville. The money he had saved at The Watering Hole was almost gone. He saved a little money by sleeping in the park. After a week in Little Rock, he moved on over the Mississippi River into Memphis. He tried his best to get some help in the recording business. Unfortunately, everywhere he went, he was turned down. They all told him he had a good voice and liked his songs but they were afraid to take a chance with him because he was unknown and their budgets were low. After two week in Memphis, he hit the road again and hitched a ride into music city (Nashville).

Once in Nashville, he tried to find any job he could to make some money so he could find a place to live. After a few days, he finally got a job at a meatpacking plant and he was able to get a room in a boarding house on East Jackson Street which was not too far from downtown. He worked nights and during the day he pitched his songs and voice to record companies with no luck. Some of them wouldn't even talk to him and others thought he might make it if he had a good song but they still weren't willing to take a chance on an unknown artist. Nor did they have the budget to support a newcomer. He soon realized there was a lot of politics in the music business. On weekends, he took his guitar down on Broadway and set up on the sidewalk; he played and sang to the passersby. Some people stopped to listen and dropped a few coins in his can but others walked on by. For the first two years, he tried diligently to break into the business. Eventually, he realized he was fighting a losing battle because there were so many others there trying just as much as he was. Nashville was full of singers and songwriters trying to make it big.

Lewis had written Terri every week and she had written him back. However, after two years of rejection and discouragement, the letters stopped. He started drinking and using drugs to stay positive and upbeat. He didn't realize the alcohol and drugs were only bringing him down and making things worse. Since Terri hadn't received a letter from Lewis in a while, she wrote to him and told him she was going to take a bus to Nashville to see him. He wrote her back and told her where to meet him. When she got to Nashville, he wasn't there. She waited and waited; he never showed up. Later that evening, she got a bus ticket and left Nashville saddened and disappointed.

The lifelong dream Lewis had was crumbling. He drank more and used drugs more often. He had to give up his room at the boarding house because they didn't allow alcohol and drug use; he slept wherever he could. He started having run-ins with the police and trouble with other people. Even with everything going on in his life, he still tried to pitch his songs. On one of his better days, he pitched a couple of religious songs at a gospel publishing company in Nashville called The Morning Star. Just a Drop of His Blood and The Sheep Knows the Voice of the Shepherd were the two songs he pitched to them. They decided to take a chance with him and it paid off. The songs eventually went twenty-one and twenty-five on the gospel chart. Later on, the company published another one of his songs titled I'm Washed in the Blood of the Lamb. The song went to number sixteen on the gospel chart. His gospel songs brought in a little money for him to get by on but his heart was still country.

The following year, Lewis called out unto the Lord, after he had tried everything else, and tried to once again get his life back on track. The Lord had always tried to help him but he was so messed up he couldn't see it. His whole dream had become a nightmare and he wanted to get his dream back. For four years, he beat the streets of Nashville with no luck so he decided to leave and pursue his dream elsewhere. Lewis tried his luck in New York and Los Angeles; just like Nashville, he only received a pat on the back. He had heard I'm sorry, son, we'll keep you in mind and it's not exactly what we're looking for so many times he couldn't take it anymore.

Broken and beaten down, Lewis returned to Dry Gut. Benny no longer owned the Watering Hole, the United States was entering war in Vietnam and the French were pulling out. The new owner of the Watering Hole had done away with the live performances and put in a jukebox. Rock-n-roll was the music at that time. Country still had its pull but rock-n-roll was what the young people were crazy about. Lewis went by Terri's house to see her but she wasn't there. He asked around to find out where she lived. However, no one had seen her since she took the bus to Nashville. He eventually found out that she might have moved to Virginia because she had an aunt who lived there. Knowing Terri was gone, didn't help his situation. She was the main reason he went back to Dry Gut. After two months in Dry Gut, Lewis hit rock bottom and decided to take his life; he wanted to die. Thankfully, the Lord intervened. One day, as he passed by one of the stores in town, he heard Just a Drop of His Blood playing on the radio. As he listened to his song playing on the radio, his whole life flashed before him. Tears filled his eyes and he started shaking and trembling uncontrollably. Randy just happened to be passing by and saw him.

"Lewis is that you?" Randy asked.

Startled, Lewis just looked at him. Randy didn't know what to think. Lewis' appearance was awful. He looked like a homeless man without a dime to his name. Lewis stood for a few minutes and looked at Randy. He wasn't in the mood for any company.

"Do I know you?" Lewis questioned with an attitude.

"It's me, Randy. Don't you remember me?"

"No, I don't," he replied. "Leave me alone."

"Lewis, let me help you," Randy insisted.

"I don't want or need your help," Lewis cried.

Randy grabbed Lewis and held him tight. Lewis did remember Randy but he was so embarrassed he acted as if he didn't. Lewis knew he had gone as far as he could go so he accepted Randy's help. Randy put him into his car and took him to the hospital. A month later, Lewis was discharged from the hospital. Randy helped him get accepted at a boarding house not too far from Dry Gut. While at the boarding house, he not only found deliverance from alcohol and drugs; he also found the Lord and himself. Two months later, he knew what he had to do and that was to write and sing country. He was confident he would make it because he had a new song, Jesus, in his heart and life. He had written some new songs and one of them was titled Elaine; it was Terri's middle name. He decided to return to Nashville and pitch the song.

Once again, he didn't have much luck. He had been back in Nashville for about six months when he met Walter K. Stewart, a record producer at Barefoot Record Company. Walter had just bought the company and was signing new artists to his new record label, Old Hickory. He told Lewis to come by and he would give him an opportunity to show him his talents. Lewis took him up on his offer and went to see him the very next day. As he sat in the waiting room, he could hear them in the back recording some songs. It seemed like he sat in the waiting room forever. He became more and more nervous with every minute that ticked by. All he could do was pray.

"Not my will Lord, but your will be done," he prayed.

About an hour had gone by before Walter asked him to come in. As they talked, Lewis looked around and saw gospel records of his which had been recorded the first time he was in Nashville. He didn't have to say anything because Walter had already noticed the expression on his face.

"Do you like gospel?" Walter asked.

"Most of it," Lewis replied.

"Me too," agreed Walter as he sat back in his chair. "I sang in a quarter when I was younger. Hey, I've even sang your songs."

"What do you think about them?" inquired Lewis.

"I believe you have great potential, Lewis," he stated. "And I believe your heart, which seems to be true, is in your song. However, it is apparent your heart is also in country. I like your style and rugged look; it goes well with your songs. How would you like to sign with me?" questioned Walter.

"Oh, that's great," Lewis explained. "Thank you, Walter. I mean thank the Lord and thank you. This is wonderful; I actually have a record deal."

"Believe it," laughed Walter. "You know the Bible says we sometimes entertain angels unaware."

Tears ran from Lewis' eyes and he thought, my Lord God, how great you are.

"What do I need to do?" asked Lewis.

"Bring me some of your best songs. We'll make a demo tape and then we'll go from there. Hey, by the way, where are you staying?" inquired Walter.

"Well, I really don't have anywhere to stay," Lewis replied. "I have to find me a place. Do you have any suggestions?"

"Actually, I have a two room apartment above my garage if you're interested. You're welcome to stay there until you get on your feet," explained Walter.

"Sure, that would be great," responded Lewis.

"Come on, it's close to lunch time. We'll get a bite to eat and then I'll show you the room," instructed Walter.

After lunch, Walter showed Lewis where he would be staying and told him he would see him in a few days at the studio. Lewis couldn't believe it; his luck had finally changed. Above all, he realized God had made a way for him. For the next few days, Lewis rambled through his box of songs and tried to find the ones he thought were the best. Lewis found all the songs he wanted to present to Walter. He took them into the studio and about three weeks later they had decided which ones they would put on the demo tape. Once it was complete, Walter sent it to several radio stations to get it some airplay and it did. Walter also encouraged Lewis to continue doing gospel as well; Lewis agreed. Two months later, Walter released Lewis' first gospel album and it went number eight on the chart. Lewis loved the Lord but he missed country. He eventually persuaded Walter to release Elaine on a single. Within two weeks after it was released, it went to number ten on the country chart and fifteen on the pop chart. Within four weeks, Elaine was number one on the country chart and seven on the pop chart. Radio stations WHIN, WAMG and other country stations around the country boosted his songs. Elaine was selling like hotcakes. Part of Lewis' dream had come true with the Lord's blessing. His music career had really taken off but he didn't forget everything the Lord had done for him so he continued writing gospel hits along with country hits. His songs brought Nashville alive.

Even though Walter was excited about his music career, his heart was still heavy. He constantly thought about his son and Terri. He wished he could experience his success with them.

Lewis went on tour around the country. Some of the record companies that had turned him down offered him a job and his own record label. But, he chose to stay with Walter and Barefoot Records. While touring the country, he performed on the Louisiana Hayride. His next stop after Louisiana was Kansas City, Kansas. It was the final stop on his Midwest tour. That night after the concert, Lewis was going to his dressing room when a young man called out to him.

"Dad," the young man said.

Lewis turned around and couldn't believe his eyes.

"Daniel, is that you?"

Silence fell and tears filled their eyes as they reached out to each other.

"My God, my God, it is you, Daniel," Lewis cried as they hugged each other.

"Dad, I've been trying to find you for so long."

"What about your mama?" Lewis asked. "How is she doing?"

"Mama died about three years ago," Daniel stated. "I've been living with one of my cousins since she died."

"Well, son, I'm glad you found me," Lewis said. "Why don't you come and live with me in Nashville. We have a lot of catching up to do."

"I would love to," replied Daniel.

"Let me get changed and we'll head back to Nashville. Go ahead and get on the bus and I'll be right out."

They talked all the way from Kansas City, Kansas to Nashville. One couldn't talk without the other trying to talk at the same time. Finally, after several hours, they saw the lights of Nashville lighting up the sky. It wasn't long after that when the bus pulled up at Lewis' home; he took Daniel in, showed him around and told him to make himself at home.

"Wow, look at this place," he exclaimed. "Dad, it's beautiful."

"It's just a place to stay while here on earth," Lewis replied. "It's the Lords, mine and yours if you want to stay."

"I do. I do," Daniel cried. "Dad, I don't want to lose you again."

"You won't, Daniel," he replied. "I will never let that happen again."

As the time passed, Lewis and Daniel spent a lot of time together. Lewis saw a lot of himself in Daniel and he had a lot of his mama's ways too. Daniel shared some of the same dreams as Lewis. He, too, wanted to write and sing country music. For the next year, they were inseparable. They wrote, sang and picked their guitars together. Every part of Lewis' dream had come true except singing at the Grand Ole Opry. Everywhere Lewis went he shared his testimony of Jesus and witnessed to others. In his heart and mind, he gave all glory, vanity, praise and honor to the Lord. A man asked him one time how could he sing beer drinking music about cheating and all other worldly things and be right with the Lord. Lewis' answer to him was that he didn't know. He told him he just sowed the seeds and evidently he had sowed a seed in him since he was questioning him about it. The man never said another word.

Not long afterward, Lewis and Daniel wrote a song together. They took it to Walter to see if would be interested in recording it. It didn't take long for Walter to say he would record it. After they played and sang a few verses, Walter knew in his heart it would be a hit. The title was Living on Yesterday's Dime. When it hit the air waves, it climbed the chart to number one overnight and became their signature song.

One afternoon, unexpectedly, Lewis told Daniel he would be gone a few days to take care of some business. Daniel told him he wanted to go with him but Lewis said he needed to handle it by himself. Daniel understood and told him to be careful and he'd see him when he got back. Daniel didn't question his dad. He knew he had his mind made up. That next day, Lewis left for Dry Gut, Oklahoma. He wanted to find Terri to ask her if she would share the rest of her life with him and Daniel. He didn't have any idea where she might be but he figured if he asked around enough, surely, someone would be able to tell him where he could find her. It had been such a long time; he knew it was a long shot. When he finally reached Dry Gut, everyone was glad to see him and congratulated him on his success in the music business. He took a little time to share with his friends and to catch up on the happenings in Dry gut. He found out Benny suffered a heart attack about two months prior and died as a result. Randy had taken a truck driving job and moved to Tupelo, Mississippi. Lewis searched and asked around for any information about Terri but only came up empty. After all his efforts were exhausted, he gave up and headed back to Nashville. The night he left, it was raining really hard. He not only had to fight the traffic but the storm as well. Not far from Little Rock, a truck crossed the centerline and hit him head on. The driver of the truck was killed on impact and Lewis was thrown through windshield and laid helpless in the road. He was taken to a nearby hospital in Little Rock where he almost died. It took several hours for the doctors to get him stabilized but he was still in critical condition. The police contacted Daniel and told him what had happened and what hospital Lewis was in. Immediately after Daniel hung the phone up, he called Walter to let him know what happened. They flew to Little Rock to be by his side. However, by the time they arrived, Lewis had gone into a coma. Every day, Walter and Daniel stood by his bedside. About a week later, Lewis opened his eyes. Several weeks later, Lewis showed signs of improvement. Unfortunately, though, when Lewis opened his eyes he still had a long way to go. He was paralyzed from the neck down and couldn't talk. The doctors had done all they could for him in Little Rock so Daniel and Walter had him moved back home to Nashville.

