My Dad

My dad's birthday was last week. On September 3 he would have been 63. I didn't forget about it, just didn't really know what to say. This morning I was looking through a drawer in my dresser looking for some stuff. I ran across this poem that was found on his grave, just a few days after we buried him in 1971. It was written by one of his best friends, Jr. Poole. He and Jr. were quite a pair. I can remember going up to his automotive shop here in Lockney as a child and working on cars till all hours of the night. I would go out and lay down in the seat of the pickup and sleep. That shop is still there. Jr. and his sons still operate it. Jr. had a malignant tumor removed from behind his right eye a couple of months of go.

One of the funniest memories I have of those two was in about 69 or 70. I don't remember exactly what year it was. One of those years, dad had backed over mom's car in a grain truck. Pretty much took the top right off the car. So he bought her a new car. A 1968 Pontiac GTO. What a car! It was maroon with a black vinyl top and red interior. One Saturday afternoon, dad and Jr. headed off to the drag races in Amarillo in that car. I can still hear my mom telling them "do not race my car!" as they were leaving. We got up Sunday morning for worship, headed out the door to get in the car, and there it was! Their times still shoe polished on the windshield, they had raced mom's car. Now, you have to understand one thing, my dad stood almost 6' 7", and weighed a very muscular 235. My mom is about 5' 8". She started in on him "I told ya'll not to race my car!". I can remember being scared to death of my mom when she lost her temper! LOL! We got in the car to and dad started it, it had a dead miss! LOL! It was only hitting on about 7 cylinders! Mom said "ya'll ruined my car! ya'll ruined my car!" all the way to church. Fun memories!

EPITAPH OF A DAY

JUST A YEAR AGO THIS LORDS DAY

WE TOOK TIME OFF TO GO AND PLAY

TO THE NORTH PLAINS WE DID GO,

HIS IN FRONT, MINE IN TOW. THE

DAY WAS SHOT BUT RON'S LUCK WAS NOT

I RUN SOME, HE RUN MANY, BY EVENING

LATE WE HAD RACED PLENTY.

IT WAS A DAY SPENT WITH A FRIEND, I

JUST WISH WE COULD DO IT ALL OVER AGAIN

WE TALKED A LOT IN TIMES GONE BY, ABOUT

THINGS MOST FOLKS WOULD WONDER WHY.

WELL WE DID LIKE LOTS OF THE SAME,

SOMETHING DIFFERENT, NOT TO TAME.

BUT NOW THOSE CHERISHED TIMES ARE OVER,

AND DAYS FOR ME ARE A LOT MORE SOBER.

D.B.P

In memory of Ronnie Belt

September 3, 1945

October 8, 1971

Happy birthday dad!