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The Eclectic Pen - One of the last true Gentlemen

By: JOYCE W. (luvthemgoats)   + 6 more  
Date Submitted: 4/15/2007
Genre: Biographies & Memoirs » Memoirs
Words: 573
Rating:

I was 23 years old when I first met Charles Morefield, an uncle to my husband to be John, he was bottle feeding two lambs that had been born and thier mothers rejected them, he even let me feed one. I was a little scared of him at first, this man had served in the Marines during World War Two, he had also served in the Army, He was tough and had been through only God knows what. He hardly ever talked about what he had been through except that he was a medic and a few of the places he had been. When John and I got married, Charlie let us move into a house he owned right across the driveway from where he lived. Which we eventually bought from him. It did not take long for me to learn that my fear of Charlie was totaly and utterly unfounded.He took me under his wing from the very start, a Young woman he didnt know, he treated like a daughter he never had. I only knew him for 15 years but a kinder, more considerate man I never knew before nor since. John and I ended up divorcing after 4 years and a son {Beau} the love of my life. Beau and I continued to live in the house across the driveway from Charlie. No way was I going to leave that holler in Tennessee and leave him alone if I could help it. For a good while I had to work two jobs to make ends almost meet. Charlie helped me in more ways than I am sure he ever knew. In the winter months Beau and I never came home to a cold house, every day that I had to work Charlie would brave the wind, snow, ice or rain to fill up the wood box, and put wood in our stove so that we had a warm welcome, in the spring, summer and fall he mowed my yard, hoed my garden, helped me gather the harvest and even taught me some about cooking and canning the harvest. And in doing all of this he never ever would take one penny. A thanks or a home cooked meal was plenty for him as he was a bachelor and I am sure got tired of his own cooking. In my minds eye I can see him and Beau taking long walks, Beau walking with his hands clasped behind his back, trying his best to be just like his hero Charlie. I was never scared living so far away from the road with a small son, because i knew Charlie was just across the driveway and just one yelp and he would be there to see what was wrong. Charlie is gone now, and there is not a day that goes by that I dont think about him. There is so much that I would like to ask his opinion on and listen to his wisdom, but I cant. He passed away on November 19, 2003 . And from that day on I did not like to live in that holler, Someone else bought his land, and moved into his house and I just was not home without him there with the smile that crinkled the corner of his blue eyes. CHARLIE IF YOU CAN SEE THIS FROM WHERE YOU ARE, KNOW THAT YOU ARE LOVED AND MISSED BY ALL WHO KNEW YOU.

The Eclectic Pen » All Stories by JOYCE W. (luvthemgoats)

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