The news spread like wildfire across the country. People from everywhere prayed for him and sent him cards, letters and flowers. Daniel was so afraid he would lose his dad again. It was only a couple of days after Lewis was transported back to Nashville when Walter found out from one of his friends that the opry had been trying to contact Lewis about performing at the opry. Walter's friend wasn't sure if the opry was still interested because of the accident. Walter knew how much it would mean to Lewis to perform at the opry so he called them with an idea. At first, they didn't want to accept his idea. It took several tries for Walter to convince them. Then he had to convince Lewis and Daniel. When he explained his idea to them, Daniel didn't think it would work until he looked over at his dad lying in the bed blinking his eyes to indicate yes. Daniel asked him if he was sure and again, he indicated yes by blinking his eyes. Walter was ecstatic. He knew that was the final piece to Lewis' dream and so did Daniel. There was not a dry eye in the room. Walter confirmed the idea to the opry and they set a date.

The time finally came. That Saturday night, Walter rolled Lewis out on stage in his wheelchair and Daniel stood by his side with his guitar. The crowd gave them a standing ovation. They cried out we love you and the applause was deafening. There wasn't a dry eye in the house. When the music started, Daniel started singing Elaine. Lewis sat in his wheelchair and thanked the Lord for completing his dream. As Lewis listened to Daniel playing and singing, he felt as if someone was watching him. He moved his eyes from the cheering audience over to the side of the stage and thought he saw Terri. She appeared to him like an angel; she was more beautiful than he remembered. Lewis wanted to go to her and hold her once again. But, he couldn't. Immediately after Daniel finished singing Elaine, he sang Living on Yesterday's Dime; it brought the house down. When he finished, Daniel yelled out thank God we are country boys to the screaming crowd. Lewis looked back over at Terri and she waved. When he blinked, she was gone.

That night, history was made at the opry. Lewis often wondered if it really was Terri he saw or if it was someone who resembled her. Lewis never found out that Terri had passed away soon after her trip to Nashville to see him. After that night, Daniel took care of his dad until he died from a blood clot to his heart, a year later, in 1973.

*****

Still Wind, Forgotten Days

The Undertaker's Daughter

An Indian summer had come early in the year 1962. Autumn was about to fall and the bitter chill had begun to stir in the wind because winter was upon the horizon. Mule Creek was a small community that sat on the outskirts of Louisville, Kentucky; it was about fifty miles south of the Jefferson County line. It got its name from the creek that passed through Gilbert County and Jefferson County before it emptied into the Ohio River.

The Wiggins family had moved from Brandon, Ohio to Mule Creek a few years ago. Wallace, the daddy, had taken a job as the county coroner and undertaker for Louisville. His wife was deceased. She was killed in a car wreck three years before he moved to Mule Creek with his daughter, Billy Jo. Wallace took the job in Louisville because he was on the borderline of being fired for drinking on the job in Brandon although he didn't disclose it when he interviewed for the job in Louisville. Wallace was a gifted man in his field. He was one of the best coroners around, according to a lot of people. However, when his wife was killed he took it very hard and it sent him into a downward spiral. He never fully recovered from the death of his wife because he was crazy about her. He always drank but he kept it under control. But, he became a different man after her death.

Wallace met her in high school and they started dating. She was from Louisville and attended Louisville Central High. He attended Brandon High and went to college at Ohio State where he did his graduate work. They married when he was in his second year of college and they made their home in Brandon. Not long after they married, their daughter was born. They named her Billy Jo. The Billy came from her daddy's dad and Jo came from her mother's mother. Wallace worshipped his wife and daughter; they were his world. Things were good for them for several years. They were in with the social society. Yet, they were also down to earth. They always seemed so happy until one day when Pamela was out shopping. She decided to take a little break from shopping so she went into a little coffee shop for some coffee and a doughnut. That's where she met Todd, a salesman from out of town. When their eyes met for the first time, they both felt something special. The feeling was so strong; she changed her mind about the coffee and doughnut. As she opened the door to leave, she felt the urge to look back. He was looking directly at her with a big smile on his face. She turned and ran out of the shop like a silly high school girl. As she stood on the sidewalk to gather her composure, Wallace drove up.

"Hey, honey, do you want to get a bite of lunch?" he asked.

"Sure, that would be good," she replied. "I'm tired of shopping anyway. I can finish shopping later."

"What about a burger at the Tasty Freeze?" Wallace asked as she got into the car. "They're running a special today on their burger and fries."

"That's fine, baby," she replied.

She wanted to look back when they drove away but she didn't. A few days later, she stopped off at the coffee shop to see if the guy was there. She went in and looked around; he wasn't there. So, she got a cup of coffee to go and headed out the door. As she put her hand on the door to go out, the guy had his hand on the door to come in. It startled her when she saw him and she dropped her coffee.

"Oh, I'm sorry," she apologized.

"That's okay," he replied. "I believe it was my fault anyway. Here, let me buy you another cup."

"Oh, you don't have to do that," she said. "I have to be going anyway."

"Surely you have time to stay for one cup of coffee," he insisted.

"Well...uh...no, I'm running late for a meeting," she lied.

"Do you come here often?" he inquired.

"No, yesterday was the first time I ever came in here," she answered. "I'm sorry but I have to get going."

"Todd," he said.

"Todd," she repeated.

"Yes, Todd is my name," he smiled and said. "And yours?"

"What?" she asked.

"What's your name?" he chuckled.

"Oh, it's Pamela," she blushed.

"Hi, Pam, can I call you Pam?" he asked.

"Sure, uh, Todd," she replied. "Well, I'm sorry but I've got to run."

"Bye, Pam," he smiled and waved.

Hurriedly, she walked down the sidewalk with a warm feeling running through her body. A few weeks later, she got her nerve up to go back to the coffee shop. Wallace had started drinking more so things at home were changing. They were not as happy as they used to be. When she finally arrived at the coffee that day, Todd was not there. She got a cup of coffee and sat at a table by the window. She doubted her actions and felt she was getting into something she should back away from. It just didn't feel right. As she was finishing her coffee, she looked out the window of the coffee shop and saw him crossing the street. She panicked and quickly got up to leave. Once again, she met him at the door.

"We are going to have to quit meeting like this," he chuckled.

"I know," she replied as she looked up at him and smiled.

"Let me buy you a hot cup of coffee," he suggested with a smile. "You probably need a fresh cup."

"I believe you're right about that," she replied.

After that day, they started seeing each other on a regular basis. They spent time at the Lover's Nest Motel in Louisville, not far from the river. As the holidays approached, they saw each other more frequently. Wallace was still drinking; he had no idea what was going on. Pamela knew he loved and trusted her and would never suspect anything even though they hadn't been intimate in a long time.

Wallace and his family celebrated Thanksgiving and Christmas as usual. He had no idea his family life was about to change. After New Year's, Pamela filed for divorce. When Wallace was served the papers, his world crashed down on him. When their daughter, Billy Jo, found out about the divorce, she was devastated. She begged them to work things out and stay together because she was happy and loved them both. When she realized they were not going to work things out, she lost all respect for them and started to rebel. Wallace couldn't believe or accept it either. He was always loyal to Pamela and he never imagined she would ever leave him. He had become a little suspicious when she had on a new diamond studded necklace after Christmas. He asked her about it but she told him she bought it for herself. However, he could tell the necklace was expense and knew she would never spend that amount of money on herself. Besides, she hardly ever wore any jewelry. He became even more suspicious at a New Year's Eve party when he noticed she was spending a lot of time with a man by the name of Todd. When he questioned her about it at the party, she acted like she didn't hear him at first and then told him that she met Todd at the party and it was her first time meeting him. Deep down in his heart, he wanted to believe her. But, she and Todd appeared to be too cozy with each other. As the party went on, it was almost twelve o'clock and he was ready to leave. That's when he noticed her coming inside from the patio. And of course, she wasn't alone; Todd was with her. Wallace kept his cool even though he had been drinking heavily. Plus, he didn't want to make a scene. He knew then it was more to it than what she told him. However, he was still blinded by his love for her. The clock struck twelve o'clock and everyone raised their glasses of champagne to toast in the brand new year.

"Happy New Year!" they all shouted.

After they finished singing Old Lang Syne, the crowd started leaving. Unexpectedly, Pamela brought Todd over and introduced him to Wallace.

"Are you new in town?" Wallace asked Todd.

"Yes, sort of, I'm a salesman. I'm in and out of Brandon a lot," Todd replied. "Pam...I mean Pamela, your wife, tells me you are the county coroner and undertaker in Louisville."

"Yes, I am," replied Wallace. "In the end you'll probably need me more than you need my wife."

"Is that a threat?" asked Todd.

"Take it any way you want to," said Wallace. "I've got to go and so does my wife."

For the next couple of weeks, Wallace followed Pamela and Todd everywhere they went, even to the motel. One afternoon, he'd had all he was going to take from them; he went off. He was drunk when he busted in on them in the motel room and saw them in bed together. When the door of the motel room flew open, Todd quickly jumped up out of bed; he was naked. Wallace grabbed him and Pamela started screaming and covered herself with a blanket. She knew how violent Wallace could be because he had beaten her and their daughter in the past; he could be a monster when he wanted to be. Wallace and Todd started fighting. Wallace had almost beaten Todd to death before the motel owner heard the commotion and called the police. Luckily, there was a patrol car in the vicinity that answered the call; they arrived in minutes. When they arrived on the scene, it took both officers to pull Wallace off Todd. His anger and bitterness had driven him into a violent rage. After the officers finally separated the two men, Pamela tried to explain what had happened. The officers asked her and Todd if they wanted to press charges. They both said yes and she also wanted to get a restraining order against Wallace. The officers arrested Wallace and took him to jail. Todd was transported to the hospital by ambulance. He was released from the hospital after receiving several stitches and he also had a couple of cracked ribs. Within hours, Wallace was released from jail. Although Pamela had taken out the restraining order, he continued to follow her but kept his distance so she didn't see him.

About a month later, Todd and Pamela were coming home from a party. It seemed like everything had died down. They hadn't seen Wallace except in passing and he hadn't caused them any trouble since the motel incident. Well, it so happened, the night after the party when they were driving home, the brakes on their car went out; Todd lost control of the car and hit another car head on. Todd and Pamela were killed instantly. The people in the other car were sent to the hospital with several broken bones but nothing critical. Wallace immediately became a suspect in the death of Todd and Pamela but he had an airtight alibi which the police confirmed during their investigation; Wallace was never charged. Their deaths were ruled an accident even though the brake line on their car appeared to have been tampered with. Since the police mechanic was careless when he checked the car, he disturbed a lot of the crucial evidence and they had no other choice but to rule the wreck an accident.

Even under the circumstances, Wallace took the death of his wife hard; he truly loved her. Pamela's death pushed him further over the edge. He spent the majority of his time drinking and grieving over the next few years. He was angry with the Lord and the world which affected his relationship with his daughter, Billy Jo. She was all he had left except for the dark demons in the whiskey bottles. When he was sober, he was the best father to Billy Jo. He quit drinking for about six months and started to center his life around her. Unfortunately, he started drinking again and his bitterness and hatred drove him back over the edge. He continued the pattern of going from sober to drunk over the next several months. When he was sober, everything was so much better for him and Billy Jo. However, from time to time, he thought about the many memories he had missed out on when he drank and he'd get the urge to start back drinking. He often recalled the previous drunks he'd had and how he would fuss at Billy Jo for no reason and on several occasions he had even hit her before he realized what he was doing. Even though it hurt her, it hurt him even more; the last thing Wallace wanted to do was hurt Billy Jo. During his rages, Billy Jo would run to her room and cry. She spent a lot of time in her room so she didn't have to be around him. She knew he was sick and in her heart she thought she could help him. Nevertheless, his sickness finally cost him his job.

After he lost his job, he and Billy Jo moved to Mule Creek, Kentucky. He was able to get a job in Louisville, Kentucky as the coroner and undertaker. Everything was good at that time and they were finally happy once again. They had been in Mule Creek for six months before Wallace fell off the wagon again. He slipped around to drink so Billy Jo wouldn't find out. Unbeknownst to him, Billy Jo already knew because she was so much like her mother; she had noticed right away.

It was late one night when Billy Jo got up out of bed when she thought she heard something downstairs. At first, she thought it was Wallace because he always made a lot of noise when he came home late at night especially when he had been drinking. When she got up out of bed and went over to the window and looked out, she noticed Wallace's car was not in the driveway so she went downstairs and looked around. Even though she didn't see anyone, she became more afraid when she heard the noise again. Quickly, she rushed out the door, got on her bicycle and headed to her friend's house that wasn't too far down the road. She rode as fast as she could. She was scared and all alone except for a few cars that passed her. The faster she pedaled, the faster her heart raced. She was coming out of a blind curve when she saw headlights coming toward her. She tried to get out of the way but the car was going so fast and weaving back and forth. She wasn't able to get out of the way in time. The car hit her and knocked her into a ditch where she hit her head on some rocks and died. The car slowed down a little bit but didn't stop. It was a short while later before another car passed. But, the driver didn't see her lying in the ditch. It was a bit longer before another car came by. The driver of the car thought he saw something so he stopped and backed up. The first thing he noticed was her bicycle wheel sticking up out of the ditch. The driver got out of his car to get a better look. He let out a loud gasp when he saw Billy Jo tangled up in her mangled bicycle and lying in a puddle of blood. He flagged down the next car that passed by. He told the couple to go and call the police. Quickly, the man, Charles Booker, and his wife, Christy, took off down the road to find a phone. The first house they came to was Wallace's house. Wallace was sitting up in a chair; he was drunk. He had not been home long when they knocked at his door. He staggered to the door and opened it.

