Who will block for me?

 In the sweet bye

This past December Roscoe and I traveled down to Williston, Raleigh to be exact, to get some seed cane from Jack Whitehurst. Jack along with his twin brother Bill and sister Harriet were the first people we met when we rolled in from Wilmore, Kentucky that June day in 1967. They had brought us watermelons to welcome us as the Preacher family of the First United Methodist Church. I told mamma that day, there are two men at the door. When I learned they were in my class of 1973, I kind of was concerned for my diminutive size. Their size later that year turned to my benefit when they opened wide gaps for the number 40 halfback to make long hauls on the JV football team.

Those were such great years with Pappy Whitehurst and my father being such friends, along with Elliot, Bill and Dan and their children.

I loaded the cane that day and looked forward to this November returning to Williston where Jack hoped to cook his own syrup, at least building a shed for the kettle and setting up the mill. I had last year finally set up my fathers Goldens Mill and had planned to squeeze the juice and take it down to add. 

Saturday I was in Williston for the funeral of a family friend Tommy Brazeal and I sat by Jacks brother Bill and wife Cindie. 

He said he’d tell Jack he saw me and would let me know where the cooking was taking place.

Today Bill messaged me to say Jack passed away that same Saturday around 6pm.

The cane is now all the more special than before, as is the bottle of syrup he and Charlene gave me. 

In the sweet bye and bye

We shall meet by that beautiful gold cooking.