Thursday, November 23, 2006
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Thursday, November 23, 2006 |
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Community | Obits | Editorial & Columnists | Society | Sports | Education | Classified Ads | Calendar of Events | Features | Newsbriefs | Legals | Archives | Subscriptions | Photo Gallery |
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Fielder’s
Choice Fast 17 years of marriage Thanksgiving seems to roll around quicker every year, and each time it does it stirs good memories. The one that sticks out the most was 17 years ago, 1989. Most folks thought a Thanksgiving weekend wedding was a bit strange, but I’ve never been one to do things strictly by the book. I had just proposed to Pam in September that year, and we figured with her family spread into several cities and states, Thanksgiving would be a good time to bring them to Fulton not just for turkey but a wedding, too. Actually, Pam was rushing me, and didn’t want to wait and be a June 1990 bride. You know I’m joking on that one. I was getting the best end of this deal. You could probably guess where I was the weekend before our wedding - at a football game. But this one was far away, in North Carolina where the Itawamba Community College Indians were playing in a bowl game. I was working as sports editor/managing editor/ad salesperson and so on and so forth at The Itawamba County Times, the only newspaper in the world that cares anything about Itawamba County. Yes, that is the paper’s slogan. I traveled with the coaches and the team by bus to the big bowl game, I believe leaving on Thursday and getting back on Sunday. Pam was afraid I’d stay in North Carolina, and maybe 17 years later she wishes I would have stayed in North Carolina. Actually, it was way too cold to stay. We celebrate our 17th wedding anniversary this Saturday, November 25. Her dad, minister Phil Hefley, married us on that Saturday afternoon at the Fulton Church of Christ, and I was a nervous wreck. My hands were shaking and my knees knocking most of the way through. I almost knocked over things and just knew I’d drop that ring. I was relieved, to say the least, when it came time to say the magic words,“I do.” We had a church full of folks, even though the ceremony was right in the middle of the annual Ole Miss versus Mississippi State football battle, which, by the way, will be renewed again this Saturday. Believe it or not, high school and junior college coaches who I wrote about on a weekly basis put our wedding before the Rebels versus the Bulldogs. The past 17 years have been great. To be honest, it’s been so wonderful I don’t know where the time has gone. We’ve moved from Fulton to Aberdeen, to Laurel, to Holly Springs. If you combine those moves with those Pam made as the daughter of a preacher, she’s called lots of places home. She has put up with my often crazy newspaper job at all four locations. This profession is far from 8 to 5. I often get home late, get a call during the night (like this week), maybe get a little sleep and then head back to the office early. She puts up with seeing her name in print quite often, since I like to write about family. She puts up with my love for sports. It’s really my only hobby, so as I tell her, it could be worse. We’re really opposites in lots of ways, which adds proof to the old saying that opposities do indeed attract. When I was 28 years old back in 1989, I had goals but I, of course, didn’t know what the future held. But through the births of three beautiful children, the job changes, the deaths in our families and the other ups and downs, the married life is as good as I ever intended it to be. I’m looking forward to the next 17 years, and maybe by then we will be just about retired and taking it easy. Erin will be in college, and maybe Emma and Andy will be sending their parents money. Report News:
(662) 252-4261 or south@dixie-net.com
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