"May we use your phone?" Charles Booker asked. "It's an emergency."

"Sure," Wallace replied, "come on in. The phone is over there on the table. Are y'all having car trouble?"

"No, sir," replied Charles. "There has been an accident down the road."

"There have been several wrecks on that narrow road since I moved here," Wallace stated.

Christy Booker phoned the police and told them there had been an accident and that they needed to send an ambulance as well. Wallace heard her tell them a girl on a bicycle had been hit by a car. He had no idea she was talking about Billy Jo. He took another drink of whiskey and sat back down in his chair. Why in the world would a child be out this late at night on a bicycle, he wondered. I hope the child is alright, he said to himself. After Christy hung up the phone, she told Charles the police were on their way. As the two of them were leaving, they thanked Wallace for letting them use his phone. Before he could respond, he passed out. By the time the Bookers made it back to the accident, the police and ambulance were arriving on the scene. The man who found Billy Jo told the police he didn't witness the accident. However, Charles and Christy Booker told them a speeding car had passed them and was driving erratically. In fact, they were going to call the police the first chance they got to report it.

"Are you the ones who called us?" asked the officer.

"Yes, sir," replied Christy. "I called you."

"What are your names?" the officer questioned.

"Oh, I'm sorry," replied Christy. "My name is Christy and this is my husband Charles. We live in Walker Way, Kentucky. We were on our way home when the man over there flagged us down."

"You said a speeding car passed you. Can you give me a description of the car and the driver?" asked the officer.

"No, it happened so fast," Charles explained. "All I could tell was it was an older car and dark in color. We really couldn't tell because it was so dark," Christy stated.

"I understand," the officer replied. "Let me get your number in case I need to contact you for more information."

"Our number is 555-556-5678," Christy stated.

"Or, if you think of anything else please give me a call," he said as he handed them his card.

The next morning when Wallace woke up, he had a terrible hangover. He downed to raw eggs and drank a glass of tomato juice because it always helped him with his hangovers. He was sitting at the table when the phone rang; it was the police. They informed him there had been an accident and they needed him to come to the coroner's office. He told them he was on his way. He got dressed, grabbed his coat and hat and headed toward the door as he yelled out to Billy Jo that he'd be back shortly. But, she didn't answer. He figured she was still asleep and didn't hear him. When he arrived at the morgue, he noticed his assistant wasn't there. Before he got out of the car, he grabbed a bottle of whiskey from the back seat and took a swig of whiskey to take the edge off of the night before. When he entered the lab, he saw the body lying on the examining table and covered with a sheet. The closer he got to the body an awful feeling came over him. He paused for a moment before he reached to pull the sheet back. He stood in silence and thought to himself, Lord, please don't let it be. He slowly pulled the sheet from the body. When he saw the face, he started screaming; it was Billy Jo. He buckled at the knees and fell to the floor.

"My God, my God, why," he cried bitterly as he buried his head into his hands. "Why, oh God, why?" he cried.

One of the officers ran in and covered Billy Jo's face with the sheet. He helped Wallace up and sat him in a nearby chair. Wallace cried uncontrollably and questioned God. But, he could not see any wrong in himself. The officer knew Wallace was going to need some help to get over the death of his daughter. He told the officer to call an ambulance because he needed to get something to calm him down.

"What's wrong?" asked the other officer.

"That's his daughter on the table," replied the officer.

When the ambulance arrived, it took the ambulance personnel and the officers quite awhile to get him into the ambulance. He fought them with all his might; he didn't want to leave Billy Jo.

"I can't leave her," he cried. "She is all I have left. Forgive me, Billy Jo. Please forgive me. I'll never drink again," he cried as he ran over and hugged her lifeless body.

After several minutes of struggling with Wallace, they finally got him into the ambulance. He was taken to the hospital and given some medication to calm him down. Detective Bryant, one of his friends who was working the case, came to the hospital to question him. However, at that time, Wallace couldn't remember where he was that night, what he had done or when he last saw Billy Jo. They both tried to figure out why she was out on the road that late at night riding her bicycle. But, neither one of them could come up with any answers.

"When you got home, did you check on her?" Detective Bryant asked.

"No," Wallace replied. "I assumed she was asleep. I was so drunk I can barely remember the man and woman coming to use the phone."

"We have called for the county coroner at Barksdale to come and examine the body. After the examination is complete, I'll go from there," stated Detective Bryant.

"Thanks, Bryant, I really appreciate all you're doing to find out who killed her," Wallace said. "When can I get out of here? I need to make the arrangements for her funeral and all."

"Let me check with the doctors and see if you're ready to be discharged. If you are, do you want me to take you home?" Detective Bryant asked.

"Sure, I need to get home. I have a lot of things to take care of," he said.

From that day on, Wallace never looked at the bottom of a whiskey bottle again nor did he ever look up at the sky above. According to the autopsy results, Billy Jo died from blunt force trauma when she hit her head on the rocks in the ditch. There were no leads in the case and no sign of the mystery car that hit her. Every tip the police received about the car led to a dead end. With as many cars that traveled that road, it could have been anyone. The police were baffled. There appeared to be little to no hope of ever finding the hit and run driver.

As the days passed, Wallace still grieved for his daughter. He hadn't heard a word about the hit and run driver. He was angry and upset because nothing had turned up. But, he was so depressed and hurt; he didn't care anymore because it wasn't going to bring Billy Jo back.

Finally, there was a break in the case when an officer noticed something red that looked like blood on the right front bumper of Wallace's car. The police got a warrant and was able to take some samples from the car and sent them to the lab for processing. It turned out the samples were not blood but paint; the same color as his daughter's bike. They presented the information to Hillus James, the D.A. Hillus told the officers to bring him in for questioning. Hillus was Detective Bryant's half-brother. Within an hour, Wallace had been picked up and brought in for questioning.

"Wallace, can you tell us how the red paint got on the right front bumper of your car?" the D.A. asked.

"No, sir, I can't remember. I don't remember anything that happened the night my daughter was killed. Wait a minute. Are you trying to imply I killed my daughter?" Wallace asked.

"No, we're not saying that," the D.A. replied. "We're just trying to figure out how the red paint got on your car. You stated earlier you were out of it that night and couldn't remember where you were or what you did. Is it possible you hit her and didn't realize it?"

"Anything is possible I guess," he said. "But, I didn't. At least I don't think so."

"We have two eyewitnesses who saw a dark car speeding and driving erratically down the road about the time of the hit and run. When they came to your house to use the phone, it appeared to them you had just gotten home. Plus, you don't live too far from where the accident happened," explained the D.A.

"You all have known me for a long time," Wallace said. "Sure, it's true, I get drunk and I have a drinking problem. Surely, you don't think I did it. For crying out loud, that's my daughter you are talking about."

"Maybe you just don't want to remember!" shouted the D.A. as Detective Bryant walked in.

"I heard there is some new evidence," stated Detective Bryant.

"Bryant, tell them I wasn't the one who killed my daughter."

"Come on, Hillus. Considering all he's been through, give him a break. Technically, I don't think you have enough evidence to hold him."

"After the two eyewitness statements, I am looking at charging him with vehicular homicide, drunk driving, speeding and reckless driving," informed the D.A.

"Can the eyewitnesses identify him as the man who was driving the car?" questioned Detective Bryant.

"Well, no," replied the D.A.

"Then all you have is circumstantial evidence and no real evidence to tie him to the crime. Let him go," Detective Bryant said. "He's not going anywhere."

"Okay, Wallace, you can go for now," said Hillus. "And Detective Bryant, I hope you know what you're doing. You know it's highly possible he did it but doesn't remember," stated the D.A.

"No, I don't know," replied Detective Bryant. "If you don't mind, I would like to talk to the two eyewitnesses and see if they have remembered anything else about that night. Do you have their address?"

"Yes," replied the D.A, it's here in the case file."

"Would you like to go with me, Hillus?" asked Detective Bryant.

"Yes, I would," he replied.

Within minutes, Detective Bryant and D.A. Hillus were on their way to Charles and Christy Booker's house on Walker Way. When they arrived and knocked on the door, they didn't think anyone was at home because there was no car in the driveway. Detective Bryant looked around back to see if they were in the backyard but he didn't see them anywhere. However, he did see a car parked in the backyard which he thought was out of the ordinary. He bent down and looked at the right front bumper. He immediately noticed a streak of red paint and something that appeared to be blood. He took a sample of it and they left. When they got back to the station at Mule Creek, Detective Bryant turned the sample over to the lab and waited for the results. A few hours later, the results were in. It was confirmed; the chips of red paint were identical to the red paint on Billy Jo's bike and it was definitely her blood. It was enough for them to obtain a warrant to bring them in for questioning and have the car towed in to search for more evidence.

Detective Bryant and D.A. Hillus went back to the Booker's house and they had gotten back home. When they answered the door, Detective Bryant handed them the warrant. He allowed them to call their lawyer before he took them back to Mule Creek for questioning and had their car towed in. Once at the station, they waited for Charles and Christy's lawyer to arrive. After their lawyer arrived, Charles and Christy told Detective Bryant, D.A. Hillus and their lawyer what happened that night. As they were questioning Charles and Christy, the officers were examining the car. They found some more incriminating evidence, Billy Jo's hair, on the bumper. The Bookers had bought another car and parked the one they hit Billy Jo with behind the house. The one thing they forgot to do was check the car for incriminating evidence. They thought since they gave an eyewitness account they would never be suspects in the case. Hours later, it was conclusive. The mystery had been found and so had the occupants of the car.

After hours of heavy and strenuous questioning, the Bookers gave in and asked for a deal. The D.A. offered them a plea bargain of hit and run and reckless endangerment instead of vehicular homicide since Billy Jo's death was not the result of being hit but from hitting her head on the rocks when she fell into the ditch. They accepted the plea bargain and their lawyer asked for a bench trial instead of a jury trial since they had already signed a written confession.

In their written statement they stated they passed Wallace the night they hit Billy Jo. After they hit her, they slowed down a little ways up the road but panicked and sped off. Further up the road, they became afraid and decided to go pack to help Billy Jo. As they approached the scene, they saw a car pulled over at the accident site and a man standing beside the road. The man tried to flag them down but they went on by. Christy talked Charles in to going back. By that time, the man was standing in the ditch with Billy Jo's body and told them to go and call the police. They both swore it was an unfortunate accident. They were on their way home from a party and started arguing about an affair Charles had with Christy's best friend. Charles was not paying attention when he went around a blind curve. When he looked up and saw Billy Jo, it was too late. He swerved to miss Billy Jo but the right side of his car hit her and knocked her into the ditch. They figured since no one witnessed the accident, they might able to get away with it.

The Bookers were arrested and carried to jail. By afternoon, they had bonded out of jail. They were tried and convicted of hit and run and reckless endangerment. They each received three years in jail and placed on probation for two years.

Wallace never could let it go. He blamed himself, more than anything, for Billy Jo's death. After the Booker's trial, Detective Bryant visited Wallace to see how he was doing and to tie up one loose end. There was one unsolved thing about the case that Detective Bryant wondered about and that was how the red paint got on Wallace's car. Detective Bryant asked Wallace about it that day. At first, Wallace wasn't sure. He had to think about it for a while.

"Oh, I remember," Wallace said. "Billy Jo was riding her bike in the yard one day and ran in to my car and left a red scratch on the bumper. I got upset with her when she told me but I forgave her because she hurt her knee when she fell and was crying."

"That's all I need to hear," said Detective Bryant. "I didn't suspect you of anything; I just needed to find out. It's the detective in me."

"I understand," replied Wallace. "Thanks for all the work you did on the case."

"Take care, Wallace," Detective Bryant said as he got up to leave.

Wallace shook his hand and thanked him again. About a year later, Wallace passed on. He had basically grieved himself to death over the loss of his wife and daughter. He never could let it go or forgive himself for everything that had happened.

*****

Still Wind, Forgotten Days

Living Between Two Stop Signs

There was an old man that was full of vigor. He was sharp as a tack, cool as a cucumber and laid back. However, he was very forgetful. He lived on a narrow strip of land located between two streets and two stop signs. Every day he sat on his porch and watched the people pass by. Some walked and others ran. But, the majority of the people drove by. The old tree-barked bottom chair he sat in was nearly worn through; the seat was worn from many years of wear and tear. He always told people it was his dad's old chair. The old man had sawed off the back legs of the chair an inch or two so that the chair would lean back a bit. The porch swing hung in mid-air on one end but the other end tilted down so low the swing's chain lay on the porch. The end that hung in the air moved slowly back and forth in the gentle breeze. The swing snapped, cracked and popped with a screeching tone that enhanced the breeze and sounded like a song. The chains of the swing were rusty, knotty, stiff and worn. The paint of the swing had faded and peeled away. The chair seated him and the swing moved him. He always sat on the high end of the swing which raised the other end; his weight balanced the swing. Sometimes, as he held on to the chain and shuffled his feet to put the swing in motion, he would forget, lean back too far, tumble over the back of the swing and bump his head on the porch. Embarrassed, he would quickly look up to see if anyone saw him, giggle to himself, rub the bump on his head, get up and continue what he was doing.

Every now and then, a bird or two would fly in and nest on top of the porch columns. The base of the columns were covered with small twigs, straw, dead grass and bird droppings.

The old man's hound dog always lay close to him and slept most of the time. He came to the old man's house a while back and stayed. The old man named him but forgot his name over the years so he just called him Dog. He always cried out here, Dog; I'm sorry I forgot your name, boy. The dog didn't mind because he was used to it and was happy to have a place to stay.

