The first girl I liked, Betty, up in Valdese, never knew it. In my teens my first girlfriend that 'knew' I liked her, was Margaret Woods. We went steady. Her dad, Theodore Woods worked in the Climax Cotton Mill. He had moved from the mountains to Belmont for work. He always owned a 2 ton flatbed truck. On weekends he hired out to move folk. He took Harold his son, and a couple mill hill boys for work on Saturdays when he wasn't working in the Mill.
More than once after a full day’s work, the one moved would ask, "Theodore, what do I owe you?" His words were always the same no matter how many time he had been burned, "Well sir, I gotta pay these boys and put gas in the truck, whatever you think is fair."
More than once he was handed a $5 bill, Or heard, ‘I will see you after my next check.’ He always said, "Thank you sir, and God Bless you!"
(Theodor's Truck, he loaned it to the church anytime it was needed. He gave many a hay ride to the mountains for the church kids to see the fall color or just to see the mountains he loved. That is my dad with the pony and Floyd Summey with the bike. Floyd was another man easy to love and remember!)
I never once heard him complain.
Margaret and I broke up. She started dating Buddy. I started dating Sherry. I joined the Marines, Buddy's daddy moved the family to Mississippi (His dad was a preacher like my dad.). Theodore moved his family to Detroit and we lost track.
Theodore's son Harold, a local good guy and sports star, went on to play in the Majors. A couple years ago he was inducted into the Belmont Hall of Fame. I had a chance to talk to Harold and mentioned the moving truck. He said yeah, dad's little book of jobs is one of their treasures, 'Dad never complained about those unpaid moving jobs.’
Theodore and Liza raised a good family, and were honest folk.
There are many folk in this world unheralded for their generosity, but I believe they rest in peace!
Nite Shipslog
Theodore's family car was the Jeep wagon. He treated the Jeep with care. He was proud of that dude!
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11 comments:
Theodore took my family and me (along with Harold and Charles Hicks) to the mountains of NC (Nanny Hallie) to visit my dad's family. We all went in that truck too.. Back then, you could do those things. I remember this well and hope Patricia Cope (Dan's wife will show this article to Dan......I'm going to tag her and Tommy in hopes of them reading this. Thanks for bringing back memories (my dad walked from Nanny Hallie, NC when he was 11 years old - went out on his own at such a young age. But within the next 10 years or so, he met and married my mama. Thank God!! (And yes, . Floyd and Joyce Summey are our cousins) I love memories!! Theordore and Liza were wonderful people. The last time I saw them, was in 1963, Harold and Miriam too. So many changes in our lives and years between us all. But what a wonderful life we had. I'm very blessed gto have known the Woods and the Darnells too! (Glenda Cope Snowa)
What great and sweet memories. I
Like that jeep wagon!
Up late again in NC
Lisa
How interesting he never complained about those unpaid moving jobs. Nowadays with moving (at some companies) you have to almost pay up front before they will even load your stuff. Maybe because those companies had been "stiffed" before?
betty
Sounds like a good guy for sure.
You have been blessed with a lot of good folk in your life. How wonderful to have such great memories!
... but whatever happened to Margaret after Buddy moved away??? (hee-hee; I don't believe ANYone could trump your Sherry, but inquiring minds gotta know the 'rest of the story.')
You were sure blessed to know a man like Theodore. I don't suppose they make 'em like that anymore.
could I have won
a pony
or a bike? ;)
Another great story, your Mama was a savvy one!
what a great reminder of all the wonderful things folks have done for us in our lives. The Theodore we knew (my dad), was as generous with his time and equipment as your Theodore. He was stiffed a couple times with stuff not returning and it ended his love of sharing but he still did it. Love this entry. Generosity of the heart still exists. I think it's just that folks are more guarded than ever.
love and Happy New Year to you and Sherry from up north where snowflakes gently drift
Over time I learned to give money rather than ever loan it. Now I don't give it either(except to a few charities)! but that is a function of being on disability, not a real shift in the original reason I began to do that. I've known Theodores, & I've known many people who greatly benefited from them without a thought of reciprocation, & only fleeting thoughts of thanks.
There's a place in the Promise Land for Theodore but I'm not so sure about those who took advantage of his kindness.
R
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