The Life & Times of a Simple Man

Life Goes On

I met my wife in this school, married 3 mos. after graduation. This school taught me the Printing Trade & I went to work for Dixie Electrotype 1963. I raised my children working at this Co. who had hired me out of school. For this I will always be grateful, but in 1992 after 29 yrs. faithful svc. they fired me as they had 21 others over a 5 yr. period. Just getting rid long-term workers. I was replaced the next week by a 23 yr. old. It broke my heart. I cried for a month. I had so many thoughts of hate, vengeance & at the same time overwhelmed with guilt as I had always considered myself a Christian. My wife & I had to pray about what I wanted to do in my heart. She said what about our kids & grand kids? I knew in my heart I could not do what my mind was telling me to do. A light went off in my head. What does this company really understand? Their pocketbook. I went to the EEOC. They said I didn't have a case. I told the investigator that she hadn't investigated...just took their word over mine. I told her in anger this wasn't going to fly & I would get this to court & expose her & my Co. When I could not find a job after putting in 67 applications the hate & anger grew worse. Thru many tears I hung onto hope that I had found in scriptures that said God's children would always have Food, Shelter, Clothing & never go begging bread. A Minister told me in class when I was 26 yrs. old that life was like a cloudy overcast sky when you were down in the valleys & couldn't see that right above those gray clouds it was a beautiful, bright baby-blue sky. I flew a few years later & when the Airplane climbed thru overcast skies that day & that beautiful blue appeared those thoughts came flooding back to me of what this wonderful teacher had told me those many yrs. ago. When I lost my job & was going thru those valleys & cloudy overcast skies I wondered & prayed when that beautiful blue would once again appear in my life. As it turned out the Lord had a lot of teaching for me about patience & perseverance. My wife started working 3 jobs & when I finally got accepted into a 2-yr. program in X-ray at Nashville Gen. Hosp., I felt I had to do it. Out of 350 applications I managed to be one of the 8 they accepted. God's providential care was once again working in my life. 2 months into my schooling my wife had chest pains so bad they did an Arteriogram & the Dr. said it was stress along with working 3 jobs. So she cut back to 2 jobs. Meantime I found a law firm who took my case. I had no idea it would take 6 yrs. to get this Co. to court. We had 7 court dates and got bumped 7 times. Everything from Gov't. shutdown in 1995, to a detached retina of their lawyer, to Judge Nixon's mother dying & burying her on my trial date. Most of these delays happened 12 hrs. to 2 days before my court date. I was learning patience...thru many tears. Back to God's providential care. I was in my last yr. school when Gen. Hosp. for the first time in history sent all of us techs (3 males, 5 females) thru 1 month rotation of Mammo & after seeing all kinds of breast cancer & needle biopsies I asked my wife if she checked good for lumps in her breast. She said yes & that one yr. before her Mammo was neg. I said we were going to check her good that evening & I found a lump in her left breast. The mammo & ultrasound was suspicious. The biopsy came back high-grade, fast growing breast cancer. I believe that was the reason I lost my job. Once again God's providential care had entered my life. She said she could not do a thing till I got out of school & got a job. 2 more months of schooling. I said no honey. That I had no guarantee of a job after graduation & that if she waited 2 months she would not have a chance. I knew God would take care of the job & that he had given us this chance. My precious wife lost her left breast & there were no suspicious lymphnode involvement in the 17 they removed. This was 13 yrs. ago.

God's Peace and Strength

Savor Each Day with Those You Love...

and enjoy God's Beauty around you which is free.

Love of a Brother

After I lost my job my brother let me drive one of his cars for 2 yrs. while I was going to school. What makes this special is that he still owed 2 more yrs. of car notes. He paid these notes, the car insurance & license fees. He give us $50 here and there. He cried with & for us. Then 2 yrs. later when I graduated he give me the car. Not many brothers like that. I love him dearly. My wife & I had decided if we won the law suit that the Lord come first, then my brother either got $5,000 or $10,000. Depending on what we got. We made it to trial in 1997 and had a 2 week trial. We beat my Co. on age discrimination with willful intent. We thought it was over. 9 mos. later they filed an appeal to a higher court. I told my lawyers to tell them to have at it. That I was never quitting. My child-hood taught me to never quit. They finally wanted to settle out of court after we had already beaten them in court. Did not change a thing. Just cost them more. My lawyers settled their fees separate and gave my wife and I the total award awarded at trial. Couldn't happen to a nicer Co. Of course the Gov't wanted their part even though they said I didn't even have a case to begin with. Go figure. My brother didn't want to take the money I offered him. He said he didn't do it for money. I told him I knew that better than anyone. I told him I would break his arm if he didn't take it. Ha.

He will always be special to me and my wife.