The windows of the old house were tarnished and had a frosty film. Some of the windows were even broken. The screen in the front door pressed outward and created a wiry bubble as flies flew about. The old weather-boarded house was well past due for a new paint job. Wallpaper and newspaper covered the small, five room house. There was an outhouse out back which he no longer used. A rick of wood laid at the edge of the porch. The scent of the oak and hickory along with some tree bark that had fallen from the wood fragranced the porch. The old, tin, rusty roof was in desperate need of repair. The ends of the tin roof were curled up. It leaked in several places. When it rained, he had to place buckets, bowls, pots and pans under the leaks. But, no matter what, it was his home.

Thorns, thistles, along with tall grass and weeds, dressed the yard and captured the times of long ago. Where flowers once grew along with flowering bushes and trees laid a worn dirt path from the house to the mailbox.

The old man had lived there most of his life; he had raised his family there. His children have all grown up and moved away. His wife passed a few years ago. But, he decided not to give up or move away because it had always been his home. The old house was no longer filled with a lot of spark and life but it still sat between two stop signs. The once well-manicured yard was now tall with weeds, dead trees and leaves. A new sign now stood at the edge of the yard next to the old, rusty mailbox. The sign read condemned. The laughter of his children still giggled in the breeze.

When anyone asked the old man how he was doing, he always answered them with a smile. He always told them he was partly cloudy but he might clear up after a while. He also told them there might be a cloud or two to pass his way because that's how life is, it sends rain sometimes. The he would laugh, giggle and ask them how they were doing before he went on his way.

The birds still passed by. They built their nests up in the trees. As time passed, the baby birds hatched and went on their way. Some of the people that passed by him walking, running or driving, never paid him any attention. They would always whisper under their breath about the old man and his hound called Dog.

As the years passed, the old man often looked back and remembered the times of long ago. One day as he piddled in the yard, he looked up the road and noticed other signs along the way. There were turn right or left, go straight and no U-turn signs. The two lane highway once was now four. He couldn't help but think about how much things had changed.

We, too, need to stay on the right road and look ahead. Some of us may turn right; some may turn left and get lost while others will pass on unaware. Life is our roadway and we have to make decisions. Whatever road in our life we choose, we will have to travel it in search of our way.

The old man noticed another stop sign below him. It was similar to the others. At the intersection he thought how broad the way appeared but knew straight was the only true way to go. The lane in the center was a choice to the right or to the left, another choice. The line in the center was there for safety. Too many times, others have crossed over the line and failed to come back. The broken lines are hopeful and helpful to accomplish a safe journey. The outer lines that trimmed the boarder of the road lets us know how the road is that lies ahead. Not far away, there was a school sign, a yield sign and even a yellow caution light. He looked again and saw a wrong, do not enter and no trucks allowed signs. They were there for awareness. Men working and speed signs were also close by.

Always be careful of the roads you choose in life for life's highway can be misleading and tricky at times. Be careful and do not be caught off guard. Keep your eyes on the road. If you look away for just a minute, it could cost you and others also.

The old man recalled one time of a driver passing through that encountered a hitchhiker standing beside the road. The driver started to stop and pick him up but he was running late to his appointment so he chose to pass him by. Afterwards, the driver came back to help him. However, the hitchhiker was gone. He couldn't remember if he passed him on the way bock or if he missed him altogether. The driver was confused, mixed up and lost so he went to the old man's house, knocked on the door and asked him about the hitchhiker beside the road. The old man told him that not long after he passed, another person stopped, picked him up and drove off. Then the driver asked the old man how he could get back to the right road that would lead him home. The old man pointed toward the US 231 sign. The driver thanked the old man and left on his way. When he reached the intersection, the light turned green; the driver turned right and headed for home. The old man felt good that he had helped the weary out-of-town driver searching for his way.

There came another man who had a flat tire and pulled over beside the road between the two signs. While the man fixed the flat, several people passed by on the sidewalk. Some were walking their dog, others spoke in passing and some looked away. One man offered to help but the man thanked him and told him everything was okay. In fact, he was almost finished. He placed the carjack back into this trunk and thanked the man for offering to help. He drove away as the old man sat in his chair and watched from the porch. The old man thought to himself of how we will never see the majority of the people we meet in this life again.

The city came one day to work on the waterline. The line had burst near the road. It took them a while to fix the leak. When they opened the fire hydrant to release the pressure in the line, water shot sky high into the air. The neighborhood children quickly ran over for some fun in the water. They laughed, yelled and cried as they played about until the men shut off the water. It looked so fun to the old man; he wished to be a child again.

The next week, the lights went off. There was a huge surge of electricity that shot through the lines which caused a loud crackling pop before the blackout. A squirrel had run across the power line, accidentally ran in to the transformer and caused the blackout. The lineman who came to fix it accidentally got a shot of the electricity and nearly got killed.

There have been a few wrecks between the signs through the years and a lot of fender benders as well. The big trucks didn't normally go by but now they do. A couple of years ago, the stop signs were taken down and traffic lights were put up. The traffic lights even have small cameras mounted to them. It's funny how things change so much over time. Even the fire hydrants are all different colors now. That goes to show how things change and nothing will ever stay the same.

The old man missed his mama and daddy a lot. He still thought about his mama's homemade chocolate gravy and the syrup and biscuits. There were so many things his mama and daddy shared with him that helped him as he grew older. He remembered the old abandoned garage that used to be across the street from his house. Now, it was a fast food place which stayed open all night. Up the road, there was a new shopping mall, a bank and all kinds of stores for shoppers to enjoy. The old man still sat on his porch reading his paper. He still broke beans, hulled peas and shucked corn from the little garden behind his house.

Wait a minute. What was that coming down the street? It was music. It was Slim Charlie the ice cream man who came twice a week with treats. Every Tuesday and Thursday, he sold ice cream and popsicles of every kind. But, the old man had to admit that he sometimes bought some too. Deep down inside he was still a little child. Miss Shelly Bean told the old man she heard the police pulled Slim Charlie over for drunk driving. She even said the ice cream company had threatened to take his route away. However, the old man didn't put too much in to what she said. He believed she had a crush on Slim Charlie and since he was ignoring her, she was upset with him for pushing her way. Well, you know how all that goes.

Late one evening, the old man looked out his screen door and saw a small dog trying to cross the road. He nervously watched as the dog looked about before it suddenly darted across the road. The old man yelled for the dog to watch out and quickly stepped out onto the porch. Unfortunately, it was too late. A car hit the dog and knocked him to the side of the road. There was a thump, a whimpering bark and the squeal of screeching tires. The driver never stopped or slowed down; he even drove through the red light. The old man wondered where the police were during situations like that. The old man eased down from his porch and went to aid the hurt dog. Dog just looked up, looked around, scratched his belly, rolled over and moaned. As the old man approached the little dog, he heard some moans and whimpers before the dog slowly stood up. The old man watched the dog stand on his trembling legs and hobble away. Relieved, the old man turned and headed for the porch. He thanked the Lord the little fellow was alright. When he looked up toward the sky, he saw two buzzards circling about. He just giggled to himself and thought, not today, boys. As soon as he stepped upon the porch, another car flew by. It was some teenagers driving recklessly. They threw out a couple of bottles and some trash. One of the boys stuck his head out of the car and yelled out, "Get over it, you damn old man." As the light changed green, they sped on toward town and out of the old man's sight. His face turned red as he mumbled to himself. It's not worth getting upset over, he thought, for their time will come.

Life between the stop signs had been good and bad through the years. I guess it's like that all over the world, no matter where you live. The summer days were without much rain. But, autumn brought relief to the hot, heated days of summer. In the winter, the roads were covered with snow and ice which caused some people to slip and slide and even the schools closed due to the weather. The power lines and the naked trees were covered with snow and ice. It was so pretty. However, at times, the chill was unbearable. Fortunately, the good Lord, in spring and autumn, painted a beautiful picture with flowers, blooming trees, mowed yards and raked leaves. The old man loved the smell of burnt leaves.

As the old man sat back down on the porch, winded from his walk, he thought to himself how much he had looked out of the windows through the years. His family was all gone and at times he got so lonely. He had no one to share his life with except his old dog named Dog. He had many sad days and moments in his life. As the years have passed, though, he made peace with the Lord. When he got up and went inside, he looked out the window once more. A small drizzle of rain had started; it smelled so good and refreshing. It hasn't rained much this summer, he thought, not like it has in the past.

As the day soon turned to night, he laid down since he was tired and weary. Sometime in the night, something awoke him. He eased over to the window and peeped out. He saw two police cars across the street. They had a man on the ground and were hitting him with billy clubs. The man struggled to get away. Eventually, they turned him over, cuffed him, picked him up and put him into the back of the police car. As the old man watched, one of the policemen placed his hand on top of the man's head and pressed his head down a bit to keep him from bumping his head. How strange, the old man thought. They beat him with clubs, but yet they help him so he won't bump his head. The next day, the old man found out it was a drug bust but they didn't find any drugs. The police had the wrong person. It was an unfortunate case of mistaken identity.

The night soon passed and the morning arrived with the sounds of the traffic which included big trucks, cars, busses with black smoke, tooting horns, some cussing and squealing tires. The day was different from all the others. The old man looked out of the window and screen door no more. The tree bark chair sat upright with a worn out cushion with holes. The porch was empty. There was no swing, no rick of wood and Dog was nowhere to be found. In the front yard stood a new sign that read – House for Sale, Cheap. A few months later, a sold sign was attached to it. A newlywed couple had bought the old place to restore it and make it their home. Months later, the old man's place had received a long overdue makeover. The tin roof was now shingle and the wood porch was concrete. The broken windows were replaced and the others were washed crystal clear. The chair and the swing were out next to the road with some more trash. It was going to be picked up and carried away by the city. New grass had been sown and the weeds were all gone. The woodstove was now gas, curtains had been hung and there was a new storm door. The new owners had moved in and made plenty of changes and repairs. But, not long afterwards, the newlyweds couldn't get along. They fussed and fought day and night which disturbed the neighbors. The police came by often to the old house until finally the couple moved away. A property for sale sign was placed in the yard.

Life between the stop signs continued. There have been several people who said they have seen the old man looking out the window of the house between the signs. We need to stop and notice the changing times that come our way as our lives go by.

*****

Still Wind, Forgotten Days

In the Cold of Night

It was raining that night in the small town of Spring Hollow, Tennessee in Guthrie County. The year was 1965. Donald and Linda Johnson along with their two boys, Joey who was sixteen years old and Rickey who was fourteen years old, were leaving that morning for their favorite campsite in Stoney Branch, West Virginia. They used to go there at least twice a year for vacations but it had been several years since they had been. Through the years, they had struggled with their marriage like most everyone else. The trip was going to be their last hope of working things out to save their marriage.

It was early the next morning before they reached the airport. Donald was a small plane pilot who loved to fly in his spare time. As they arrived at the airport, the rain had cleared off and a small plane was coming in for a landing. The boys were excited and they loved flying about as much as their dad. It looked like it was going to be a beautiful day for flying. It didn't take them long to board the small two-engine plane. They were cleared for takeoff soon after. Donald taxied the small plane out and the plane lifted off for Stoney Branch.

As they flew across the sky, the sun was glowing out from behind the dark clouds which were turning white. At first, Donald and Linda didn't have much to say to each other. Eventually, Donald started talking about their past trips to the campsite. Soon, he and Linda were both talking about all the fun they'd had. They remembered the good memories and the funny memories as well. They wanted to forget the trying and troubled years of the past and start a new beginning. They had tried just about everything including seeing a marriage counselor and taking anger management classes to heal their broken marriage. They both agreed if things weren't better after the trip, they would go their separate ways. Somehow, some way, down through the years they had fallen out of love. At one time in their life, they were so happy. Things were simple then but somehow they got away from the simple things of life.

Donald and Linda were high school sweethearts who grew up together in Spring Hollow. She got pregnant in her junior year of high school and Donald was a senior. Linda's pregnancy caused her to drop out of school and they were married after the child was born. Their marriage was rocky for the first few years. Two years later, their second son was born and their marriage seemed to turn around for the better. But, as the years passed and the boys grew older, things seemed to change. However, they tried to keep it all together because of the boys and plus they wanted their marriage to work. The boys loved their mom and dad and they loved the family trips they always had. The boys sensed trouble between them when the family trips suddenly stopped. Of course, they wanted them to all stay together as one happy family. It was the boys who suggested they go back to Stoney Branch for vacation; they hoped going to Stoney Branch would heal the wounds and they could go back like they were before, a happy family. Stoney Branch was like being in another world; it was so free and peaceful. Sometimes it seemed as if you could reach out and touch the face of God. They didn't attend church very much but they believed in the Lord because He had been there so many times for them when no one else had.

It didn't take them long to fly out of Tennessee and into West Virginia. The mountains and hills were breathtaking; the Appalachians were so pretty during that time of year. The hills were blazing with their dominating colors and enriching blessings of the creator. Up higher, in the distance, snow could be seen on the mountain peaks with a clear blue background. The Johnsons felt good about going back to the serenity and peace they longed for and needed. As they flew along, they laughed, talked and kidded around with each other. It was just like old times. Unexpectedly, there was a loud pop. The plane started shaking and Donald noticed dark smoke coming from the left engine. He radioed for help as he tried to control the plane.

"Mayday, mayday," he called out.

