Sonny Said “just wait 10 years”

When I married my Sherry, I married the whole family. I became part of it. Sherry had two sisters, Lennie and Colette, both loveable sweet ladies. The three girls were close. Lennie was married to Elmer and Colette was married to Sonny. I hit it off with Sonny & Elmer. 

 Elmer and I

                                            Sonny and I

Once I left the military we bought a house one block from Sonny and Colette. Sonny and I became very close. As he got old (60’s) he would say to me, “You won’t be jumping around like that in ten years.”  He was ten years older than I. In his 70’s he said the same. “Ten years more and you will feel your age.” Sonny passed away in his early 80’s. Boy do I miss him. We had a lot in common.
He was a Democrat, I a Republican.
 He was a Union man, I didn’t always approve of Unions.
 He was an expert with the Bow and Arrow, I might could hit a barn.
He was a cabinet maker, I was a rough carpenter.
He lived within a rocks throw of the same place all his life.  I lived in close to 20 different places hundreds and thousands of miles away.
 He liked Ford products I preferred General Motors.
He loved fried hog ears, I never ate them.
 He planted Oak trees around his house that grew to a diameter of 3 feet, most everything I planted died.
So actually, we did have our differences, and they never got in the way of our friendship. Ahhh but for those few things we disagreed on, there were thousands we completely agreed on. Top of the list was he loved and adored his Harris girl and I do mine.  We were both family oriented. 

        One of our many trips together (sherry taking the picture)
For years those girls kept us together. Thanksgiving and Christmas was at Lennie’s and Collette’s houses. Every Wednesday it was Pinto beans, cabbage and cornbread at Lennie’s house.
Lennie was the first sister to pass, then Collette. They were followed by Sonny a few years later.
When Sonny was alive, I have heard him say. I have lost my mind.  His mind was his small note book he carried in his shirt pocket for reminders. Once as he was ‘going down hill’ I stayed with him in the hospital. Most of you know doctors come into the room of a senior and ask the same questions: What day is it, what year, who is the president, etc. Well once after a long night the doctor came in early. He asked Sonny the same things. As the Doctor was leaving, Sonny stopped him, “Doc, them questions, if you would write them answers down you wouldn’t have to ask ‘em every day!”  He was serious.  LOL.
 Near the end, once,  I had the pleasure of staying with him and cleaning him. He apologized at every situation. I would just laugh and joke, “Hey old man, I am doing the work, you just lay there and enjoy it.”
“Jack, if you was a girl, I might!”
All this was brought to mind, because in the last few days, I feel the ten years he talked about!
Ever have a REAL FRIEND that you miss?
Nite Shipslog  

 This 1928 Ford Tudor was born the same year as Sonny!