Day 24, June 19, 2007

You could almost consider him a legend out here. My grandfather would be 100 years old today. He passed away just over five years ago essentially of old age. The man survived polio in the early 20's and never saw WWII up front as a result. Instead, he taught school in Dyess, AR as a woodworking instructor.

One day, a little boy spent his Saturday morning cutting some wood. I've heard the story as saying that his woodworking teacher was in that room that early morning. The boy tripped and fell on top of the saw splitting him instantly. Jack died a short time later. His brother, Johnny Cash, another one of Waymon's students, never forgot.

Waymon was the child of William Henry Holloway, whose second cousin (I believe) was another woman (also) named Mary Holloway. Mary gave birth to a son not long after William's wife had my grandfather. This son of Mary was named Marlon Brando.

This is the dinner bell that was given to my great-great-grandmother as a gift twelve years before my grandfather was born. It sits on my parents' bookshelf in their living room. Things like this hold stories that last generations.