Then there was another pop and he not only saw smoke but fire shooting out of the engine. He called out mayday again and also gave his location. Finally, someone answered his mayday call but the radio wasn't clear; there was too much static probably because of the mountains. He made another distress call but didn't receive a response. He searched frantically for a place to land because he knew the one engine wouldn't keep them up for long. Fear had filled the plane. Linda and the boys were terrified.

"Mayday, mayday," Donald called out.

There was no response, only static.

"Help me look for a place to land," instructed Donald to Linda and the boys.

"There, dad," yelled out Joey.

"Where, son?" asked Donald.

"Over there," cried out Rickey.

"I see it," replied Linda as she pointed to the open space.

Donald ordered everyone to get prepared for the rough landing. As the black smoke billowed out of the engine, the plane bobbed up and down. Donald struggled with all his might to keep the plane under control. He knew if he could reach the clearing, they might have a chance of surviving. He wasn't sure if the right engine would have enough power to bring them in. The small clearing was between two big mountains. He knew what the consequences would be if he didn't make it to the clearing; the plane would crash in to the mountains and they probably wouldn't survive. However, he had no other choice but to go for it. The clearing, a small field, was straight ahead. He didn't know if it was long enough for the plane to land. As Donald guided the plane down, Linda tried the radio again. Just as someone answered, the radio went dead. All they could do was hold on for their lives and pray. The situation went from bad to worse when the right engine started to cut out. The plane jerked and jumped on its way down. The burning left engine had put too much stress on the right engine and it had started smoking as well.

"If we make it, it will be on a wing and prayer," Donald cried out.

Down they flew leaving behind a trail of black smoke. Linda and the boys held each other tight.

"Oh, my Lord, help us," Linda prayed.

Donald did his best to land the plane. He raised the nose of the plane to level off before the wheels touched down at the edge of the field. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough. The force of the landing broke the landing gear. The plane slid down the field on its belly before it flipped over and over and finally came to rest belly up. They crashed about fifty miles from Stoney Branch.

"Is everybody alright?" cried out Linda.

"We are okay, mama," the boys replied.

But, there was no response from Donald's lifeless body. Linda and the boys quickly grabbed Donald; they drug him out of the plane and in to the open clearing away from the smoldering plane.

"Daddy, Daddy," the boys cried.

"Donald, are you okay?" asked Linda. "Please don't leave us," she cried.

Within a minute or two, he woke up and saw the smoke from the plane. He told them to salvage whatever supplies they could find from the wreckage. They hurriedly gathered all they could before Donald yelled for them to get away from the plane. They reached safety right before the plane burst into flames. Luckily, they were able to get their coats, a blanket and a few other things. The flames and smoke rose sky high. Donald was hurt bad; he was bleeding and had a badly broken leg. Linda tried to stop his bleeding as Joey and Rickey made a splint for his broken leg. Rickey also made him a walking stick out of an old limb but he was still not able to get up and walk. The skills the boys learned in boy scots were paying off. Joey and Rickey were also woodsmen like their dad. Donald grew up in the boy scouts and became a scout leader years ago. He'd taught his boys how to survive the outdoors. Donald appreciated everything Linda and the boys tried to do but he knew he was hurt bad and probably wouldn't survive. He sure hoped their survival skills would help keep them safe and enable them to survive the situation they were in. Linda eventually stopped Donald's bleeding and they did everything they could to keep him comfortable. They decided to stay put for a while to see if help would arrive since someone had heard their mayday calls. The boys built a fire and gathered anything they could find to keep the fire going while Linda salvaged what she could of their belongings.

Later on that evening, it kept getting colder and colder; they had to huddle around the fire under the one blanket they found from the wreckage. Donald's condition continued to deteriorate; he knew he was dying and didn't want Linda and the boys to be there when he died. He instructed Linda and the boys to go find help.

"When you leave here, keep northeast. Go about twenty miles and you'll come to a fork. You'll know you're there when you see the waterfall and a Winker's Ridge sign. Look toward the north and you should see a fire tower. That will also let you know you're on the right track. At the fork, stay to the right of the tower and go northeast. About twelve miles up the ridge, you should see Crawford's Pass. There's a ranger's station located at Crawford's Pass. You'll have to do most of your traveling during the day because the nights will be too cold."

Linda and the boys knew by the way Donald sounded he wouldn't be with them much longer. However, they didn't leave him. Instead, they gathered around the campfire that night and sang some of their favorite campfire songs. They were a family once again as the darkness of night hovered over them. From within the darkness, the haunting sounds of the night could be heard as they all drifted off to sleep. The chill of the night eased into the morning and they awakened to daylight. Unfortunately, Donald had died sometime during the night. Linda and the boys cried out in the early morning hours over the loss of him. They were grief stricken and didn't know what they were going to do or how they would make it out without him. Once they gathered their composure, they buried him under a pile of rocks near the crash and placed a makeshift cross on his grave. They tied a white rag to the cross just in case a search party came looking for the plane. They were heartbroken they didn't get to tell him goodbye or tell him they loved him before he died. As they stood over his grave and wiped away their tears, they each told him they loved him. Not wanting to leave Donald's graveside, Linda decided they would stay for at least another day or two with the hopes of being found. As the hours passed, Linda realized that all the troubles and unhappiness of the past were so meaningless. She believed Donald really loved her deep inside, in his own way, and she realized she loved him still to that day. If they would have had the chance to enjoy the vacation and spend quality time together, it may have worked out and then again it might not have. Regardless, they would never find out. But, right then she wouldn't trade a day of the past for what she felt in her heart; the wounds of the past were already healing

The next day, after another long day and cold night, Linda decided it was time for them to move on. It didn't seem like anyone was coming for them so they didn't have any other choice. Linda and the boys gathered what they could carry of their belongings. Joey wrapped them in the blanket and three them over his shoulder. As they headed in the direction Donald had told them to go, Linda looked back at his gravesite and told him she'd be back for him. They walked toward the edge of the field and headed into the forest of the valley between the mountains. They had no idea what obstacles lay before them. The hardships and troubles they would endure, sooner or later, would take a toll on them, especially Linda. However, she was strong willed and had the determination needed to carry the load to get her and the boys back home safely. She knew her love and faith in the Lord, Donald and the boys would be the driving force to see her through. Even though they hadn't been gone long, she missed Donald so bad. She thought to herself and wondered why he had to leave her when she really needed him the most and then she called upon the Lord and asked Him to guide and protect her and the boys.

From the time they entered the woods, Linda sensed they were being watched. She told the boys to stay close to her and not walk too far ahead of her. She didn't know what lay ahead or who was lurking nearby. Plus, she was surrounded by the haunting uneasiness of the dimly lit forest; the tall trees blocked out the sun and sky. And, the eerie sounds of the forest seemed to predict danger was ahead. She anticipated they would encounter snakes, skunks, wild hogs and other wild animals along the way but the unknowing worried her the most. The boys did a good job of finding wild berries and roots for them to eat along the way which gave them the strength to continue on. The cuts and bruises they received from the plane crash were only minor and couldn't be compared to the stress of finding help and the hardship of survival.

As they pushed forward to Crawford's Pass, they made their way through the winding valley and stopped periodically for short periods of rest. The air was cool as it moved down into the valley from the top of the mountains and harbored a cynical chill throughout the forest. From where they were, they could see the snowcapped mountains in the distance as they climbed out of the valley and headed upward to the mountains. After many hours of walking, they heard the sounds of rushing water. There was a creek flowing rapidly down through the mountains. As they continued on, they came to the waterfall and fork Donald had told them about. And just as he said, there was the Winker's Ridge sign and the fire tower. Linda and Joey had gotten a few steps ahead of Rickey when they suddenly heard a blood curdling cry. When they turned around, they saw Rickey sliding down the side of the hill toward the rushing water. Quickly, Joey took off running as hard and fast as he could with Linda following close behind. They rushed back down the hillside to reach the creek bank. Down, down, down they ran as they watched Rickey being washed down through the mountains by the raging water.

"Rickey, Rickey," Linda cried out.

Before she could call his name again, he disappeared under the water. Without a second thought, Joey dove into the water to save his little brother. When Linda saw both of her boys disappear under the raging white-capped water, she fell to her knees and prayed.

"Oh, my God," she cried out, "don't take my boys, too."

She looked up in relief when she heard coughing. However, panic set in again when she saw Rickey but not Joey. Frantically, she ran to the side of the creek bank, reached out, grabbed for Rickey and screamed out for Joey. As she made her way back up the bank with Rickey, she heard another cry; it was Joey.

"Mama, Mama," cried Joey.

She helped him upon the creek bank. Somehow, someway, Joey was able to free Rickey and himself from the raging water. As Linda helped the two boys back upon the creek bank, she praised the Lord for saving her two sons. After resting a while, they pressed north to Crawford's Pass because nightfall was approaching fast. As they journeyed on, Linda still had an uneasy feeling that someone was watching them. Her instinct told her sooner or later they would encounter someone or something unpleasant. They eventually found a place to spend the night. It was a small, secluded clearing which Linda hoped was safe from any harm or danger. As she gathered sticks and dry brush to build a fire, the boys caught fish from the creek for dinner and they also had some wild berries and mushrooms they had gathered along the way. After dinner, tired and worn out, Linda and the boys settled in and waited for dawn. It didn't take long for the boys to fall asleep but Linda did her best to stay awake to keep the fire going. The night seemed to have a thousand eyes and many haunting sounds. In the distance, the cry of a hungry cougar, the screeching cries of the owls and the soothing call of the whippoorwill could be heard. The thick darkness of the night was interrupted every now and then by the twinkling of lightning bugs.

The light from the morning pierced its way through the tall trees and beamed down on them. It was not a peaceful awakening for Linda. She was startled awake by heavy breathing and growling. She sat straight up and looked around to see what it was; there was a giant black bear standing at the edge of the clearing. Frightened and nervous, she shook the boys and told them to get up. As soon as the boys saw the bear, they jumped up and ran in the opposite direction of the bear and so did Linda. Luckily for them, the bear didn't chase after them. It stopped at their camp in search of food. Linda and the boys hid in the forest and watched as the bear tore up their camp.

"Mama, I'm afraid. Will we ever get home?" Rickey asked.

"Oh, yes, Rickey, we'll make it. Someway, somehow, we're going to make it out of here safe and sound," she replied.

Unbeknownst to them, there were three search teams looking for them. The first team had already found the plane crash and Donald's grave. The second team was headed to Winker's Ridge and the third team was headed to Crawford's Pass high on top of the mountain. According to the search teams' radio communication, a snowstorm was supposed to hit overnight and they needed to find Linda and the boys before nightfall. If not, their search efforts were going to be hindered by the snowstorm. Once the second team finally arrived at Winker's Ridge, they found signs that someone had been there but they didn't find anyone.

Linda and the boys waited at the edge of the forest and hoped the bear would leave so they could retrieve their belongings and continue on. After about thirty minutes, the bear wandered off and they hurriedly gathered what was left of their belongings and made their way through the forest to search for the fire station at Crawford's Pass. They had walked for hours when Linda noticed a change in the weather. She felt the air getting thinner and colder. After the dark clouds rolled in, she knew a drastic change in the weather was headed their way. God was definitely watching out for them because once it started to rain, they found what they thought was a cave to get in out of the elements. They checked it out to make sure it was safe. Actually, it wasn't a cave but a large tunnel in the side of a hill. Nevertheless, it was a good place for them to set up camp for the night. Everything was fine until later that evening when they had two unwanted visitors, a pair of skunks, and you best believe those skunks stirred up a stink. Linda and the boys clapped their hands and stomped their feet to scare away the skunks. It worked; the skunks ran into the forest and they weren't bothered with them again. However, they had to endure the skunk smell for quite a while. Night eventually fell and the rain turned to sleet and then snow. The tunnel was good shelter from the storm and the cold of night. They hung their one blanket over the opening of the tunnel to keep out the snow and wind; it helped some but not much. The stronghold of the sleet and snow from the winter storm drove out the haunting sounds of the night. The breaking open of the morning gave light to six inches of snow and ice and it was still falling. When Linda woke up, she noticed Rickey was not in the tunnel. She frantically called out his name but he didn't answer.

"Rickey, Rickey!" she yelled.

"What's the matter, Mama?" asked Joey.

"Rickey is not here," she cried as she removed the blanket from the opening.

When she took the blanket down, she saw him coming out of the forest carrying a baby raccoon.

"Rickey, don't you ever do that again," she scolded him. "You about scared me to death."

"But, Mama, look what I found," he said with a big grin on his face.

"Where on earth did you find that?" she asked.

"In the forest, I had to go to the bathroom and when I was on my way back, I found him all alone," he explained.

"You didn't see the mother or any other babies did you?" asked Joey.

"No, just this one," answered Rickey. "He's lost like we are. Can I keep him? Please, Mama, can I?"

"Well, I guess for now," she replied. "Come on; get back in out of this weather. Don't you ever leave like that again without telling me, do you hear me?"

"Yes, Mama," he said.

"What are you going to name your new friend, Rickey?" Linda asked.

"I don't know," he replied.

"Why don't you name him Bandit," Joey suggested.

"I don't know," he said. "Bandit is sort of a common name. I was thinking about naming him Odell."

"That sounds good," stated Linda.

"Odell it is," said Rickey.

"Can I hold him?" asked Joey.

"Sure, here you go," replied Rickey as he handed the baby raccoon to Joey.

