May You Always...December 27, 2009

Just how fast can Life’s wristwatch run? When last I sat down to visit with you in these pages it was early July, hot and humid as the days of summer in Arkansas are. It seems a short moment ago. As I gather my thoughts today it is Christmas, a dusting of snow on the ground here in the Ozarks. I ponder events of days passed and days to come.

We are in the last week of 2009 in quick step to the last year of the first decade of the 21st century, a time that was the setting for many science fiction stories we read as youngsters. Funny to me that we are now characters in that “fictional” setting about which we read all those years ago. The implausible hand held communication and tracking devices we saw in the “Star Trek” television shows of the ‘60s are in wide use by the masses in present day. Gosh, we can even watch television in the palm of our hands now.

Fifty years ago I often found myself sitting cross legged in the floor in front of a sturdy piece of cherry wood furniture that was nothing more than a Zenith radio and record player. A matching cabinet housed the television set. In those “growing up” years I was more inclined to listen to music on the record player than to tune in the radio or watch the television. Programming was limited and watching television was not much fun for a kid. First there was no remote control, but then there were only three television channels. And those three channels didn’t provide much of interest to children, plus getting the rooftop antenna perfectly situated for the best picture was work requiring an abundance of patience of which I had little. My mother was the greatest influence over the records purchased for our listening pleasure. Her taste in music was a bit eclectic for which I am most grateful since it exposed me to a wide variety of musical genre including show tunes, pop, and early rock ‘n roll.

Given that 2009 is in its final days ... I reflect. I have heard many lament this past year and express relief that 2009 is almost over. I must admit that 2009 has been a time of discontent on many fronts. Now I have been warned that wishing time away to get to an uncertain future is of no value, but recalling past times to better appreciate the present and to assist in setting course for the future is enlightening. I return to my place on the floor in front of that old Zenith radio/record player. My mother is taking down the Christmas tree and its trimmings, my sister is playing with her brand new Barbie doll that was all the rage in 1959, and I’m engaged in a recreation of a Civil War battle with toy soldiers from that era that I received from Santa. For those of you wondering about my father, I can imagine that he is sitting at a poker table at the Silver Moon playing his own game of skill and luck in effort to pay off Christmas. Anyway, back at home a record by the McGuire Sisters was on the turntable . . .

May you always walk in sunshine

Slumber warm when night winds blow

May you always live with laughter

For a smile becomes you so

“May You Always” climbed the charts in 1959 alongside songs by rockers Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly, Little Richard and pop stars Bobby Darin, Johnny Mathis, and the Platters. More important than its place on the charts fifty years ago is its uplifting lyrics and the message it delivers today. These last ten years from 2000 through 2009 have been trying times for many people; maybe not as socially turbulent as the ‘60s, but events of this decade have tested our emotional stability making a smile tough to come by. The song itself ‘smiles,’ and I can still ‘see’ the young and beautiful McGuire Sisters smiling as they sing it.

In the midst of the tumultuous 1960’s a New York DJ, Harry Harrison, redrafted “May You Always” with his own words and narrated this version as a holiday greeting to his listeners. I’m sure you advancing “baby boomers” heard this version, which made the Billboard charts in 1965, on the radio during Christmas seasons long ago.

May good fortune find your doorway

May the bluebird sing your song

May no trouble travel your way

May no worry stay too long

The ongoing wars in Iraq and Afghanistan sandwiched between the terrorist attacks on U. S. soil on September 11, 2001 and the lingering “Great Recession” of the past two years have rendered this decade heartbreaking and gut wrenching. Fortunes have been lost, the bluebird’s song is often silent, and ‘Worry’ is the constant companion of many with family members away from home at war defending our freedoms. Such things have altered our way of life in some respect, but faith, hope and love still abide in the hearts and souls of the American people I know.

