There is a Beatles song called "Yesterday, with lyrics that start:
"Yesterday,
All my troubles seemed so far away,
Now it looks as though they're here to stay,
Oh, I believe in yesterday. "
I spent this weekend building an ice chest cooler box for a friend of mine, Jim Taylor, whom I have not laid eyes on in forty years. We were in different classes at Indianola Academy, but my senior year, we shared a special season of high school football, playing as a team, we went undefeated, and then beat our arch rival, Jackson Prep,by a score of 33-0 in the AAA championship game.
Jim and I met up in Louisville, MS, at the convenience store on the hill next to the only four way flashing light on the entire length of Highway 25. We greeted each other this a firm handshake, and a good ole southern boy bear hug. Me being a whole lot bigger, got the better end of that hug!
On the ride up there, It was almost like those yesterday years were like the song, so far away. Being retired, a lot of my troubles have gone away, so I don't dwell too much on "yesterday". As soon as I laid my eyes on him, all those years just melted away.
Conversation began quickly, talking about old friends, MSU, and both of our retirements. We both agreed to try real hard to go see Steve Yarbrough at his reading this Friday at Lemuria Bookstore in Jackson, MS. Steve, as a member of that team, had a special talent, of "throwing up" before every high school game he played in.
I tend to do my fair share of the talking, and Jim gave it his best to keep up. It was funny comparing stories of "time sharing" and building things. We promised to get together this upcoming MSU football season a time or two. Who knows, he might even be brave enough to introduce me to his wife Vera.
We were even interrupted by a complete stranger who was curious about the cooler box. He wasn't a stranger for long!
Thank you Jim for a wonderful flashback to cherished memories. Maybe I'll tell a story or two on our old teammates. And for the record, I did have to drive farther than Jim, but boy, was it worth it!
Live is good :-)
Retired in 2012. I'm trying to out run old age and boredom. So far, I'm winning the race!
2 comments:
....i remember that team, would love to hear more stories about that year.
Yeah. There are a few stories. I tried to match Wade Dowell on eating three big Macs. Got it all down but 2 bites. That boy ate his way to the Ole Miss Football Team.
At an away game in Jackson,During an aggressive play, the opposing teams running back got slobberknockered out of bounds, and ended up with a calf cramp. I grabbed his foot and stretched his muscle out, then back to the game we went. Coach Tommy Thompson told me that that boy's parents did not appreciate us beating them as bad as we did, but greatly appreciated my act of kindness to their son, after almost killing him!
just a sample,,,,,
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