While Joey and Rickey played with the raccoon, Linda tried to decide if they should stay in the tunnel or risk battling the snow and ice to find the ranger's station. She didn't know exactly how bad it was and she was afraid they wouldn't be able to reach the ranger's station since the weather was probably going to get worse. If they didn't make it before night fell again she knew they wouldn't be able to survive the subzero temperatures out in the elements with no shelter. After she decided they should take a chance, she prayed for the Lord to help and see them through. It was slow going for them; it was difficult for them to walk in the snow and the wind made it even worse. It was harder than Linda ever imagined it would be for her and the boys; the storm was proving to be more than they could bear. As the snow fell and pushed against them, they slowly pressed onward, trudging through the deep snow. They hadn't been walking long but they were already tired and wore out. Linda just prayed to herself and hoped the storm would ease up so they could find the ranger's station. The search party had temporarily stopped the search until the storm eased up a bit. The snow fell steady for about another hour before it finally let up. Just as they thought things were about to get better, they heard a cry from the right side of the bluff. Linda nervously looked over her shoulder and saw a cougar staring directly at them. Linda and the boys froze in their tracks; they couldn't move. The cougar's deafening cry sent a different type of chill through them. They didn't have any place to go. The snow was too deep for them to run and they were too cold and stiff to fight him off. It appeared to be all over. Linda pulled the children close to her, wrapped the blanket around them and told Rickey to keep the raccoon out of the cougar's sight. The cougar seemed to be agitated as it walked about on the bluff.

"God help us," Linda prayed. "Please save me and my children."

By the grace of God, a tree limb weighed down by heavy snow and ice broke and fell near the cougar; it frightened him away. The cougar took off up the bluff, stopped, looked back at them, cried out and disappeared.

"Thank you, Lord," Linda said as she held the boys tightly.

Deep down she wondered how much more they could endure or if they would make it out alive. Her faith was fading with each passing day and her body had about reached its limit. What else can happen, she thought as she took her children by the hand and walked on. They were the reason she kept pushing on; she was determined to do whatever she could to get them safely home. Just as she thought they should have reached the ranger's station, Joey yelled out.

"Look, Mama, there's a shack up ahead!"

"It's the ranger's station," she yelled. "Thank you, God."

It seemed like it took them forever to reach the ranger's station. The snow had started falling heavily again and they were lucky to have found the ranger's station when they did. However, when they got there, no one was there but the door was unlocked. They went inside and Linda locked the door. She didn't want anyone else to get in as easily as they did. The ranger's station was empty but it provided them shelter from the storm.

"Thank God," Linda cried as they huddled in a corner with the blanket wrapped around them. Rickey's raccoon was whining for food; he was hungry and so were they. They were also weak, tired and very cold. They had no idea they had one more ordeal to overcome. They were resting and trying to get warm when they heard something outside. They sat still and hoped whatever it was would go away because there wasn't any fight left in them. All of a sudden, something started scratching at the door and growling; it was a hungry bear. Scared half to death, they hoped and prayed the bear would leave. They didn't realize their prayers were about to be answered because the search team had finally reached Crawford's Pass. The bear kept on banging and scratching at the door. It was an intense moment for them. Suddenly, they heard a shot and the scratching at the door stopped. However, Linda was still afraid because she didn't know who fired the shot. She didn't know if it was someone there to help them or someone who was going to harm them.

"Hello is anyone in there," a man yelled as he knocked at the door.

Linda and the boys stayed silent.

"Hello, we're here to help you," the man said.

Linda told the boys to stay put while she answered the door.

"Who are you?" Linda asked.

"I'm a member of the search team," he replied.

"How am I to know for sure?" she inquired.

"Trust me ma'am, I wouldn't be out her for any other reason."

Linda slowly opened the door and peeped out. She immediately broke down and cried with relief when she saw the search team. Her worst nightmare had finally ended.

"It's them," the search team leader told the others. "They are still alive, thank God."

The search team went in and evaluated the condition Linda and the boys were in. Overall, they were okay other than a little frostbite. Considering how long they had been in the severe cold, even the frostbite wasn't too severe. The search team covered them with blankets, gave them some warm fluids and light snacks to help warm them up before they transported them out. Linda and the boys were taken directly to the hospital in Stoney Branch and admitted for observation. After a couple of days, they were released. Linda, the boys and Donald's remains were finally headed home.

After they got home, a small service was held for Donald and he had a proper burial. That day was hard for all of them since they didn't have the chance to tell him they loved him before he died. Linda and the boys visited Donald's gravesite regularly at first. However, as time passed they visited less frequently but their love for him was still in their hearts. The boys always remembered the words Linda spoke at Donald's gravesite on the day he was buried. Those words always remained in their hearts. Linda died a few years later. Before her death, though, they had become the family they always wanted to be. Joey and Rickey went on to become fine young men. Joey became a commercial pilot for a major airline and Rickey became a fighter pilot in the U.S. Navy; he served two tours in Vietnam. As for Odell, Rickey kept him until he got bigger and then released him back into the forest not far from the site of the plane crash.

*****

Still Wind, Forgotten Days

Stolen Heart

There's a time for all seasons. One Sunday morning as the old church bells rang out across the small town of Muddy Run in Giles County, Tennessee, Lori and her dad, Robert Brown, and her mother, Sue, and a lot of others were sitting in church. Arlean, Lori's best friend sat beside her. After the service, Lori, her parents and Arlean went home for a big Sunday dinner to relax and enjoy the Lord's Day.

Robert was two years older than Sue. They had attended high school together but didn't see much of each other after he graduated. About a year after he graduated, they met again at a party and started dating which led to marriage. Soon after, they had Lori, their only child.

Muddy Run was a small community located in the southern part of Tennessee; it was sort of a laid back town. Nothing much ever happened in Muddy Run. It was one of those towns where everyone knew each other. It wasn't a perfect paradise like some thought. But, it was the home of several good people.

The war in Vietnam had finally ended and the U.S. troops had pulled out and were headed home. The war, the civil rights movement, college protests, women's lib and the British invasion helped turn the world in a different direction.

Lori was in her junior year at J.B. Cribb's High School when she started dating Lanny Sullivan, a senior. They had dated a while before she got pregnant and both of their lives changed drastically when they found out she was pregnant, especially Lori's. Lord dropped out of high school her junior year but Lanny wanted to go on to college. It was a hard time for not only Lanny and Lori but their parents as well. Lanny's parents suggested that Lori get an abortion or go to a place for unwed mothers, have the baby and then give it up for adoption. However, their suggestion didn't set well with Robert and Sue. They suggested that Lanny should go on to college and they would help Lori take care of the baby and when Lanny was home on weekends he could visit Lori and the baby at their house. And if things worked out after Lanny graduated college, he and Lori could get married and become a family. Of course, Lanny and his parents didn't like Robert's and Sue's suggestion. Soon after, when they couldn't reach an agreement, Lanny and Lori stopped seeing each other. Lanny went on to college and Lori stayed home with her parents. Arlean, Lori's best friend, was also there for her. A few months later, Lori gave birth to a baby girl; she named her Jo Meagan. From the day Jo Meagan was born, Robert gave her roses on her birthday. On her first birthday, he gave her one rose and added a rose each year of her birthday until she turned twelve. On her twelfth birthday and thereafter, he always sent her a dozen of roses. Jo Meagan lived with her grandparents most of her young life; she was very attached to them. Her daddy, Lanny, finished college, got married and moved away. Her mother, Lori, got her GED, married and had four more children, three boys and another girl. Arlean went on to graduate high school, got married and moved away. She and Lori kept in touch for a few years but eventually drifted apart even though they remained best friends. The last time they saw each other was at Arlean's high school graduation.

Jo Meagan grew up to be a fine young girl. She made a lot of friends in school and her friends nicknamed her Granny because she ran like an old woman. Like all other girls in junior high school, she had pajama parties, went to dances and played softball and basketball. She had plenty of boyfriends, dates and breakups. Her grandfather, Papa as she called him, always stayed on to her about keeping her room clean. She was so messy and her room always looked like a tornado had hit it. Her clothes were always on the floor, she never made up the bed and she had shoes everywhere. Her Papa just couldn't understand how she could live in that mess. But, apparently that's how children were in that day and time. Jo Meagan entered a school talent contest when she was in the sixth grade and won. She impersonated Minnie Pearl which everyone enjoyed. She was a typical young girl who loved to laugh, eat and hangout with her friends. Plus, she was active in church. When she got older, she did mission work at home and overseas. She even spent one summer in India and did mission work. She was a good student, popular and well-liked by many. Still, Papa couldn't accept the fact Lori was growing up and becoming a woman. He wanted her to stay a little girl forever. During Lori's high school years, she played on the high school softball team. Softball was her favorite sport and she was one of the best to ever play for the school. Her high school softball coach, Coach Johnny Ward, had his eye on her ever since she played in the eighth grade. He knew she had the potential to not only play at the high school level but the college level as well and would be a good candidate for the Olympic team.

"She is good, very good," said Coach Dewy Pool, Coach Johnny's assistant, one day in practice.

"She definitely has great potential but she needs to work on a few things," replied Coach Johnny.

Jo Meagan was still a little rough around the edges in some areas of the game. However, Coach Johnny believed he could make a pro out of her and Dewy agreed. They knew a player like Jo Meagan only came through once in a lifetime. Jo Meagan was a dual threat on the field. She had one of the fastest softball pitches Coach Johnny had ever seen and she was also one of the best shortstops around.

Jo Meagan always tried her best in everything she did. She made good grades; her favorite subjects were literature and English. She loved to read in her spare time. Dickerson, Poe and Twain were a few of her favorite writers. She also loved the music from the 50's, 60's and 70's.

Jo Meagan's freshman year of high school softball was a molding and shaping year for her. Coach Johnny and Coach Dewy worked with her to smooth out her rough edges to polish her skills and ability. By the end of the season, she helped the team reach the state finals; they won the state championship that year. Lori was proud of herself and so was her mother, grandparents and everyone in Muddy Run. Her dad was proud also even though he didn't get to see her play very much since he no longer lived in Muddy Run. Her sophomore year, she continued breaking records. She held the record for most strikeouts and pitched more no-hitters in one season than any player in the state. Again, she helped the team reach the state finals; they won their second straight state championship. Word of how good she was had gotten out and traveled fast. During her junior year, everyone came to see her play. She had become Muddy Run's little sweetheart and she had stolen the hearts of everyone who saw her play. College scouts from all across the country had their eye on her. Three colleges had already offered her a full-ride scholarship. McPherson State University in McPherson, Georgia, Holland University in Holland, Mississippi and Bentley College in Taylor, Tennessee waited nervously to see which college she would choose to continue her softball career and receive her college education.

She may have gotten the world's attention but Muddy Run would always be home. Muddy Run was proud of her. She was so gifted and athletic. She had graced front sport pages of nearly every newspaper in Tennessee and the surrounding area.

Unexpectedly, during the summer before her senior year, Jo Meagan was stricken by a mysterious illness. She was admitted to the Oak Hill Medical Center in Chattanooga, Tennessee where than ran tests to see what was causing her sickness. Her parents, grandparents and the people of Muddy Run prayed and waited for her diagnosis. Within a few days, the tests results came back negative. Jo Meagan was feeling much better and since all the tests were negative, she was dismissed from the hospital. A couple of weeks later, she was back on her feet and appeared to be better than ever.

Summer soon passed and Jo Meagan entered her senior year of high school. She was anxious to play ball and graduate. The people of Muddy Run wondered if she would be able to lead the team to another state championship since she had been so sick during the summer. Although her illness that summer had taken away some of her spunk, Jo Meagan was determined to be more competitive than ever. The crowds cheered her on as game after game of her senior year resulted in victory. However, everyone could tell she still wasn't the old Jo Meagan. During the bottom of the last inning of the regular season, the score was three to two with two outs and no one on base. Coach Johnny called a timeout and asked her if she wanted him to send in a relief pitcher because he could tell something was wrong with her. But, she told him no.

"I haven't come this far to give up now," she said.

"I know but your health is more important," replied Coach Johnny.

"You're right, coach, but I'm fine. I got this," she stated.

"Well, get back out there and strike them out," Coach Johnny instructed.

Joe Meagan walked the next three batters. The bases were loaded and there was only one out left between them and the state tournament. Jo Meagan bowed her head in a moment of prayer before she threw the next pitch. She lifted her head, gripped the ball, wound up and threw it with all her might. The ball zoomed across home plate.

"Strike one," called the umpire.

Silence fell across the field as she threw the next pitch.

"Ball one," cried the umpire.

"Lord, I can't do it alone. I need you," she said as she looked up at the sky with tears in her eyes.

She gripped the ball again and let it fly across home plate. The batter swung with all her might.

"Strike two," yelled the umpire.

"Jo, Jo, Jo, Jo, Jo, Jo," chanted the crowd.

As she wound up again, the crowd and all the players were tense. She let the ball go. It sailed out of her hand and went straight across home plate.

"Strike three, you're out," cried out the umpire after the batter swung.

The team and crowd erupted with cheers. J.B. Cribbs was headed back to the state tournament. The crowd ran out onto the field. There was a lot of cheering, laughing and crying going on.

"That's the way to play ball, girls," Coach Johnny said. "I'm so proud of all of you. Tomorrow we'll start preparing to win our third straight state championship."

