I do this at the risk of leaving
someone out or offending someone. That certainly was not my
intention. I put it together hastily and apologize to anyone who is
offended because of omission or inaccurate characterization. This
mainly is to acknowledge a few of the remarkable people I knew
growing up with and interacted with later in life.
It is by no means complete. I did not write this to fish for
comparable compliments. I wrote this to suck up to you in case I
need you for something. When I grow up I would like to be like or do
things like the following people.
I would put together something as stupendous as the Aldersonian like
Barry did and does.
Be a state trooper like Tom Keadle , Barry and Bedford Baker, David
Whitely or Frank Thomas risking their lives to protect us. After
doing that for awhile I would go to law school and become a circuit
judge for the rest of my life like Tom Keadle.
Would whiz around Alderson taking pictures and researching all the
interesting things in Alderson like Causby Parker.
Or make all the money that Rick Hughes made and write political and
economic blogs by the tons. Although I would want to be able to run
faster than him.
Be like Betty Alderson and keep the Alderson store going in the
midst of Wal-Mart and all the other little and big boxes.
Kick a football , ride in the rodeo , wear a cowboy hat and boots
like Junior Moody did.
Or be like John McCurdy move to Alderson stay there and tell the
most remarkable stories ever told, some of which may have been true.
Play football, drive a truck and spread joy like Kenny Baker.
Or like Mike McClung have more college ball players in his house
than most towns ever did and work now to make the county a better
place. He was not the best athlete in his house.
Be as fast, as good an athlete, as smiling, as gentle and as nice a
man as my brother Allan Galloway. I would run so fast that no one
would ever catch me from behind.
Would be like Mary Steele Morgan the classiest, most interesting
lady around.
Or really be able to write a hilarious book about Alderson and be a
country lawyer like H R Ayres.
Would play football very well, be a legend all my lifetime, be an
honor student in college and write beautifully and eloquently as
David Shields.
Would be as smart and accomplished as Bruiser Bland and get me a PHD
and write books about abstract math that only a few people could
understand. Although If I were Bruiser I would want to be more up on
global warming alarmism.
Would be remembered as the most interesting, funniest person to be
around and most engaging person that anybody that knew Jim Rowe
would say about him. I also would never ever be lost for words.
I would spend my life saving people's lives and tending to their
needs like Bill Kincaid and Charles Snyder.
Like Bill I would fly airplanes and be the quickest wit ever.
Or be like Charles and retire to Mexico. Bill was the best man in my
wedding and Charles was my college roommate.
I would be like Roger Bowyer always ready to help anybody at the
drop of a dime and the solidest most honorable friend a person could
have.
I would be like Margaret Hambrick running around tirelessly and
amazingly saving this and that building in Alderson and throughout
the county with a distinguished high level career in the Bureau of
Prisons.
I would be like Karen Lobban always there for my family, working
tirelessly for the 4th of July and the county to make it a better
place for everyone.
I would be like Linda Lowdermilk always there, always efficient,
always willing and always organized.
On second thought I could never do that.
I would be like Andy McThenia a law professor at a big name law
school and probably one of the smartest people I ever knew that fell
into liberalism.
Or like Steve Keadle teaching kids and coaching kids his entire life
and now taxing me into poverty.
Or Sam Groves who married my daughter and spoke at my mother's
funeral sold cars, sold real estate and saved souls and then saved
more souls after I told him he had done enough.
Maybe I'll add more, when I grow up.
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