We regularly turn to entertainment in coping with tough times. Music, theatre, movies, television, sports events . . . all good diversions. The AM radio, record player and television limitations of our youth have seen their boundaries expanded beyond measure. Satellite radio and television options seem limitless with the number of channels available. And now we have things like Pandora, a personalized internet radio medium, and YouTube, a video sharing website where we can create our own television, at our fingertips wherever we may be. “Everyday people” can be stars in the myriad of ‘reality TV’ shows you can find on the air today. In that light, “good fortune” did find the doorway of two Arkansans in the latest 2009 seasons of “American Idol” and “Survivor.” I tip my hat to Kris Allen and Natalie White for their personal victories in these ‘real world’ challenges. For those experiencing troubled times, I’m confident the bluebird will sing again.

May your heartaches be forgotten

May no tears be spilled

May old acquaintance be remembered

And your cup of kindness be filled

At Christmas time it is difficult to forget the heartaches we all suffer while traveling life’s pathway. Tears are going to be spilled along the way. Only the heartless can avoid the aches and pains of living. The holiday season at year’s end is a catalyst for remembering the kind and joyous people who have influenced our personal journeys. During the last few months of 2009 my littermate and childhood friend Greer Guinn (NHS ’70) let go of my hand and left my field of sight. I will always remember Greer’s happy heart and mischievous demeanor. Also, Walter Bellingrath (NHS ’71), the boy with the Cheshire Cat grin, passed from this life in late summer.

Carolyn Thaxton (mother of littermate Gail ‘70, Becky ‘69 and Mart ‘73), Alcorn Minor (father of Al ‘72, Leigh ‘75 and Clay ‘79), and Scott Elphingstone, Sr. (father of Scott ‘72) all ended life’s dance in the latter part of 2009. And just today I received news of the passing of Donnie Thompson, mother of classmate Coy. These four were the parents of childhood friends and Newport community leaders as I was growing up there. Ms. Carolyn Thaxton was an ever present and reliable guiding light in my life. I remember Ms. Donnie Thompson as a kind and caring mom. Alcorn Minor and Scott Elphingstone provided good direction for a prosperous Newport in the 1960’s.

Another spirited Newport soul who must be remembered is Billy Lee Riley. Just as the stretch of road from Newport to Pocahontas, Billy Lee’s birthplace, was officially being crowned “the Rock ‘N Roll Highway” in honor of those who gave birth to the “rockabilly” sound in the roadhouses up and down U.S. Highway 67, Billy Lee Riley belted out the final lyrics of his Sun Records hit, “Red Hot.” He died in August of this year. Billy Lee, your memory will forever burn “red hot” in our hearts.

Being a banker I remember two men, unknown to most of you with Newport ties, who provided much support along my career path. Both passed away in recent months. First, Bob Pratt from Mountain Home was a board member of my bank, First National Bank & Trust in Mountain Home. I met Bob early in my banking career at an Arkansas Bankers Association event and we developed a mutual respect. His son, Jim, was on campus at ASU in Jonesboro with me in the early ‘70s. I learned much about banking and friendship from knowing Bob. And then there was Wayne Hartsfield from Searcy who was the former president of First National Bank in Searcy and a former Chairman of the Arkansas Bankers Association as well as a former Chairman of the Arkansas State University Board of Trustees. In addition to those achievements, Wayne was my father’s family banker in Searcy. I will never forget Wayne standing alongside my dad’s boyhood friend, Ed Lightle, awaiting the arrival of my dad’s funeral procession at its final destination of a tiny graveyard in Center Hill, outside Searcy, that day in the fall of 1983. Wayne was always ready with needed advice and was a loyal family friend. I miss the sage advice.

Several really ‘famous’ people known worldwide have passed from this life during the last half of 2009, Ted Kennedy, Walter Cronkite, Michael Jackson just to name a few. The others I have just remembered are known within their own circle of friends and influence, but maybe not much beyond that. However, from my perspective they are all ‘famous.’ For an apt description of these fine people I will borrow the name of an Arkansas blues group, The Famous Unknowns, which was led by the late Mark Sallings. I first met Mark as a high school student at a Newport Legion Hut dance one weekend. Mark was from McCrory and was a fabulous musician. He briefly attended ASU in Jonesboro in the early ‘70s where our paths frequently crossed. I last saw him a few years back at a club in Hot Springs. I loved his music! Mark died in an auto accident outside Memphis early this year.