The next day, Coach Johnny talked with Jo Meagan and her mother to see if she would be well enough to play in the state tournament. He didn't want her to make her condition worse by playing in the tournament; winning a third state championship wasn't anywhere near as important as her health. Jo Meagan refused to sit out of the tournament. Her mother agreed to let her play in the tournament as long as she agreed to come out of the game if she felt sick. But, they told her if her condition worsened during the next two weeks of practicing, she would have to sit out of the game. Jo Meagan was elated and so were Coach Johnny and the team. After two weeks of grueling practices, they played the first game of the tournament and won easily. Jo Meagan pitched an amazing game. The second and third games were a little more challenging than the first but they won and once again they played for the state championship. Jo Meagan pitched a perfect game and they won a third straight softball state championship for J.B. Cribbs High School.

Jo Meagan's senior year was her most memorable year of high school. She was the class valedictorian and accepted a scholarship to attend McPherson State University in McPherson, Georgia to play softball for the Georgia Hawks. It took Jo Meagan a while to adjust to college life because it was a little different than high school. Health wise, she was a little more tired than usual but otherwise she was doing well. Academically, Jo Meagan did well in her first year. And athletically, she helped lead the softball team to its first region tournament appearance in ten years. Unfortunately, they didn't make it to the national championship.

Even though Jo Meagan appeared to be doing well, her mother and grandparents noticed a change in her. During her summer break, they took her to the doctor and he ordered some more tests for her but those tests came back negative just like the ones before. Jo Meagan entered her second year of college. Her pitching was not as strong so the coach took her off the mound and played her at shortstop. However, playing shortstop was harder on her than pitching. Having to squat down for long periods of time caused her legs to hurt so badly. About halfway through her second year, her mother took her back to Oak Hill Medical Center to see a specialist. He ran some more tests on her. It took a week for the tests results to come back and it wasn't good news. The tests came back conclusive that she had a painful and crippling rare bone disease; it was similar to polio. The odds of people having the disease were 130 in 10,000. The doctors believed she was born with it. It was proven by research, theory and scientists to be caused by a genetic breakdown in the brain. The name of the disease was paralipolio or PPV. It was a rare condition and was very uncommon in children. Jo Meagan just happened to be one of the unfortunate ones. There were four stages to the disease and Jo Meagan was already in the second stage. Symptoms for the first stage included tiredness, fatigue, loss of balance, blurred vision, slurred speech, nose bleeds and swelling of the joints. The second stage symptoms included leg aches and the legs and arms turned inward. In the third stage the person suffers paralysis and is bedridden. In the fourth stage they are basically a vegetable; the liver and kidneys fail and finally the heart swells and burst resulting in death. The life expectancy for a person after diagnosis was normally two to three years. There was no cure for the disease.

Jo Meagan's diagnosis of PPV was devastating not only to her but her parents and grandparents as well. Jo Meagan had to drop out of college. She and her family questioned the Lord and asked why her when she was doing so well. At first, they resented the Lord and rebelled against Him. They soon realized it was nothing but the devil making them bitter toward God. However, in the Lord's mysterious ways, He gave them something to hold on to which gave them a little peace of mind. Their church family prayed for them and so did so many others. One Sunday, when Jo Meagan was well enough to attend church, the preacher's sermon touched them in a special way.

"The Lord told Jonah to go to Nineveh to preach to the city. Instead, Jonah went the other way," he preached. "The Lord brought a storm upon them at sea and Jonah was thrown over into the sea. Do you recall what happened when Jesus and the disciples were in the boat crossing the sea to go to the other side?" he asked. "Jesus went to sleep and when the storm arose, the disciples ran to Jesus and cried out to Him. Jesus got up, calmed the sea and winds," he stated. "Jonah was disobedient and the disciples were obedient. So that tells me that in this life we are all going to have troubles regardless of what we do. In this life we will always have troubles and hard times. However, if we believe, the Lord will work it out," he said as he ended his sermon.

After that sermon, their attitudes changed. Yes, it was still very difficult for them but they no longer blamed God. The next couple of years were hard on Jo Meagan and her family. They didn't completely understand it all but they had put it all in the Lord's hands; there was nothing left for them to do but trust in the Lord. Although the disease was very hard on Jo Meagan, she stayed in good spirits. She had good and bad days. Her family didn't know if they could stand to see her as a vegetable. They prayed for the Lord to take her on if she could not be healed before she reached the fourth stage. They believed the Lord knew what was best for Jo Meagan.

As time passed, Jo Meagan's family watched her health deteriorate as she entered the third stage. They never completely gave up hope because Jo Meagan was a fighter. She may have been weak and humble but she still kept the faith that somehow, someway she might be well again. Her determining spirit and faith encouraged the hearts of her family and others around her. Even during her horrible sickness, she stole the hearts of many and set an example for others. Her arms and legs had already turned inward. She was paralyzed, bedridden and had to be fed through a straw. Her family dreaded what was coming next, the fourth stage. To help with her pain, the doctors upped her morphine and told her family she could have it whenever she needed it. They tried to keep her as comfortable as they could. When Jo Meagan's skin turned yellow and her family knew the end was near. Her liver was failing and she had to wear a bag on her side because her kidneys had started to fail. It was devastating for her family to see her like that because she was always energetic, happy and loved life. The thoughts of how she used to be made things worse for everyone. Why, God was on the hearts of her family and friends. It had been a long struggle for all of them, especially Jo Meagan.

Early one night, the Lord took Jo Meagan home. It was hard for her family to let her go but they knew her memory would live on in the hearts of her family, friends and fans. The family took care of her arrangements and wanted something nice for her since she was a special and gifted child. Her parents arranged with the school principal to have her funeral at the school softball field because of her love for the sport. Her closed casket was placed behind the pitcher's mound where she had stood so many times before. On top of her casket was a wreath of her favorite flowers, roses and mums. A bat, glove and softball lay on the pitcher's mound along with her picture and her #29 jersey. Coach Johnny, Coach Dewy and her old teammates sat on the side of the mound facing the preacher. They played her favorite songs as the stands filled with her family, friends and fans. There were even people standing around the fence at home plate. As the preacher spoke, tears filled the eyes of everyone in attendance. After the ceremony, she was laid to rest in the cemetery. Her Papa had a headstone made for her grave; it was engraved with her name, date of birth and the date of her death. A softball, bat and glove were also engraved with the words, We Love You, Jo Meagan, Rest in Peace. Her grave was covered with many kinds of flowers.

There is a time for all seasons – a time to live and a time to die.

*****

Still Wind, Forgotten Days

The Thorns of Rose

Hollis and Rosemary Bennett and their two children, Becky and Josh, lived in the small quiet town of Stone Ridge, Tennessee in Bradley County. Stone Ridge was about thirty-five miles south of Jackson. Rose, as she did on so many other days, stood and looked out the window of her home with the reflection of her face on the window pane. As she stared out the window with tears in her eyes, she quietly watched the rain as it fell slow and steady. She had sat by the window many times, looking out, thinking and wondering. She dreaded each day when Hollis came home because she didn't know if he would come home drunk again like he had so many times before or if he would come home sober and in a good mood; she never knew what to expect. Her life was in bondage from an abusive husband. She lived her life in fear, hopelessness and doubt. She often wondered if the lives of other women and wives were like hers. She felt so isolated and alone. She was afraid and worried every moment of the day about the condition Hollis would come home in. She could never do anything right in his eyes; everything she did was always wrong. No matter how hard she tried, she could never please him. She stayed on the edge, most of the time, and hurt not only for herself but for their children as well. She felt like a prisoner locked down in a cell, with no life and cutoff from the rest of the world. She felt so hopeless at times and wanted to die. But, she couldn't leave her children because she was all they had; she lived for them. Rose didn't have many friends and most of her family stayed away because of Hollis. Her family and friends had talked to her several times and even begged her to leave him. She knew even if she did leave, he would find her and the children and bring them back home if he didn't kill her first. Besides, she didn't have any place to go and she was terrified of him.

Hollis was a controlling and abusive husband. He would beat and slap Rose and the children often. At times, he whipped them with his belt. He even picked out the clothes she wore. Every night, he laid out the clothes he wanted her to wear the next day. If she didn't have them on when he got home, he would lock her in the closet for hours at a time. No matter what he did or how he treated her, she still loved him. He was the father of her children and nothing would ever change that. Hollis was a sick man and she didn't blame his actions on him. Instead, she blamed them on his sickness. She truly believed he still loved her under his anger and rage. She thought she would be the only who could help him since she knew him better than anyone.

Hollis was not always like that. When they were dating, he was a lot of fun and exciting. He was sweet, kind and gentle. He had swept her off her feet. In the first years of their marriage, he was a good man. They were so happy in the beginning. But, after Josh was born, he changed. Somehow, he got it in his head that Josh was not his son. Josh was still a newborn when he started to drink. Whenever he was drunk, he always accused her of cheating on him. The good memories, her love for him and her love for the children was the reason she held on. She always thought things would go back like they used to be.

As the rain slowly fell and the raindrops beaded up on the window and ran down, Rose saw Hollis as he came up the drive. She quickly closed the curtains and went in the living room. She knew when he came inside that he'd been drinking. The first thing out of his mouth was what's for supper. She told him she had fixed his favorite. He asked her if it was ready and told her it better be good.

Very little was known about their lives. Her family and friends only knew what Rose told them. And Rose only told what she wanted them to know. She didn't want to go against him nor did she want her family and friends to go against him because she was afraid of what he might do. Everyone knew he had a drinking problem and knew he was abusive, at times. However, they didn't know how bad it really was for Rose and the children. They didn't know what to do for Rose and the children. One thing they did know was she would never go against him; she kind of protected him in a way. All they knew to do was to pray and be a friend to her in time of need. Hollis was also paranoid. Whenever he heard an airplane fly over, he became afraid. He would run and hide; he thought they were coming after him. He never did say who they were. His friends thought a lot of him. They considered him to be a good man, husband and father; he was a hard worker who provided for his family. They knew he had a drinking problem but they had no idea it changed him in to a different man. He was different around them and they only saw what he wanted them to see. His friends didn't know how bad it was for Rose and the children. He drank some during the week, but not much. He did most of his drinking on weekends. When he went out, he made Rose and the children stay home; they were held captive in their own home by their fear of him. He made it clear to her that she and the children could only leave the house with him and if he ever caught them out without his permission, they would have to answer to him.

People tried to tell Rose they had seen him out with other women. However, she never believed them. Eventually, she kind of suspected it and wanted to confront him about the accusations but she was too afraid. She had learned the hard way, through the past years, not to question him or talk back to him. He had told her he was her husband and the she and the children would respect him or suffer the consequences. There was no telling how many times he threatened to kill her and the children. Rose knew it just wasn't a threat; it was a promise.

Hollis never remembered Rose's birthday or the children's but he made a big deal out of his birthday. He had Rose fix a big dinner, bake a cake and he invited all his friends over. Her friends and family could only come over when he was at home. She had never had them over when he wasn't at home because she knew she would have a price to pay if she did. They didn't celebrate their anniversary anymore. In fact, he hadn't remembered their anniversary in years. At Christmas, he always gave her a cookbook or something to use in the kitchen. He never gave her jewelry or anything worthwhile. If she was lucky, he might buy her a dress but it wouldn't be worth wearing. Every year, the fire department brought toys for kids of underprivileged families. Hollis didn't allow them to stop at his house because he didn't accept charity. He always told them he worked hard every day to provide for his family and he didn't want their help. One Christmas, Josh and Becky only got a balloon and some candy.

There were times, often on weekends, he would get drunk and keep Rose and the children up all night by fussing for no apparent reason. At times, it got so bad he would chase her around the house with a butcher knife as the children cried and tried to get him to stop. Most of the time, they hid from him. Many times he'd run her and the children out of the house and they would have to spend the night in the garage which was in back of the house. They would sneak back inside the house the next morning when he was passed out. After he sobered up, he always told them he was sorry for whatever he did. Rose felt sorry for Hollis because she knew he was sick. But, she didn't know how much more she and the children could stand. He always accused her of cheating on him by having men come over when he was at work. He constantly called her a bitch and a whore.

The neighbors had called the police many times to go to their house because they could hear him raising so much hell; they were afraid for Rose and the children. Whenever the police came, Rose met them at the door and told them everything was alright. There were times the abuse sent her to the hospital. However, she always made up an excuse as to how the injuries happened. The police, her family and friends tried to get her to leave him and take out an order of protection against him. Of course, she wouldn't. She always said everything would be alright. She lived in bondage by fear for herself and the children. He not only physically abused her; he abused her mentally and emotionally. He also forced his way with her sexually. She hoped and prayed he hadn't sexually abused the children.

A friend of Rose invited her and the children to go to church with them. She asked Hollis if it was okay for them to go to church. He never said a word but nodded his head yes. She and the children went to church for a while until he got it in his head that she was sleeping with the preacher. One Sunday, when she had gotten ready to go, he got mad and jerked her dress completely off of her and left her standing there in her bra, panties and the belt from her dress around her waist. After that day, she and the children never attended church again. Not too long after that, he broke her arm and nose, knocked out one of her teeth and blacked one of her eyes. She ran out of the house screaming. A neighbor saw her, put her into the car, took her to the hospital and called the law. At the hospital, the police questioned her; her family stood by her and her friends prayed for her. She told them all she fell off the back porch and hit a rock. Once again, her family tried to get her to leave him. They knew her injuries were caused by him and not by falling off the porch. But, Rose kept saying over and over Hollis was a good man and he wasn't like what they thought. Her family asked the officers, Jim Burns and Tom Burks, if there was anything that could be done. They told them Rose would have to have him arrested and she would have to get an order of protection against him; she was the one who would have to do it. The officers questioned her again and explained the order of protection to her. They asked her if her husband caused the injuries. She started to cry but lifted her head and stuck to her story. Meanwhile, back as the house, Hollis wondered what was going on so he got into his car and headed to the hospital. On his way to the hospital, the police pulled him over and took him to jail for DUI. Of course, he blamed Rose for it and she had more hell to pay. After that incident, there were very seldom any bruises or marks seen on Rose. His abuse didn't happen as often. He was worried because he wasn't sure what Rose might do with the help of her family and friends.

