A Tribute to a Local Hero
On Monday, August 27, 2007 at 6pm, Billy Watkins died. He was an awesome person.
I met Billy through the Arkansas Interfaith Committee on Worker's Justice and the Central Arkansas Labor Council. I have known Billy since 1999.
Billy was a wonderful person. He was always smiling and had a kind word for everyone. I have never attended a labor related event that I did not see Billy there. He drove this pickup truck that was full of labor stickers. He was the most genuine person you might ever meet.
I knew he was in the hospital and was not doing well. I emailed Melba about visiting him and she warned me yesterday afternoon that I needed to get up there fast because he was not doing well. I was unable to go because I had a meeting in Pine Bluff and did not return home until after 9pm last night. He died while I was in Pine Bluff. I regret I did not get to visit but I do have great memories of this remarkable man.
Melba sent out an e mail that contained a heartfelt tribute that I know is felt by more than just her. I think her words are beautiful:
There is a big hole in the heart of the Labor Movement tonight. Billy was an inspiration to all of us. He was a good man; a kind man; a man that would do anything to help anybody in need. The angels are rejoicing because they won't have to work so hard now.... Billy is there... and I guarantee that he will be the hardest working angel in heaven. Because if there ever was an angel on earth, it was Billy. I, along with all his union family, will cherish the memories of our good times with him. When there were meetings, Billy made sure the buildings were opened and he stayed late to make sure they were cleaned up and locked. He was the first to show up for a rally, picket or a meeting. He made sure we had prizes to give away at the picnic. He used his truck and his gas to put up political signs. Billy was the oldest delegate, who had served the longest on the United Way Community Services Committee. He was an officer in the A. Philip Randolph Institute and a member of the Arkansas Interfaith Committee for Worker Justice, receiving the 2005 Worker Justice Award. He was very active in the Democratic Party of Pulaski County and Arkansas; having been a delegate to national conventions. This is just a small part of what Billy did.
I will miss seeing him at events.
Hmmmm
I am saddened to see that
Hurricane Dean caused so much destruction in the area of Mexico we love best. Placer and Mahahual in the Costa Maya region, 4 1/2 hours south of Cancun and North of Belize.
Michael and I fell in love with the place when we vacationed there two years ago. Vacation is a word that implies tourist, it is anything but. You are a visitor there, not a tourist. The place we stayed at was so wonderful, we convinced 6 friends to join us there in Feb 2008. The plane tickets have been purchased, the deposits paid and Hurricane Dean took out most of our wonderful little place,
Mayan Beach Garden. The owners plan to rebuild but I am not certain that can be accomplished in 5 months. We will find another place to stay that week, plans can be changed. We are just thankful that the good folks there are safe and sound. We are so sorry they have to start over and rebuild. We will definitely be visitors again when they are up and running!!
There are fundraisers for the Costa Maya region, if you are interested, and information on them can be accessed at this link and information on specific places, etc.
On another note, I see there are tons of fires in Greece, a place we were planning on going in November - December this year. This prompted my friend Teresa to e mail me and comment " Did you see the fire in Greece?!!! I’m beginning to think vacationing with you is not such a good idea" Hmmmmm, yes she is one of the 6 going to Mexico with us.
A Meaningful Weekend
It has been 20 years since I lost my brother, Billy. He was killed at UCA in a freak accident. He was just beginning his junio year there. I miss him as much today as I did when it first happened. I can smile about things he did and said but I still cry when I think about him and how his life was shortened. I must say though that in his 20 years of life he truly lived it.
This weekend, 13 of us got together at a house on Greer's Ferry lake. We had a 20th anniversary get together. It was not morbid. It was not depressing. It celebrated who he was and the profound impact he had on our lives. Profound, as a word, does not do the attempt to explain it much justice. Colossal, unbounded and immeasurable might help with the explanation. Spiritual and sincere. This group has stuck together like glue since his death. He brought them all together and we remark frequently that had it not been for Billy and his death, some of these people would not be friends today. It is hard to imagine that the gregarious, outlandish and fun loving Bill would be friends with the anal retentive, number counting John. Or that anyone in the group would tolerate Ben, we not only tolerate him we love him!! It is so hard to describe. I think it is rare that you find a group of friends so entwined that 20 years later, and for some they have known each other since 5th grade, they are still such good friends.
