Reflections

Hello everyone, hope you’re having a good week.  
This year’s Watermelon Carnival seems to have had a bigger crowd than last year and I thoroughly enjoyed attending. My first stop was at the Lion’s Club pancake breakfast and the first person I saw was my old friend, D.C. Morgan, who lives in Texas. Next Ben Horan and I got to chat a few minutes. It was so crowded that I had to stand around, which was fine because I had time to speak to Ernie, Teresa, Rayford, Curtis and Jack Gurner, Sr.  
Then Charles Sharpe brought in some more chairs and I was  invited to sit at the table with Tony and Trish Wiley, and since I was meeting them for the first time, they told me about their  ministry.  They are a great young couple and I’m  proud to add them to my list of friends.  
Then Representative Tommy Reynolds walked up and I invited him to join us.  In the last few years Tommy and I have become good friends and  It’s always a pleasure to visit with him. I got a chance to  speak to Charlie Holloway, as he was leaving and asked me if I had retired.
When I said I hadn’t, he replied, “Don’t  ever retire, it’s not what it’s cracked up to be.”
In a few minutes Margie Williamson sat down with us and told me how she appreciated the column. She always comes over to speak to me when I’m in town and I really think she’s a great person. Then Billy Bryce came  by and, since we’ve been friends since high school, we talked about how I would come down to go fishing with him when they lived on the Mud Line near Robinson’s Mill.
Then Tommy said he was going to take the tour of the new macro brewery, so I went with him. Outside David Howell and Jack from the Herald were there to take pictures so we went around with them. The building began as the Hendricks Foundry and Machine shop in the early part of the 20th Century. Around 1934 when Cliff Busby switched from Ford to Chevrolet, Prentiss and Dixie Hendricks became the Ford and John Deere dealers.  I’m glad to see the building has retained it’s original appearance. Since it’s so spacious, the brewery has room to expand when necessary.
David introduced me to Dr. Nichols who said, “I’m Mack and these are my partners, Amos and Andy.”  He thanked me for mentioning the brewery in a previous column and  smiled and said, “even if you did say you didn’t care much for beer.”  
I replied, “When you are open for business I’ll come by and try the finished product.  They are all personable young men and I have no doubt they will be successful and definitely an asset to Water Valley.  
I got to spend a few minutes with Bobby and Lila Schmitz, and I told her how  Mrs. Rusk and my mother were such good friends.  I  had a brief visit with Jim and Jimmy Peacock and was  glad to hear that the J. Clayton Gallery is growing.  Then in a visit with my in-laws, Edward and Virginia Scanlon, I learned  they had a large crowd when they hosted a combined group of school reunions  Friday night.  
I stopped by to see my cousin, Aaron Baddley and even ran into Tuffy William-son. All in all had a great day.  
My email address is cncooper1@hotmail.com or write me at P.O. Box 613189  Memphis, Tn 38101 and have a great week.