Hello Hound Dogs!
The Fall season officially arrived this week and a cool breeze has found me in southwest Arkansas. I like this Fallin' time of the year even though I feel as if I'm "fallin'" through life much of the time. I'm a little fearful that the typically stunning fall colors that adorn the Ouachita and Ozark mountains may be a bit drab this year because of the lack of rainfall in summer months, but I am certain that those trees who do "dress up" for the season will "show off" for Mother Nature. Anyway, beauty is in the eye of the beholder and I find trees pulchritudinous (my word of the day) regardless of the color of their leaves.
This week's break from the summertime heat also makes football more enjoyable. The crispness in the air brings back the memories of Thanksgiving Day games against the Pioneers of Batesville and the sweet smell of success. This past weekend I found myself sitting in the rain watching the Razorbacks "pull the plug" on Alabama. The Tide is out!!! Donny "Rooster" Appleton, Gene "Bean" Bennett and I had a great time calling the Hogs and eating the best barbequed ribs imaginable at a pre-game party at the home of Charity and Ronnie Jones (Bean's daughter and son-in-law). By the way, David Hurley, the final score was Hogs 28 - Tide 21. As sweet as that Hog victory was, those ribs and the company of Rooster and Bean were sweeter. My wife, Kathi, and Robin Appleton put up with our antics as well as the rain. Those Hog wins make one want to go dancin' in the street.
I really appreciated the response to the "Let's dance" edition of the Miles' Files sent a couple of weeks ago. Kathi recently turned me on to the Lee Ann Womack song "I Hope You Dance" that speaks to me about the need to Live Life as it presents itself. Life is challenging, Life is fragile, but Life is Good! Put on those dancin' shoes and dance, dance, dance. I received cybernotes following "Let's Dance" from Mary Wynne Parker, Cherry Lou Smith, Donny Appleton, Gene Bennett, David Sibley, Freeman Travis, Scott Baker, Gail Thaxton, Drew Stewart, Nancy Rhodes, Bobby Joe Forrester, David Reid and Bobbye Ellen Davis (finally!).
Bobbye Ellen was visiting in Newport and I'm sure Cherry tied her to a PC. Whatever the reason for your "writing", I am tickled to find so many staying in touch with one another. It is through your "notes" that I know you are "talking" to other classmates. I'm wanting us to achieve an "unbroken circle of old friends." Scott B. mentioned that George Mark Walden was last seen in Fenton, Missouri outside St. Louis and that Bill Duckworth is with Southwestern Bell in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area. Bobby Joe indicated that Susie Babb is also in the Dallas area. David R. believes "Booger" Heasley went back to Batesville after college. David asked the whereabouts of Billy Wayne Matthews. Lost and Found headquarters for all who were a part of the Class of 1970 is right here at the Miles' Files. Let's hunt down these lost puppies from the litter of '70.
Back to dancin', Gail informed me that she had found a picture of the two of us "twisting" at the Country Club (circa 1963) and Mary Wynne sent me a copy of a picture of us "dressed to the nines" prior to the 6th grade Christmas dance (we think). To my amazement, both of those very pretty young ladies must have been attracted to short, buck toothed guys with burr haircuts who had a little rhythm. Thanks for the memories, Gail and Mary Wynne! Bobby Joe and Scott B. relit my candle from our college years with Scott reminiscing about ballroom dancing classes and Bobby Joe having recently tripped over to Tunica to see and hear Joe Walsh. Fun, fun, fun!!!
Now I'm Fallin' back into the present. As we continue our Sunday evening hiatus to "group think" about one another as a family of everlasting friends, I ask you to particularly remember Darlene Black (Joe's wife) who has been diagnosed with breast cancer this past week. Darlene is in great spirits and is scheduled to have a mastectomy next week. Since we have the pleasure (all mine) of working with each other, I get to visit with Joe on a daily basis and he is in good spirits as well. Please keep them both in your thoughts and prayers. Mary Wynne has had a wonderful week following Round 2 of Chemo treatments and is readying for Round 3. I'm expecting her to "knock out" her cancer opponent in an upcoming Round in the "ring" as she continues her fight. She expressed a genuine appreciation for the prayers she "feels" coming her way from all of our littermates. Others have also commented with smiling faces about this "time" we have set aside to think of our friends and the challenges we all face as we "Dance" and "Fall" through life. Special thanks to Margaret Ann Gillihan for suggesting this time for sharing thoughts.
It has been quite a while since we have had any "new" registrants on our NHS website. Don't forget to visit periodically and encourage others to sign up. I want the Class of '70 to have the greatest number of registrants on the web. For those who may have forgotten (I suffer from short term memory loss ... and it's not the scotch) the website can be found at: www.nhsalumni.net. As I learn more about this "hi-tech" stuff, I hope to add some pictures to our page. So visit occasionally and sign the guest book. There is no tellin' who you may hear from.
I am often surprised (but not haunted) by the "ghosts of Remmel Park" as well as those proverbial "skeletons in the closet." Send me the memories in your head, embellish them a little so they will be interesting (there was nothing boring about the Class of '70) and I will pass them on to the world. David Reid tells me the Miles' Files are read in Tokyo, but that they are only fully appreciated if you are under the influence of a good bottle of sake.
Cherry Lou reports that we are continuing to make progress toward our goal of $2,000 in our class treasury by the end of 2000. We are just on the north side of $1,000 as we speak. So while you are sittin' around after a tough day with a cold beer or warm milk (or some fine sippin' whiskey) in hand, take out your check book and make a contribution to the Class of 1970 doggy-bank. Any amount would be appreciated ($30 after 30 years is a "cheap" price for the memories we share). Any contribution should go to Cherry Lou Simmons, 2909 Melody, Newport, AR 72112. On second thought you may need to send it to me since Cherry has been known to take an occasional trip to Tunica. No, no, no! Send it to Cherry, she may just double our money over there. I would encourage you as well to keep your eyes open when in Tunica 'cause you just might run into one of your littermates while there. Recent messages from Gail, Bobby Joe and Cherry could be an indication that trips to Tunica are a regular occurrence. Pappa needs a new pair of shoes!
Well, I have rambled enough on this trip down memory lane. As Fall sets in, turn your thoughts to those leaf collections for Biology and the Greyhounds racing to victory (not those at the track in West Memphis, but those from our days at Newport High). Each fallin' leaf is like a day fallin' from our lives. Pick up a beautiful Autumn leaf from the ground and put it in your scrapbook, it is bound to bring back a pleasant memory of a childhood friend or a day in the park. Life is a challenge, Life is fragile, but Life is GOOD!!!!
Miles from Nowhere ... Not a soul in sight, but it's alright ... Don't forget to "write"
joe
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