May you always be a dreamer

May your wildest dream come true

May you find someone to love

As much as I love you

Yes, this initial decade of the 21st century has been a bit nightmarish at times. If one dreams a lot, the occasional nightmare can be expected. I consider myself fortunate in that I seem to be able to tuck the nightmares away and let the dreams run wild. In the midst of these chaotic times in the banking business and the trials of everyday living, I have experienced a few ‘dreamy’ moments in 2009.

My wife, Kathryn, and I took a trip to New York City this summer especially to see Matt Cavenaugh star in the revival of “West Side Story” on Broadway. Matt is the son of childhood friend Margaret Duncan Cavenaugh (NHS ’72). He is a super talent and the performance was magnificent. After the show Matt invited us backstage in the historic Palace Theatre and guided us on a personal tour. He was a gracious host and delightful young man. In addition to “West Side Story,” we also attended performances of “9 to 5,” “Hair,” “Next to Normal,” and “Mary Stuart.” Following the “Next to Normal” show we had an opportunity to visit with Kyle Massey who has a leading role in this wonderful musical. Kyle is the son of Dean Massey, a classmate of mine at ASU. Both Matt and Kyle grew up in Jonesboro, two Arkansas lads doing well on the “Great White Way.” A couple of other highlights from this ‘dream’ of a trip were chance meetings with two celebrities. We met Dr. Ruth Westheimer prior to the “Mary Stuart” play outside the theatre. I didn’t seek out any sexual advice from her, but Kathryn snapped a photo of us and I am really tall compared to Dr. Ruth. And while walking the streets near Central Park one day we met George Takei who played Captain Sulu in the “Star Trek” television series. When he asked where we were from and we replied “Arkansas,” he informed us that he considered himself an Arkansan following his experience of spending much of his childhood in Rohwer, Arkansas in a Japanese internment camp during World War II. He is a most pleasant man and very generous with his time. May you always discover the joy in the happenstances of life.

On August 4 the Newport High School Charitable Foundation honored six NHS alumni with induction into a newly established Hall of Fame. Five of the six honorees are exceptionally deserving. They are husband and wife Doyle (NHS ’37) and Raye Jackson (NHS ’39) Rogers, who are iconic figures in Arkansas business and philanthropy; former U. S. Senator Kaneaster Hodges (NHS ’56), Arkansas Governor Mike Beebe (NHS ’64), and Greyhound and Arkansas Razorback basketball star Charles Balentine (NHS ’81). The qualifications of the sixth honoree remain suspect in my mind since that individual is me. I am overwhelmed with the genuine honor of being recognized among this group of men and women, all of whom I admire. May you always appreciate the teachers of life’s lessons such as those I had in Newport schools.

A couple of months ago Kathryn and I started building a house on a bluff overlooking the White River just above the confluence with the North Fork River. The site provides a beautiful view of the White as it flows downstream toward my beloved hometown of Newport. Along the river’s edge and directly below our home site is the railroad track that runs south to Newport. Kathryn designed the house and visits the site almost daily as this ‘dream’ of ours takes shape. She frequently reminds me that the ‘dream’ is in the view and not the house itself. We eagerly await the day that we can fully occupy the ‘dream’ of living there each day. The real magic of this new home place is that the waterway, the railway and the highway right outside my door all directly lead to Newport, a place that I love and cherish, a place that I will always know as ‘home,’ a place where my earliest ‘dreams’ were envisioned. Wild and crazy dreams do come true when you find some place and someone to love just as I love you, my friends. May you always realize that home is where the heart is.

My mother gently lifts the turntable’s arm from the record and the voices of the Maguire Sisters fade away. I pick up my toy soldiers and the last page on the 1959 calendar quickly changes to 2009.

I will leave you with the opening lines from Harry Harrison’s version of “May You Always”. . .

As the holiday bells ring out the old year, and sweethearts kiss,

And cold hands touch and warm each other against the year ahead,

May I wish you not the biggest and best of life,

But the small pleasures that make living worthwhile

I’m Miles from Nowhere . . . Happy New Year!!!

joe