We met in high school when his family moved from California to Mississippi. The year escapes me now, but I am sure that it was at least 10th grade, but I would have to look back at a year book to be sure. TG was larger than life, at times hyper and I am pretty sure bored out of his mind with the traditional class room. He LOVED music, was always singing and was the biggest flirt and joker I had ever met. We used to have these discussions about music, in particular, The L.A. band The Doors. There was a depth about him that drew me; a spiritual, fun-loving, prankster whose presence would visit me over the next 40 plus years.
I remember that he was fast as well, probably one of the fastest kids in school. At Thursday night marching band rehearsals, he would kick off his shoes and race others the distance of the football field. I never remember him losing. At the end of 1971 school year, my parents went through a rough patch and separated. TG was working at Safeway in Clarksdale and he encouraged me to put in an application. I did and for the first time, other than running a paper route or working in my dad's office, I had a real job making $1.60 per hour. TG made work fun. Every night we would sweep the store out, break down boxes, and run a mop over the whole store. Twice a week we would strip the floor and then put down a coat of wax. It was hard work, but it was fun because TG knew how to make it fun.
We graduated in the spring of 1972 and went our separate ways. I went to college and TG went to the Navy...I probably should have joined him there.
Fast forward to 2010 and I am in Nashville visiting Arita Shepard Harber and the subject of the Lee family came up. Arita had remained close to TG's sisters and so we called Mary I believe and got TG's phone number. In the course of the conversation, I found out that TG had spent 5 plus years in the Navy, was discharged, eventually moved to Florida, got his undergrad degree and then his law degree. LAW DEGREE!!! Not that he didn't have the capability; he was one of the smartest people I ever knew. It was just not where I expected to find TG after all of these years. I called and left a message on his law office phone and went back to Virginia.
Several days later, I got this call from my friend of so many years ago and it was as if time stood still. We talked for almost an hour, catching up on each other's life, loves, heartbreaks and joys. We determined to talk again. We did, one more time about a year later and it was a stimulating conversation and again we determined to get together. After all, his home in Greeneville, TN was on the road I took down to see my family.
In December of 2012, I was traveling south to see my family and to attend my niece's wedding in Mobile. As I passed the exit to Greeneville, I thought of TG and his wife Regina and had a thought to call him and at least say hello. It was late and I had an agenda to keep and I said to myself, "there will be another day" and I drove on.
Fast forward to July: TG's father Tony, Sr.is entering the last days of his life and TG's sister Becky posts a picture that will forever be etched into my brain. It was a picture of a son saying goodbye to his father. Tony, Sr. passed through the veil to the other side of eternity and I wanted to get a message to TG. I went on his law firm website and posted a message of condolence to him and his family with the promise that I would call. I am fairly certain that as I was posting my message that TG's family was gathered around him as he, too, passed though the veil. When Becky's post reached Facebook, I was shattered in my soul. Floods of regret came over me; regret fueled by the fact that I had opportunity to reach out and affirm to my friend the place of importance that he held in my life and I had failed.to follow through.
It is now early December, and the reality of his passing still doesn't seem real to me, yet, his wife recently posted a picture that was to me the epitome of the TG of my youth; the ever present smile and the confidence in those eyes. He will forever be in his 59th year, but he will live on as one of my great friends that I was fortunate to reconnect to before he crossed to Eternity. I love you, man...you were one of a kind!
It is now early December, and the reality of his passing still doesn't seem real to me, yet, his wife recently posted a picture that was to me the epitome of the TG of my youth; the ever present smile and the confidence in those eyes. He will forever be in his 59th year, but he will live on as one of my great friends that I was fortunate to reconnect to before he crossed to Eternity. I love you, man...you were one of a kind!
