Mr. Tin Man and I discussed
the death of a dear friend of mine.
Tin Man and I traveled our road,
famous yellow road of gold bricks.
My friend Mr. Williams and I
traveled another road, his path.
A good man, family, friends, job, and
golf were on a path that he shared.
He doesn't walk that road any more,
Tin Man suggested, write an ode to him.
- - - - -
An Ode to Mr. Williams
Everett Williams was a dear friend of mine
We played some golf and we talked up a storm
He loved the do-overs, his Mulligans**1**
I read and shared with him that a driver
for older persons might use their three wood
Then straight down the fairway went his drives
National Senior Games found him at third place**2**
He played his age, he was ninety-five
Everett died on June Seventeen this year
I learned of it through Googling on his name
Surprised was I, we hadn't contacted
since his final Christmas card for last year
We had moved away, a hundred miles north
But still we played golf on the cooler days
His favorite pose was with a club in hand,
leaning over a pond fishing for balls
The last I knew, Everett was still driving
He drove to the grocery store, to his church,
and to his favorite golf courses
He'd bought a new car in two-eleven
Everett was proud of his home on the creek
and loved to tell of his blue-bonneted lane
Once he invited a lady friend over
"Come see my blue bonnet pictures," he said
I asked him, had he any etchings to show
This age-old pick up line he didn't know
He once was the water commissioner,
office he held eight years when he was young
Everett loved politics, he volunteered
one time to be my campaign manager**3**
Everett was a widower for six years
His wife, Elma, died at age ninety
They'd been married for seventy-three
He loved his kids, was proud of seven grandkids
He was a fireman for thirty-eight,
he retired his volunteer job as chief
He loved his church and was a deacon there
I will miss my friend Everett, a good friend
My regret is that we didn't play more golf,
a lot of golf after we moved away
- - - - -
Picture of Tin Man and Jim on the Yellow Brick Road and Poem Copyright, © 2014 Jimmiehov, All Rights Reserved
Everett Williams picture was on his obituary published by the Jeeter Funeral Home (link)
[click on a picture for a larger sized view]
Today I am linked with Susie Clevenger at the Real Toads, the Yellow Brick Road
Notes:
**1** Mulligans in golf allow a golfer to have another hit in place of his previous bad shot (link)
**2** Everett place third in the 2013 Summer National Senior Association Games, golf men 95-96 (link). For about 30 years Mr. Williams has been using his three wood instead of his driver. Before that his hits off the tee were going all kinds of places or else he would miss the ball.
**3** I ran for a newly created Justice of the Peace position. I won the primary but lost in the general election 49+ percent to my opponent's 50+ percent.Labels: A Tribute, Friends, Irregular Ode, Personal-Challenge-2014, Poem, Real Toads
