PHOTOS AND A NOTE FROM THE PAST

from June 1, 2014

While sorting through legal papers, I discovered the following note and photos that my dearly departed  Uncle Junior sent me in July, 2000, from the Walker family reunion in Texarkana, Texas. Junior (Floyd Walker, Jr.) was my mother’s younger brother, and we had been close since my earliest memories. He was one of my strongest supporters and encouragers throughout my imprisonment.

Starting with my grandfather, Floyd Walker, Sr., (Bebaw), the Walker men always called me Hoss. Junior was the last one to call me that. I asked Libby if she could scan the actual note for this message, so you could see the actual handwriting. I imagine that the “Arkansas State Reading Council 1995” notepaper was left over from my Aunt Glenda’s teaching career.

This photo shows Junior at left with the hat and blue shirt. Uncle Israel Walker, center, my grandfather’s youngest brother, and Aunt Bonnie Thornhill, at right, his youngest sister, pose with Junior. Aunt Bonnie’s son, Richard, is behind her, and grips her right arm. All four have passed on.

The second photo shows Aunt Bonnie’s youngest daughter, Linda, and her husband, Ricky Willett. Linda and I were in first grade together at Redwater, all twelve grades in one school. Our class had 16 boys and 4 girls. I always wondered how their senior prom came out. Linda has also been one of my most stalwart supporters, since the beginning of this life in Hell. Sadly, Ricky also passed away.

Linda recently sent me a letter with photos she took of the old home places where we all used to live, several centuries and lifetimes ago, it seems. Brought tears to my eyes. Thanks, Linda.

Charlie