Sunday, January 16, 2011

Surprise….

 

When I was in the Third Grade Dad was assigned a church in Albemarle, NC. The parsonage was a two story Brick house, the largest house we had lived in. Shirl and I had our own rooms upstairs. There were two bedrooms down stairs. One for Mom & Dad the other was the guest room where an evangelist slept during revivals. I think in the 50’s we had a lot of revivals. Some of us take a lot of reviving! Hahaha!

As I have said in the past few days, dad had a great sense of humor. Shirl and I knew on school days breakfast was served around 7am. The steps were not carpeted to the upstairs back then. Dad would take a couple of mama’s bread pans and maybe a pot, he would stand at the bottom of the stairs and throw them up to the top and let them bang back down. Then he would yell loudly, “Breakfast children! Come on down but don’t wake the evangelist!”

I have a reason for saying this. We visited a church last Sunday that we have only attended once before. The pastor announced an Irvin Burris was speaking next Sunday. That rang a bell. The Burris’s lived just across from the parsonage in Albemarle. He was older than I. The preacher said he was around 81, so that would put the age right. This was going to be a surprise.

2821336908_82fcbdeeb1

There was one thing that always fascinated me about the Burris’s place. It was sort of a farm in town. Like the housing area had built up around it. They had a barn, chickens and a cow. They had one duck that I remember. The duck pond was more like a big mud puddle about ten feet across. It was that duck’s landing in that pond that always got my attention. I was 9 or 10 and had never saw a duck land and spray water the way they do. It just fascinated me.

012

  • (Irvin and Ruth Burris he is 81 and doing well, she is a little behind him)

After church I asked if I could take a picture for my sister Shirl. I announced as I took the picture that I had known this guy longer than anyone in the building except possibly his wife. He kept looking puzzled. Then I told him, and we had a hugging reunion. What are the odds of running into someone 60 years or so after you first knew them three states away from their home?

013

Lunch today with the Carters!

It was a good surprise. Thanks for coming this way.

Nite Shipslog

PS:

'Never trade luck for skill.'

008

The other day at Bojangles

009

Sherry jumped out of the van saying I didn’t get a picture of Don & Evelyn! So we got one!!

12 comments:

Bookncoffee said...

I love it when you can run into someone from your childhood. It just reinvents you somehow. That is awesome.

Fred Alton said...

I would have been thrilled (as you were) and I'm sure the Burrises were also thrilled to see you and realize who you were. I don't know why they didn't recognize you immediately though. You haven't changed that much, have you? ☻ heh heh heh!

Jean said...

I have met a few people that I knew years and years ago and they still remembered me. I knew you were thrilled meeting them again. Sometimes I meet up with people that would ask me did I know so in so. I would say I use to when I was growing up not sure I would now. Love the pictures. Take care, Jean

I'm mostly known as 'MA' said...

That was a great surprise for sure. Sometimes it does seem like a small world we live in. Glad you had such a wonderful day!

Paula said...

That must have been really fun to run into someone you knew that many years ago.

~mel said...

You know ... for an old codger like yourself Jack ~ you got a pretty good memory! lol

What a nice entry! That was quite the reunion! I had laugh out loud when I read about your Daddy waking you up and telling you not to wake the evangelist. 2 funny ... I can certainly see where you inherited your sense of humor!

~mel said...

It's 12:40 a.m. on the 17th ~ HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!

~mel said...

forgot to say ... I had to stay up past midnight just so I could be the first one today to send you birthday wishes !! LOVE YOU ... and I hope you have MANY MANY MORE!

Dar said...

And here I thought I'd beat Mel to the punch, but as usual, she's still a little bit quicker than I...at least here on the net.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY BIG GUY...to share a birthday with Mel could be challenging....but you can handle her...after all, you are a quite a bit wiser, as I chuckle.
BlessYourBirthdayHeart Now go eat some Chocolate

Fred Alton said...

Happy Birthday to a great friend! Hope this day is filled with joy and you are blessed beyond measure.

Cher' Shots said...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JACK!! Thanks for making it an easy one for me to remember - You & Mel - two peas in a birthday pod! See that's how I remember things - I picture them in my mind! This one is kind of funny!!! lol
GREAT post and what a wonderful surprise for you! 'hugs from afar'

jun said...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!
i knew there was a reason i needed to come back here.
i was sick on sunday. my grandson a.j.'s birthday.
He had the flu!
so the celebrating was cancelled.
he turned 9.
congrats to you dear Jack! you look awesome. that picture of you and your lady fair kissing is priceless.
it makes me believe that there really is majick. love and joy in the world afterall!
Thank you and Sherry for being a blessing in my life.
KEEP ON TRUCKING!!!
much love as always, jun