The lake house was perfect, an absolutely beautiful place. Dano had his party barge parked down below the house. There were sunset cruises both nights. There was a table with photos, stories, memory books about Billy or things he wrote. We all laughed about him, some of us cried a little but, overall, we enjoyed that through his life we all have remained such good friends. In fact, I would say we are a family. As Dano said, you might leave "the group" for awhile and go off and do your own thing but you always come back and you are always welcome.
It was touching and telling that Johnny C made the trip from California to attend the weekend. My mom still feels so bad that his name was left off the program as a pall bearer. It hurts her to this day to think that he might have had his feelings hurt about that. I assure her he understood, mistakes happen. It was not intentional.
Dano put together some playlists for his iPod. He actually found a list that Billy had written out of music to put on a party tape (yep tape - come on it was 1987) and he recreated that list on his iPod. He went to great lengths to get one song, having to end up rebuying the cd to get the one song. A song, we all agreed, really sort of sucks!! What was Billy thinking? The song? Rhythm of the Night by Richard Marx. Yep, Richard Marx.
There was plenty of alcohol, plenty of smack talking, plenty of fun. One thing I can say is that there is nothing sacred in this group, no secrets to keep and anything and everything is discussed. If you cannot take the heat, stay away from this group - they hold no punches.
I love each and every one of these people. Dano - always and forever. I have known him the longest, since he was a snot nosed kid in about the 5th or 6th grade. William, still quiet, funny as hell and always William. Bill, well what can I say about Bill? The term bullshitter comes to mind, in the most loving way. He is a storyteller. If there is a story to be told, you need to have him tell it. "I promise". I love him tremendously and still want to kick his butt over Arkansas Underground. Ben? Well, despite that one groping incident when we were in Helena, I love him. Sure, I wanted to kick his ass, who doesn't? He redeemed himself by taking care of Michael at 1 in the morning when he was laying on the bathroom floor from too many Patron shots. Bobby, god love him - so uptight and in need of some relaxation. Bobby is sweet, has an relationship with Star Trek and needed a little prodding to get him into the spirit of the party. John? How can you not love John. He is sweet and funny as all hell. John is the ultimate "white man dancing" but he gives it his best. Rain man we call him, well that and other things. Teresa? Oh my, is there a sweeter person on the face of this earth? NO! She has the kindest heart and the most talented hands (massage - get your mind out of the gutter). Her generosity and spirit are so uplifting. You cannot help but smile when she starts to dance because the happiness is written all over her face. Johnny C? Still the same. My mom always said he was the sweetest, quietest little boy (???) ummm I think he can be quiet but do not let that quiet exterior fool you. Michael, Angie, Becky and Chad did not know my brother, well they never met him. I can assure you they "know" him.
I am thankful to have these people in my life. They are real, they are true and they are forever. Thanks to Billy - we all have each other.
Wanderlust
wanderlust n 1: very strong or irresistible impulse to travel
Hmm, that would be me. I have it. Always have, probably always will. Maybe it stems from my upbringing, we did move every 3 years give or take a few months. Living here in Arkansas for 30 years now (WOW!) breaks all records for me. Born in Maryland, moved to Alaska, Louisiana, Thailand, Louisiana, Colorado, Arkansas (and that annoying duel Memphis, TN thing). Maybe all that moving around just made me used to going places. In Thailand, we moved 11 times in 3 years!!
So it is no wonder that I am always dreaming of places to visit. I have a copius list. It grows unceasingly. My top choices ever changing. The list contains many of the usual suspects and probably some that might not be on anyone else's list. I want to go back to Thailand. I want to go to (in no particular order) China, Singapore, Vietnam, Greece, Turkey, Seychelles, Malta, Italy, Spain, Ibiza, Portugal, Australia, New Zealand, Russia, Peru, Bolivia, Fiji, Saipan, New Guinea, Nova Scotia, all the Islands of the Caribbean, Tasmania, Galapagos Islands, Scotland, Ireland, Germany, Austria, Poland, Bora- Bora, Easter Island. You get the picture - my list is L - O - N - G (kind of like a belt I once saw being purchased - you had to be there!)
