Jimmy Joyce was one of my best friends growing up. He lived on Ollie Circle across from my sister's house. His parents were Waymon and Muriel. I recall going to Muriel's homeplace in Glen Allen along with Jimmy. The backyard of the house was a chicken run. Muriel sent Jimmy to get some eggs. Jimmy said that he would get his shoes messed up. Muriel said, "then take off your shoes". And he did.
I thought that was awesome. So, I did it too. Later, my mother disagreed.
I don't know what it was, but sometimes when you are a kid you just think that you're better than someone else, or tougher, or smarter. You might keep it to yourself, as a secret, but it comes out in ways. That happened with me and Jimmy sometimes, even though he was a good friend.
So, it was a serious surprise to me when Coach Blackwell had a head to head blocking drill one day. Blackwell used to get so excited watching his football players hitting one another he'd reach down to the ground with both hands and tear out grass. Like a bull hoofing dirt.
He lined up me and Jimmy Joyce across from each other. I looked up and saw Jimmy. Jimmy looked up at me. Coach said "hut, hut", and Jimmy came off his three point stance and knocked me completely on my butt. I heard a funny sound in my ears and my eyes didn't focus.
"Coach, I think he got a fast start on me", I whined as my head spun.
"Alright", coach said, "line up again. Hut, hut!"! And down I went - again. Coach tore up dirt and grinned. Jimmy went on to be a first string guard on the Hornets. Me, I sat in the stands.
I had gained a new found respect for Jimmy. Later I heard that he had gone to the University of Arkansas and then on to law school. As they say, I had seriously "misunderestimated" him.
Then I heard that he had died. That was many years ago. Of course you can't make up for the slights and mistakes of your growing up years. But, Jimmy, you did real well.
D Gorton
Jimmy Joyce was one of my best friends growing up. He lived on Ollie Circle across from my sister's house. His parents were Waymon and Muriel. I recall going to Muriel's homeplace in Glen Allen along with Jimmy. The backyard of the house was a chicken run. Muriel sent Jimmy to get some eggs. Jimmy said that he would get his shoes messed up. Muriel said, "then take off your shoes". And he did.I thought that was awesome. So, I did it too. Later, my mother disagreed.
I don't know what it was, but sometimes when you are a kid you just think that you're better than someone else, or tougher, or smarter. You might keep it to yourself, as a secret, but it comes out in ways. That happened with me and Jimmy sometimes, even though he was a good friend.
So, it was a serious surprise to me when Coach Blackwell had a head to head blocking drill one day. Blackwell used to get so excited watching his football players hitting one another he'd reach down to the ground with both hands and tear out grass. Like a bull hoofing dirt.
He lined up me and Jimmy Joyce across from each other. I looked up and saw Jimmy. Jimmy looked up at me. Coach said "hut, hut", and Jimmy came off his three point stance and knocked me completely on my butt. I heard a funny sound in my ears and my eyes didn't focus.
"Coach, I think he got a fast start on me", I whined as my head spun.
"Alright", coach said, "line up again. Hut, hut!"! And down I went - again. Coach tore up dirt and grinned. Jimmy went on to be a first string guard on the Hornets. Me, I sat in the stands.
I had gained a new found respect for Jimmy. Later I heard that he had gone to the University of Arkansas and then on to law school. As they say, I had seriously "misunderestimated" him.
Then I heard that he had died. That was many years ago. Of course you can't make up for the slights and mistakes of your growing up years. But, Jimmy, you did real well.