Yes, there is a
Mayberry
This week marks the passing of Andy Griffith, someone we all
wanted to know. Actually we all want to know someone like the character he played
on the Andy Griffith Show, Sheriff Andy Taylor.
In the show, Andy is a widower and father to one young son,
Opie. Andy's Aunt Bee acts as his live-in housekeeper and as surrogate grandmother to Opie. Andy goes fishing with his son and often spends
evenings on the front porch strumming his guitar. Andy always covers for his bumbling deputy, Barney
Fife and he loves to play pranks. He always
helps the less fortunate, helps his community, goes to church, and is a
giver.
On July 6 after a hot day of work loading food in cars at
the food pantry, I decided it was time for a hair cut. I usually go to Wal Mart (I like to hear my
name announced on the intercom at Wal Mart, “Larry
Bays to Cost Cutters”). But I forgot to take exit 7 so I ended up in
my community of Indian Springs where there is an old fashion barber shop like Floyd's Barber Shop. I had never been there before but decided to
give it a try.
When I went inside, my local pharmacist and friend, Michael
Messamore, had just gotten in the barber's chair. Seeing Michael there gave me some comfort
that this was not a butcher shop for hair.
Michael knows me well, having provided all of the medicine and chemo
5-FU for my late wife Betty. Michael
always waited on me personally and would always tell me that he, his wife Laura
and daughter Sarah were praying for us. As
Michael was leaving he told me Sarah is getting married next week. I then remembered how Andy Taylor never wanted
to look like he had just gotten a hair cut.
I thought that’s why Michael was here a week before Sarah’s wedding day;
he had watched Andy explain that to Opie.
Yes, there is a Mayberry!
Also in the Indian Springs barber shop, asleep on the couch,
was my good friend Jim Fuller. Jim and I
have breakfast about once a month. I sat
down next to Jim and starting gently pulling the paper off his chest, just like
Andy would do to Barney. As the barber
and Michael laughed, I tried to startle my friend Jim. Jim eventually woke up and we caught up on
what was happening in both of our lives.
We set a date for our next breakfast and argued about whose turn it was
to buy. Jim is a really good man and he comes from
the good stock. I met Jim about three
years ago. He is retired from Eastman Chemical, a native of Bristol ,
VA , a graduate of Virginia Tech, a faithful
husband, good dad and granddad, and is experienced with grief. When I first met Jim I learned his dad was
the Fuller of the Fuller Bus Line in Bristol
from years ago. I have fond memories of
Mr. Fuller from a Christmas morning around 1959. My dad loved to drive buses and would drive
charter buses for Mr. Fuller on weekends. On that Christmas morning, Mr. Fuller was out
delivering ham and turkey to all of his employees just like Andy and Barney on
the Andy Griffith Show. I never
forgot his kindness to my dad and to our family. Yes, there is a Mayberry!
I have the privilege of working for an organization that
helps feed over 2000 people each month. Through this organization people in need are provided
clothing, transportation, medical treatment, medicine, and financial assistance. We are
actually like Andy, we are not Andy Taylor but we are representing over 20
churches, 400 volunteers, and civic minded companies in our community. Because of them and volunteers like Marty,
Nancy, Sally, Bill, Bob, Mary Ann, Penny, Madelyn, Kathy, Jane,
Sharon, Don, Bruce, and too many others to list, we are able to serve our
community in a effective and efficient way.
Yes, there is a Mayberry!