Who Knows What the Tide Will Bring?

Because of Nita's exhaustive (and exhausting) research into the fam tree, we're excited to read all about our past. I thought about this tonight after viewing (again) one of my favorite movies, "Cast Away" with Tom Hanks, our cousin.

Yep, he's our cousin...a bit distant, but our cousin.

I still can't believe Helen Hunt gave up on her search. If only she had held out, but he went on down to Texas and the movie leaves us believing he found his soul mate after all, the pretty girl in the old Ford pickup like Pap used to drive. The pickup I learned to drive, backing up and back in the driveway while Pap snoozed on the couch.

But I do look at Tom Hanks differently now. Kinda weird, knowin' he's kin. I keep looking for a resemblance of some sort. He kinda has Chris' hair...kinda talks like we do, too. Anway, I always thought he was about the best actor around, him and Harrison Ford and Eastwood (Outlaw Josey Wales...now there's a movie, bub.)

Yep, settled in for the movie after watching unranked Wake beat the Blue Devils. First time Wake has beaten a ranked team since 1994 and that's when they beat Duke, Duke going on to the Final Four to be beaten by the Hogs in the championship game. I was there, at Charlotte, when Scotty hit the big one. I found an old photo the other night, of me at that game. I sure was lucky to get to go to so many places and see so many fun things. Me and my buddies stayed up all night that night, at the hotel, where we had rooms where the team stayed. Nolan was happier than ever that evening, apparently finally shedding some of his inner strife...but he really never did. I hated that for him cause he was some kinda wonderful coach. I miss those kinds of teams. The guys we have now...well, they sure can let you down. Good one night, sorry as heck the next outing.

Ate some fine fish for lunch today. We cooked up a big Sunday meal for son and daughter-in-law and Luke Bo Duke. He's lost a second tooth now, both in the middle, front, bottom row. He's a dandy and he loves fish, especially when I catch 'em and they're fresh. We rode in the golf cart, visited Bet (Joe was napping) and we inspected a dead beaver afloat in the pond. Best I can tell, he was a victim of the cold weather--that can catch a beaver off guard some time. Luke poked him with a stick and was amazed at the animal's big flat tail. I told him it was nature in the raw.
He's getting real good at driving the golf cart. Like Leslie did when she was tearing up and down the hill here.

Not much else to report. Peanut has the day off tomorrow, honoring our Presidents and all. We'll probably be lazy and not do a whole lot, resting up from our big night out Saturday at the fancy eat place in the capital city. It costs an arm and a leg, but it sure is tasty. I like the piano player, too, and he plays some of my favorites, 'specially when I put a big tip in the glass jar. I always ask for "Send in the Clowns." I guess it reminds me of my days when the legislators came into town.

Speaking of Prez Day, I'll always remember when me and Bob and Harold went to the horse races on one of those Mondays. The traffic was jammed and Bob was antsy so he got out of the car I was driving and started walking, so he could get inside and get his double bet down. Finally, we got close to the track entrance and Harold got out, too. I told him I would find a parking place and I told him I had some box seats, to meet me at Window 4. Well, I looked to my right and right in front of the front entrance there was a vacant spot at this little motel. I pulled into the spot and the manager popped out to say I couldn't park there. "How much will it cost me?" I asked. He said I could park there for $20 so I gave him his money and walked inside where I got to Harold quickly, before he even got to the box seat place. He asked how I got inside so quickly and I showed him the car, parked right in front. He asked how I got to park there. I told him I gave the man $20. "My God, Bill," big brother exclaimed. I told him it would be the best $20 I would spend all day. We laughed and went about our business. I'll always remember him that day, the way he grinned and said, "My God, Bill." He said that a lot to me, seems like. Like the time I cleaned out my closet and phoned him to ask if he needed any golf shirts. "How many you got?" he inquired. "Oh, at least a hundred," I said. "My God, Bill," he answered, just like I knew he would. And the time Eric and I returned from a sensational bass fishing trip. We had 60 big bass, all about 5 pounds, laid out on the lawn at the east side of the house. Harold drove up, got out of his truck, walked up and walked around the back of my truck and saw the bass. Yep, he said it again, and then laughed that great laugh.


Well, if you haven't seen Cuz Tom Hanks in Cast Away, rent it sometime. It's good. It has several memorable lines, like when he tells Helen Hunt, who is dripping wet, "You have to go home." And then the closer, "Who knows what the tide will bring?"

That's all for this time, 'til next time, thanks for your time. Happy Presidents Day.