Memory Lane

 

Graduation day, June 1998 😐

    I was out in the shed this past week getting out my Christmas decorations (don't judge) and I came across my tote of keepsakes. Charley was out there with me, so I took the time to open it up and stroll down memory lane with her. I was embarrassed and surprised at the amount of stuff I kept. There were keepsakes from when I was a little girl (apparently ceramics were a BIG thing in the 80's). There were stories I had written in my creative writing class that I had kept. One was titled "Grandparents" and I remember it so well. I read that story at my Granddaddy Hinkle's funeral when I was 15 years old. Charley started to read some of them, and we were both laughing. I showed her how we kept our papers together way back then without staples or paper clips. Do you remember folding the corners of the paper and then tearing a tiny square in the middle and folding it down? I'll have to take a picture of it for a visual for you some time. There were a few pictures that I had cut someone out of. Charley really thought that was hilarious! I told her that was before "photo shop" was a thing. That's how we did it. 😂 There were some TERRIBLE hairstyles (on me, of course). Did I tell you it was a little embarrassing?  There was even an OG Nintendo Gameboy. I just need to get batteries and I bet she will still work! 

    Anyway, I came across the picture above, still in the frame from 1998 and I had to catch my breath. Wes Acord was the brother I never had. He and I had been friends since about the 9th grade. He came to Christmases and Thanksgiving dinners and so many family things with me. Wes, Jason Miller & Jeremy McManaway were the three amigos. ALWAYS together, they had literally been together since elementary school and their parents were all friends too. I liked to think of myself as the sister they never wanted but, they let me tag along anyway.  Wes played the drums, and he was GOOD at it too! He had the best personality! I could depend on him; I could talk to him about ANYTHING. When we were in the 11th or 12th grade, he had a MAJOR life change and it changed him. He was so sad after that, and I don't think he ever really got over it. After high school, we went on to do other things. We stayed in touch for a little while, then life happened. He got married and had two kids (who are the spitting image of him.) They divorced and life kept moving. His dad passed away and well, his dad was his best friend. I got to see Wes last year. His neighbor brought him into my store for lunch one day after taking him to a doctor's appointment. When he walked past the windows, I knew immediately it was him. They sat down at a table; I went over and hugged him SO TIGHT. He didn't know what to do 😞. Wes had his own "demons" like most of us do. He had a hard time with them at times. 

    Wes died in March, 2023. My heart broke at the loss of my friend. My heart broke for his mom and Jeremy and Jason and especially his kids. I have the sweetest memories of Wes. When I found this picture, I remembered my friend. Who rarely smiled in pictures, who I could depend on when a lot of people in my life at that time were not dependable. I'm so grateful for the memories Wes. I'll see you again one day. 

Wishing you sunny skies and green pastures,

McKession