For the most part, I am a planner. I keep an old-school booklet-type calendar so that I can see a month’s list of commitments at a glance.
But then again, I have a belief that you can’t be too structured.
Why?
Because if it wasn’t for spontaneity and flexibility, some of the best things in life would never happen.
For months, boyhood buddies—Pete Hires and Randall Bramblett—and I had been planning a few kick-back days of reminiscing about growing up in Jesup. We might even fish. Pete was bringing his son and a grandson from Massachusetts.
There were suggestions that the excursion could turn into a mini reunion for our Class of 1966.
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Members of the Class of 1966 attending the April 9 mini-reunion include, from left, Randall Bramblett, Eddy Parson, Paula Sharpe Peede, Mary Lloyd Pipkin, Judy Bennett Phelps, John Oglesby, Jack Jones, Marie Dent, Alice Barnes Kicklighter, Herschel Daniel, Michael Henry, Laotha Odum Carswell, Jerry Moseley, Edna Ruth Byrd Williamson, Delinda Ogden Pattie (teacher), Jimmy Watson, Beverly Westberry Leaphart, Patty Barr Sutker, Judy Sosebee Byrd, Bill Cheshire, Paula Eubanks, Larry Thompson, Ronald Anderson, Kenny Bryant and Dink NeSmith, host. Not pictured is Howard Powell. |
But Pete’s schedule took a different turn. A New England surgeon had other ideas for our classmate. And a pair of crutches don’t work too well in a boat. Pete & Co. had to punt.
Here’s where spontaneity kicked in.
Beverly Westberry Leaphart and Edna Ruth Byrd Williamson stepped up. Give those two ladies a task, and the details will fall into place before you can say, “Jesup Yellow Jackets.”
Herschel Daniel, Randall and I had our assignment. We made sure the armadillo holes were filled. We couldn’t have our “old” friends tripping in the moonlit yard.
Patty Barr Sutker, Alice Barnes Kicklighter, Laotha Odum Carswell and a host of others were on the swat team to make the suppertime get-together come off without a hitch. Patty and her husband, Larry, got recognition for driving 1,100 miles round-trip for the backslapping and neck-hugging occasion.
Class president Jimmy Watson’s roasted-oyster table drew a crowd. Special guests were Roy and Delinda Pattie. Our class helped christen Miss Delinda Ogden in her first year of teaching. And Eddy Parson’s wife, Donna, was the official photographer.
Oh, yes, we called Pete and passed the phone around.
And we promised Pete that we’d plan another get-together for our 60th reunion.
It’s going on the calendar, as soon as Beverly and Edna tell us when.
dnesmith@cninewspapers.com