Reflections

Carnival Day Provides Visiting Opportunity

By Charles Cooper

Hello everyone, hope you enjoyed the Watermelon Carnival.  

Since I had missed the last two, I really had some catching up to do. It seemed to me that the best place was at the pancake breakfast and that proved to be a wise choice.

The first person I saw when I went in was D.C. Morgan who was up from Schertz, Texas. I got to meet his wife for the first time and we enjoyed a long conversation. Then I approached Dennis McMinn and asked what the procedure was for breakfast and he said for me to find a seat and they would bring it to me.  When I sat down, I saw  Hubert Sanders and Tuffy Williamson at the next table.  We hadn’t seen each other for a long time and we had a lot of catching up to do.  

I saw Ben Horan coming in and it had been years since we had seen each other. We talked and I got to speak to Lilly Loyce as well.  Curtis Berry was taking coffee around and we spoke to each other. Another man came up and I had to ask his name. He said he was Tom Green from Louisiana ,and I knew we had been friends in high school. This was also the first time I had met his wife. It seemed that everyone knew me while I had to ask some of them their names.  

The breakfast was good and they kept the coffee coming, so I enjoyed it very much. I went to speak briefly to Rayford and Teresa Edgar, but since they were so busy we didn’t talk. It was really great to meet and talk to so many people in air conditioned comfort. It was worth getting up so early to make it there.

Betty Shearer came in with Tommy Reynolds and I got to chat with them for a few minutes.  Ernie Aune was really busy flipping pancakes so I hadn’t spoken to him but as I was paying, he signaled me to come over and we got to talk briefly.  Ernie and I have been good friends ever since we were in the high school and it’s always a pleasure to get to talk to him.  

Charlie Holloway told me that I had made some mistakes in some past columns and I reminded him that was the reason I always ask for reader input at the end of each column. After a brief stop with Jim and Jo Peacock, Jim expressed a desire to go see the antique cars later and I promised him I’d be back.  

Next stop was Virginia and Edward Scanlon, but I only got to see Edward as Virginia and Sandra were out shopping. After that I decided to take a few minutes at the park and I wasglad I had visited the pancake breakfast first – it was really hot and humid. I did get to visit a few minutes with old friends, Earl Babb and Hubert Long. Hubert was called Cotton in school and I told him he really was really white-headed now and I was getting there as well.  

I went back to pick up Jim Peacock and we visited the antique car show. My cousin, Aaron Baddley, Jr. had a display and I got to meet his sons, Andy and Guy and Guy’s wife. Guy is the A.G. Baddley who is running for Congress as an independent. We talked at some length and I told him that I was in favor of the independent movement. Although I do own property in Mississippi, I’m a registered voter in Arkansas and therefore couldn’t vote for him. He is a personable young man and I wish him the best.  

Jim and I then went to the Main Street store and I got to talk with Gaylon and Elsie Booker. The store didn’t have what we wanted, so Jim suggested we go by the park and pick up some burgers from the Lion’s club. While waiting I got to have a long talk with David Fly, who is a contributor to this column from time to time.  We took the burgers back to Jim’s, and we down down with Jo – the first time we had sat at a table  together in years.

After lunch  I didn’t have any more visiting to do. We had a long visit since I wasn’t pushed for time.  It was wonderful to see the large turnout for the Watermelon carnival and I hope the trend will continue. I was sorry that Bob Mathis’ health wouldn’t permit him to attend. But, Bob I want you  to know our prayers are with you.  I see an email from Cathy Ward. I haven’t had a chance to read it yet, but I thank you and I’m sorry we didn’t get to see each other. Cathy was my first contributor 10 years ago and has always been a loyal reader, supporter and friend.

My email address is cncooper1@hotmail.com or write me at P.O. Box 613189 Memphis, 38101 and have a great week.