Looking Back

William Charlie Lee
December 05, 1903
Happy Birthday Paw Lee

I sit here this morning thinking about that Saturday 105 years ago and the chain of events that brought me to this place and just thinking that if just one event had changed or never happened I may not be here.

Grandpaw was the oldest of 5, 1 sister and 4 brothers. To say they had a hard time of if would be an understatement to say the least. Some how they made it through the hard times and he and Granny raised 2 sons. Dad being the oldest.

Grandpaw was, for the most part a quiet person, except when it came to politics. Maybe that's why I get up on my soapbox.


I do remember him plowing the cotton with an old mule like in the picture.
I can remember when Grandpaw wound come in from the field for lunch he would tie the mule off under the shade tree. After lunch he would go out on the front porch, which he always called the "gallery", and sit and smoke his pipe. Now he would not sit in a chair, he would sit on the the floor with his back against the the wall and just relax. He knew what hard work was and wasn't afraid of it. Those are genes he and Granny passed on to Dad.


The things he and Granny saw. The hard times, lossing 2 children at birth, Dad being in combat in Korea. I can see Grandpaw being in the field plowing and the mailman stopping at the mail box. I know he had to wonder if the mail was a letter from Dad or if it was bad news about Dad. No matter what staion of life you are in, we all have or have had the same kind of worries.

I remember a story that Mom told me about Grandpaw one time.. back in the 50's play dough only came in one color and that was pink and also bubble gum was the same color. Well for some reason Grandpaw picked up some of my play dough thinking it was my bubble gum. I don't know what he was thinking or just what he may have said after he tired it.. hahaha Little things like that only makes me see him as more of a real person.

One more story that's all I promise... When I was learning to drive the old truck and I mean old, if was a 1949 FORD we used on the farm, Grandpaw and I were going to the store using the back roads. Well all the roads up there then were back roads... anyway the intersection I had to stop and turn on to was at the top of a hill. If you've never driven you really want understand what a problem this can be for a new driver and on driving an old truck at that. Well at the top of the hill when I tried to trun on to the road the old truck went dead. I could not get the thing started for the life of me... I just could not do the clutch, break, and gas all at the same time. Finally after tring 3 or 4 times Grandpaw laughed and got out and got us going. Back when I was teaching Lauren to drive my standard shift she had the same problem. I couldn't help but smile and think of Grandpaw that summer day many years ago.

Although Grandpaw has been gone since 1984, I never pass the old home site without thinking about him or Granny. Some would say Grandpaw was tight with his money, but again Mom has told me that then things were bad Grandpaw would always have a little to help out. I never remember him buying himself anything, but I think when it came to us he would do anything. I feel like he knew what a dollar was and what it took to make one. I think he knew that maybe tomorrow the sun want be a bright and it's important to have a little put away for those dark days. I think I got some of that from him also. I do buy a few little things for myself, but for the kids and grandkids it doesn't matter... I'll get or give them anything I have.

I just hope there is life after we leave this one and I also hope Paw Lee can see what he has left behind and he can be happy knowing that a part of him lives on today. I regreat that my girls and now my grandsons never knew him the way I did, but maybe thru things like this he will be more than just a grave marker on a hill.