So imagine my delight when my friend, Steve, offers me a trip to Greece! I was very excited to hear about this trip. Nov 30 - Dec 8 in Athens, staying in an apartment in an area right outside of Athens and having a rental car for less than $1,000 (air fare included). I am planning, wheels are churning and my mind is afire with possibilities. Art journal, Travel Journal, photography, coffee, greek salads, ouzo, oh my it makes my heart beat faster. I
love this site for the best of Greece. Michael and I are so seriously into this gig we are trying to figure it out. The days off for me would not be a bid deal 0 I have the hours I can fly to DC on Thursday morning and you fly on to Munich - to Athens. How fabulous to be in a fabulous apartment near Athens and day trips to other things ---island hopping brings one to mine, This helpful chap has compiled the
best and I admit I am impressed. We can tour on foot or in car, We can ferry out to the islands for a day trip or two. We can eat fresh seaf0od and drink wonderul wines and ouzo.... we can have fun with fun loving people. Who would not want to go. My mom called it the trip of a lifetime. I call it a journaling experience.
We are booked for Mexico Feb 2 - Feb 9 at our lovely little boutique place at El Placer. ^ cabanas is all she holds. We have four of them. Our secret mexican get away near Chetumal and Belize - our own wonderful resport right on the beach and with all the patiences for all of us. We love it.
Mayan Beach Garden. We are going and taking with us; Bill * Shirley, Danny & T, Steve & David with Michael and I - that makes 8. * is great!
We are so excited about the trip and adventures we are going to take. Ruins, swimmin in cenotes, photographs of drinking donkeys and more. Relaxation and restoration - no cell phones, no computer, no worries - it is wondermus!!
A couple of invites that are on the not likely list right now are Bonaire " We are planning to go sometime between mid-March and mid-June 2008. We're staying at Buddy Dive resort. We can stay a week for the package or purchase a few more days' worth of vacation." A fun trip this would be. I am not dive certified yet but am sure I could find something to do. Also real close to our return from Mexico date. The second invite Pompeii" we're going to see Pompeii and Herculaneum and spend a week or so in that part of Italy in 2008. Anyone wanting to accompany us will be welcome. I have a book about the area and am going to plan after I know more." Another fun trip for sure. We will just have to see when in 2008 this is going to happen. If it happened at Christmas, that might be cool....
So we are in for Mexico, 85% in for Greece and wondering where else we can wander. We do have some state side wanderings.... the lake, Petit Jean, AR Blue & Heritage, the Juke Joint Trip in late October that has picked up a few more attendees. We will be heading to Merigold, Mississippi. I love that friends have wanderlust like I do. Makes for interesting talk most days.
Other stateside wanderlusts I have: Colorado (really miss my best friend). I do not hear from her much anymore although her son keeps in touch pretty regularly. I was to go to California, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, North and South Dakota, New Mexico, Joe's lake house in Marble Falls, TX and Austin, TX. I want to go down to Lafayette or Lake Charles area to have a swingin good party at one of the zydeco clubs and eat some of that good boudain.... I want to go Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina (maybe see some relatives - eat some goat hash (maybe) at least eat some good bbq! I want to go to Mississippi and get me some good boiled peanuts. I really think I can design cool mini vacations for folks....
So my dilemna - Greece or no Greece -- I really cannot think of one reason I should not be
doing this in Greece in November and December of 2007. Besides, my passport needs a new stamp in it for this year.
Beyonce, eat your heart out
Nothing is really new is it
.....dancing 60s style.
What do Black Men & the Weather Have in Common?
Apparently they both cause white, republican, allegedly married and straight, Florida lawmakers to solicit oral sex in a
public restroom.
