By John Tinker (sitting in for Ronda Rich)
For some unknown reason, the other day, I began adding up the number of funerals I’ve attended since moving to the South. I stopped at eight since I quickly realized what a morbid, mental exercise I was undertaking.
Of course, I occasionally encounter rudeness in folks. Usually, I’m in a bubble of some kind when I’m jolted right out of it by rudeness or, in some cases, as Mama would say, “Downright meanness.
In the Bible, the Apostle Paul wrote, “When I was a child, I thought as a child.” When I was a child, though, I was far older than my actual age.
Quietly, I stood back and watched the adults. I observed as stories played out.
Everyone has a story.
Or many stories. Every person, uniquely, owns a piece of history.
A cherished friend of mine was a helicopter pilot in Vietnam.
Twice, his helicopter was shot down in the midst of battles. As it is recorded, that was a horrendously uncivilized war.
In our family, no food is held in higher esteem than the biscuit.
Cornbread runs a close second but there’s an art to making a biscuit that the easy-going, no-frills cornbread does not require.
A while back, Tink and I had a meeting to pitch a television show on the Fox Studio Lot in Los Angeles.
It wasn’t the first time I had been there. At least three times, before I knew Tink, I passed through the Fox guarded gates.
Tink is getting on my last nerve.
I am trying to do business and keep my company going but he’s like a little, dark cartoon cloud popping in on my deal-making. Normally, he would only know what I tell him which means he wouldn’t hear an entire conversation.
It’s been four years ago now. Tink and I were attending the annual NASCAR Hall of Fame Induction as we normally do with our friends, Darrell and Stevie Waltrip.
Whenever I meet someone, inevitably, their first comment is, “You must be a Georgia football fan.”
Truthfully, I reply, “I’m an SEC fan. I love to see all the teams do well and celebrate when one wins the National Championship.”
In this column, I strive to sidestep controversy.