ONE MORE YESTERDAY

***** I have not been Joe David Graves in more than 40 years . In 1969 Joe David morphed into Rocky Graves & has been ever since . Check my April post, A STRANGE THING HAPPENED for the details on the transformation .

So if you hear me referred to as Joe David , you know you are dealing with old time Medina folks . Most of my childhood friends have not made the jump to Rocky .

I have greatly enjoyed my controversial & tumultuous years as Rocky Graves . About 20 of those years were a real blast , could not have been any better . And the other 20 were pretty good too .

That being said , I would like to go back to being Joe David Graves for one night . Why ? I would like to have a get together of my first grade class .A 55 year 1st Grade Reunion if you will .

What would be so special about that ? The fact that our teacher could attend would. How many 55 year reunions have teachers present ? Not many I bet .

Our class in 1956 was not Miss Virgie's first rodeo . She was almost 50 & had been teaching about 25 years when we arrived .

Miss Virgie is 102 years old , still lives in Medina , & until just a few years ago was a substitute teacher .

One of the most fascinating parts of life is watching it unfold . We started out life's journey with around 25 travelers filled with hopes & dreams . Now that our little bunch has entered life's final turn it is interesting to see .

I guess our class was bland & average . There is no one famous & one one in prison that I know of . No one who cured cancer or became a Hollywood star.

There was not a single doctor or lawyer in our class & only one teacher . We did have two pharmacists & some businessmen . A few owned their own business . One was a high school & college coach .

About 2/3 of the class live within 25 miles of Medina . Three are in the Nashville Metro area , another three in the Memphis Metro area. There is one in Indiana & one in Oklahoma .

Only two have passed away but six or seven have serious medical concerns .

There have been some divorces & some drinking problems scattered through the group . Many are very involved in church , some surprises there .

Most have raised their kids & are grandparents now . There is a lot those kids & grandkids don't need to know .

I guess our band was just another drop in the river of life flowing into eternity. But I wish I could be Joe David Graves one more time . I would love to see them all .

I would laugh , hug their necks ,& tell them Goodbye !

THANK YOU FOR READING !!