Memory Lane with Daniel Boone and Warren G. Harding

Published 3:00 pm Saturday, November 5, 2005

Is it just me or are these holidays in which we are immersing ourselves also revealing in us a greater depth of sentimentality?

Is it just me or have you too been thinking about your parents a lot more lately? Or your sisters or brothers or cousins or friends?

Is it just me or have you too had family on your mind?

I always found it amusing during those hot summers when visiting our deified grandparents in Mississippi and Missouri that so many adults would spend so much valuable time just sitting around on the porch or chaired on the lawn talking of “the olden days.”

Why weren’t they out playing or at least doing something fun?

How could so much giggling be going on just listening to dads and uncles and moms and aunts? They were never that funny at home.

The main difference seemed to be the adult beverages. At home, those adult beverages looked more like Coke. When we visited our kin, those adult beverages looked more like Kentucky.

Of course, like any maturing 12-year-old, I have come to learn that some of those adult beverages that we kids thought smelled foul are actually pretty darn tasty.

This time of year my mind sure seems to tear down memory lane. You can read that verb “tear” both ways. As I write this column, I wonder about tomorrow and how I will deal with my dad’s birthday. And my cousin Rhoda’s. Both are gone. Yet, both Dad and Rhoda are very much here.

How can anyone really ever be gone?

Sure, we may not be able to hug ’em, but we can sure still see ’em and hear ’em. No matter what space we are in, there they are.

I can tell you what Dad would say:

“Jimmy, don’t get me anything. I have everything I need. A card is just fine. But don’t put a check in there unless you can cover it without calling me.”

I can tell you what Rhoda would say: “Jimmy, when are you gonna get your #$%^ down here to Texas?”

It makes absolute sense that two of the most successful and admired members of our family would be born the same day as Daniel Boone.

Both dad and Rhoda were much like Daniel Boone. They were both explorers. They were both frontiersmen (sorry, Rhoda, “frontier persons” just doesn’t work for me right now). And both dad and Rhoda enjoyed a touch of Missouri sour mash from time to time. Fellow frontiersman Boone died in Missouri at the age of 86.

It makes absolute sense that dad and Rhoda would have been born on the same date as two great politicians. One a Democrat. One a Republican.

Democrat James Knox Polk, 11th President of the United States, a deeply religious lawyer from North Carolina, was known to be the first “dark horse” candidate.

In the Freeman family, Rhoda may have been our first “black sheep” candidate.

Republican Warren Gamaliel Harding, 29th President of the United States, a fun-loving golfer and avid poker player, was the first president elected by both men and women as women had just earned their right to vote in 1921.

In the Freeman family, Dad was certainly fun loving until he played golf or poker. Actually, Dad was not allowed to play cards growing up in the home of a southern-Baptist minister. No wonder he was so good at solitaire.

Yes, this time of year I need to gear for a tear. I need to wait for the gate. I need to sigh for the cry.

This time of year I need to add some extra armor on my mind so I can wrap presents and slice turkey without thinking of all the folks who are not around the table.

This time of year I need to be mindful and mind-filled with appreciation for all of the people who are around the table. And of all the people who are on the table or near the table or under the table.

This time of year I need to kick up my tennis shoed heels in glee and realize that our Dad and our Rhoda are celebrating with us every day, not just on their birthdays.

You may leave the room now and go hug a fence post.

Congratulations, we are all still vertical!