Rose often tried to remember when all the verbal abuse, the mind control things and the mental abuse started. She realized things changed after Josh was born and only got worse after Becky was born. First, he started kicking the children under the table and hitting them on top of their head with his fist when he thought they were drinking with their mouths full. Sometimes, he'd make the children do without supper because he suspected they had eaten a snack when they came home from school and didn't wait until after supper. They would have to stand in the corner and face the wall while he and Rose ate. There were many times the children had to go to bed without their supper. He had even slapped Rose at the table, once, threw food at her and onto the floor because it was too cold or not seasoned enough. If the children got up to leave the room while he was watching television, he would curse them and make them sit back down until he told them to get up. When he thought the children or Rose were out of line, he would whip them with a belt and fuss at them. He told the children their mother was evil and she had brought it all on them. He often told Rose and the children they were no good, sorry and weak. He also told them they were disgusting and made him sick to his stomach. And, he always cursed them. One day, Rose had washed the dishes but she failed to rinse them good. When Hollis fixed a cup of coffee, he took one sip and threw the cup into the sink. He cursed her and said the coffee tasted like soap suds. Then he called the children in to the kitchen. He put some dish liquid into their cups, added water and made the children drink it. He told the children it was their mother's fault they had to drink it. Rose left several times with the children but she always came back because he came after them, crying and begging her to come back. He would tell her he was sorry and it wouldn't happen again. Even though she knew he was lying, she still went back. She eventually stopped leaving and stayed in the mess.

Finally, one day, she'd had enough. She and her children went to her family and they put her up in a motel outside of Jackson. Her family went with her to the courthouse where she filled out the paperwork for an order of protection against Hollis. She had to write down everything he'd done and said to her and sign the papers. The paperwork was sent to the judge for his approval. Within a few days, Hollis and Rose had to appear in court. She had gotten a lawyer, Wesley Brooks, to appear with her in court. The judge, Wendall C. Carter, addressed them at the bench and told Hollis about the order of protection against him. That day, they left and went their separate ways.

A few days later, Rose filed for divorce. She and the children stayed at the motel outside of Jackson. Her family had chosen the motel outside of Jackson because it was secluded and it wouldn't be so easy for Hollis to find. The order of protection and divorce papers caught him off guard. He never thought she would file an order of protection against him, let alone file for divorce. He put a lot of the blame on her family and friends; he accused them of breaking up their home. Hollis laid low for a few weeks until he found out where she was and started stalking her without her knowledge. He was convinced she had run off with another man. But, he never saw her with anyone. He still drank but not as much as he had been. He hoped it would help convince her to come back to him. At times, Rose became afraid of being a single parent and had thoughts of going back to him. Rose was afraid she couldn't make it on her own and needed help taking care of the children. However, she knew he would never change. To help her through the issues she was having, Rose started getting counseling and was making progress. One evening, while she was at therapy and the children were with her family, Hollis told the clerk at the motel that he was Rose's brother from out of town and he asked him if he would let him into her room so he could surprise her when she came back. He told the clerk he hadn't seen her and the kids in a few years and he was there to surprise them. Unfortunately, the clerk at the office was filling in for the manager who was sick and couldn't come in that day. He wasn't a real motel clerk; he was a friend of the manager and was doing him a favor. He didn't know he wasn't supposed to let anyone into the guest's rooms. Besides, Hollis looked so caring and trustworthy as he stood there with a bouquet of flowers and presents for the kids. The clerk took him to Rose's room and let him in. As soon as the clerk left, Hollis hid in the closet. Well, it so happened, Rose was running late that day. After therapy, her parents took her to meet with her lawyer about the divorce. Since they were running late that evening, her parents dropped her off at the motel and left; they didn't go in like they normally did. Rose and the children went on in. Hollis waited in the closet until the children were asleep and Rose went to bed. After he knew she and the children were finally asleep, he eased out of the closet, shot and killed her and then killed himself. When the shots rang out, the children woke up and so did the people next door. The children saw their mother and Hollis covered with blood. They immediately ran out of the motel room screaming and crying. The neighbors took the screaming children to their room and notified the office clerk who called the police.

Rose's family buried her and took in the children. They put them in counseling to help them overcome the tragedy and lead a normal life.

A few years later, a lobbyist petitioned a bill to be passed in the Tennessee State Congress for an order of protection and restraining order law to protect the rights of all abusive people. The bill named The Thorns of Rose soon passed in both houses and the governor signed it. If an abuser violated any part of the law, they would immediately be sentenced to 11 months and 29 days in the county jail for the first offense. The second offense, they would have to serve two years in a state prison. The third offense would be an automatic three to five years in prison. There would be no exception to any part of the law.

I love and miss you, Mama – Love, Joshua.

*****

Still Wind, Forgotten Days

The Valley of the Lost

It came to past, in the Valley of the Lost, a once fruitful community sat between the mountains of the Lord named Pleasant Valley. The Lord had enriched the valley with an abundance of everything. He had blessed the valley with rich soil, fruitful trees, glowing gardens and a fertile river that flowed through it. Yes, all was well there. The people were happy and prospered from their crops. The valley set nestled between the mountains of Or that spanned from the north, south, east and west. On top of the north mountain, which shadowed over the community, was the home of the old man of the Lord. As time came to pass, the Lord sent the rains upon the valley which watered all the crops, gardens and fields which brought forth much to all. The heat and light from the sun ripened the fruit and all was well. The abundance of life there flowed free as the river. Each day the old man of the Lord, the watchman, looked down at the valley through his telescope to see the blessed work of the Lord that he bestowed upon the community. As the time passed and the seasons came and went, the blessings of the Lord grew more and more.

It was a happy time in the valley and all was well until one day when a dark cloud slowly moved in and hovered over the valley; it covered each and every inch of it. The darkness was still as it hovered over the valley between the mountains of Or. The light of day shone no more because it was blocked out by the dark cloud. After a period of time, as it is told to this day, the land became dry and hard. The once fertile soil lay in need of rain. The fruitful trees bared decayed and rotted fruit and the gardens had withered and died. The once flowing river which helped bring life to the valley had dried up; only a few puddles of water remained. The darkness was so dark it changed the people from who they were.

As the old man of the Lord watched and waited, he didn't understand what was going on. He didn't see what happened or what went wrong. At one time, the valley was good but evil had taken over. Each day he tried to look through his telescope to see what was happening but the darkness was so thick and dark. He tried with all his might to see through the darkness. Day after day, he prayed and night after night, he prayed unto the Lord. He prayed for all of those in the valley and for himself, too. However, as he prayed, he heard nothing from the Lord. Nevertheless, he still kept praying each day and night. As time went by, he watched, looked and waited but couldn't figure out what happened to the valley. Then, one day, a hard cold wind blew over the mountain of the north and sent a chill to the old man and the valley below; the wind drove the darkness away. The wind blew every inch and every tiny bit of the darkness away. The darkness was finally gone from the valley and the light of the sun appeared. The old man of the Lord looked once again through his telescope to the valley below. He saw all the people and the valley which was once abundant laid in ruins. From that day, it was called the Valley of the Lost.

As the days and weeks passed, the community grew worse and worse. The old man of the Lord changed the name of the community to Nod because the people who lived there only nodded when they passed each other. The old man called the people who lived there Nothings for they were always doing nothing and all they ever did was nothing which never amounted to anything. He changed the name of the road that went in and out of the valley to Nowhere because it lead to no place. One day, as the old man of the Lord looked again to the valley below, he figured out what was wrong and what happened. They had all given up and saw no need to do anything for it all resulted in nothing.

Then the old man of the Lord turned his telescope toward the east and looked at the people who were called the Has Been's for they used to be and had done a lot over time but had become Has Been's doing nothing.

"Oh what, oh what, oh Lord, has happened?" he cried out. "The community has changed and so has the people. They have lost their vision and have no dreams. They have become content and satisfied. I say, I say, oh Lord, what is there to be done?" he asked.

But, the Lord did not reply. The old man of the Lord turned his telescope toward the west to the Can Do's. The Can Do's did it all. They used to be Nothings but now they were Has Been's doing nothing.

"Oh, no," he cried, "not them, too."

Maybe, he said to himself. Maybe I can look toward the south and see a glimmer of hope. Carefully, he moved his telescope toward the south. As he leaned over and looked in to see the Would Be's who always wanted to do something but never did, he saw they, too, had changed. They never were Has Been's but wanted to be Can Do's but wound up being Nothings.

He then looked to the north and saw the Used to Be's, the ones who had done more. However, there weren't many of them left for their time had come and gone. Now, they were also Nothings.

As time went on and seasons passed, the old man of the Lord prayed but he heard not from the Lord. One day he suddenly said to himself, I know what I can do. I will look upon the children of the community and see what they have done. He lowered his telescope a slight, looked through it and saw the Something's who were the children of them all. Whenever there was something to do, they were right on it. They were go-getters and doers of the valley. When the Nothing's, the Has Been's, the Can Do's, the Would Be's and Used to Be's were young, they were something, too. The Something's took care of the valley and all the others; they were something. However, when everything was done, they became Nothing's, too. It caused the old man of the Lord to fall to the ground, on his face, and cry out unto the Lord.

"Oh, Lord, my Lord, for the valley and the people has gone to waste. What is it, oh, Lord?" he cried. "What must I do?"

Then the Lord spoke to his heart.

"You must go down as a servant and a witness so their eyes may be opened to new hopes and dreams. You must be a light to them and give them a new vision with your testimony. And when they see someone cares, they may change."

So, the old man of the Lord started down the side of the mountain to the land of Nod with his pet white dove named Do It. When he finally reached the plains of the valley, not far from the community, he met a little boy siting under a tree beside the road to Nowhere. When the old man of the Lord approached the little boy, he asked him his name.

The little boy replied, "If."

"My child, my child," the old man spoke, "the valley was once something but now it is nothing. The people have no vision or dreams. I believe, If, if someone went to them and showed them someone really cares, their eyes may open and see a new vision and their hearts will open to dreams."

Then the Lord spoke to the old man and told him to reach down on the ground, pick up a buckeye, give it to the little boy and send him unto the people of the community of Nod. Even though he was puzzled by what the Lord had said to him, he obeyed the Lord and questioned him not. He reached down, picked up a buckeye, hulled it and gave it to the little boy named If.

"Go, my son, unto the Valley of the Lost and give each man, woman and child a buckeye," he instructed. Maybe, just maybe, in some way the Lord will touch them with some hope so they may believe."

The old man of the Lord prayed with the little boy. After they finished praying, the dove lifted from the shoulder of the old man of the Lord and perched upon the little boy's shoulder. The little boy asked the old man of the Lord what the dove's name was.

"Do It," he answered.

The little boy smiled and left with a bag full of buckeyes from the plains of the lost to give to the people of the valley. The old man sat down under the tree where the little boy had been sitting and waited patiently. When evening came, the old man of the Lord arose and returned back home on top of the north mountain. As the little boy entered into the valley, he passed out the buckeyes to them all. One of them asked him his name and the little boy told them If. Another asked the little boy who gave him the buckeyes and he told them the old man of the Lord who lives on top of the north mountain.

The Nothing said unto him, "Was not."

"Was, too," the little boy replied.

The Nothing saw the little boy really cared from deep in his heart. The Nothing's eyes were opened and their hearts, too; they started to believe once again. Slowly, each and every one of their eyes and hearts were opened and the darkness from the inside saw the light. They started having visions and dreams that if they changed, the evil would be gone. If they believed, the evil would be gone and they could be that which they used to be.

Upon the third day, the old man of the Lord looked through his telescope at the valley below and saw the great wonders of them all from the Lord. They had changed back as they were which was happy and they were shouting and praising the Lord. The old man of the Lord was pleased the little boy had done as he instructed. He looked everywhere for the little boy but he didn't see him. The Nothing's, the Has Been's, the Can Do's, the Would Be's and the Used to Be's were all something again. They were working and pulling together doing something. They were plowing, sowing seeds and planting trees and flowers. Then, out of nowhere, they suddenly stopped.

"I believe I felt a raindrop," one of them said.

The old man changed the name of the valley back to Pleasant Valley and the road's name to Road to Somewhere. The old man of the Lord was so tickled and happy. He praised the Lord for the goodness of the Lord's heart.

As time passed, the valley became much richer than before. The people of the valley were never content or satisfied again because they had so much to be thankful for and were thankful for who had blessed them so, the Lord.

*****

Discover other titles by Bobby A. Troutt at Smashwords.com

Beyond the Truth

A Cry in the Wind

Thistles and Thorns

Dead Limbs and Leaves

Troubled Waters

When Autumn Falls

When Time Was

Bittersweet

Sycamore Tales

Stepping Out on a Limb

Odds n Ends

Turning Point

The Fall of Night

In Times of Quitting

Bobby A. Troutt is a southern writer who writes a variety of short stories and children's books.

