This is a photo of Billy. I know, I know, you have seen it before. But- did I ever tell you about my friendship with Billy?
I have always wondered how our families first connected. The Robinsons and the McCarty families was a connection, unlike any other. My Mom told me that she, and Aunt Mary would talk after church. Originally, they lived in a trailer, behind the church I remember. I just remember coming back from Great Granny’s funeral, and there were all these guns, and boxes of ammo beneath my metal frame bunkbed from Children’s Company. That was the first time I ever heard the name Robinson. I was impressed. The Robinsons had decided to store there guns at our house. Later, Mom and Dad had them over after church. At first me and Billy did not get along. In fact, I thought I was being forced to be Billy’s friend! But after a while, I noticed, we would always have some kind of adventure together. Our families were closely aligned, it seemed. Uncle Rob was in the Navy. That was so exciting to me.
Long paragraph. But I have a bit to explain. After a while, in the Fall of 1995, my Mom, and Aunt Mary began Psalm singing with us children. The Psalters, which were last revised in 1936, I noticed, were moldy. But they were what we were going to sing. I didn’t remember ever seeing a Psalter prior to our Psalm singing. For a while, it was just the Robinsons and the McCartys that did the Psalm singing. But I really felt this time was foundational to what happened later. Where our families went from barely being able to get along, to going on vacations together!
Then, we added another family to our Psalm singing. The Winslows. It was actually pretty fun. We would have about 45 minutes to do something before the Psalm singing. Then, afterwards we would have another 45 minutes to do some activites. I remember we would play all sorts of out door games, like for a while we did hockey. Then, we did kickball, and soccer too. It was so much fun. Then, me Billy, and Kathryn would go off, and have discussions too. We were all close in age. I was a bit younger than Billy and Kathryn. But I felt a connection forming, with both Billy and Kathryn. So, I always consider that to be my first real connection.
Now, I am no longer connected with Billy, or Kathryn. But the memory of that time, is so positive to me, I still think about it often. I don’t have any pictures of Kathryn, but if I did maybe I wouldn’t share it, unless she said it were ok. But this picture of Billy is from a public website. Billy is now a counselor, in Grand Rapids. I have sometimes thought of signing up for a session just to talk with him. Kathryn married and moved to Wyoming. But I really felt like Billy deserved the credit for the connection with Kathryn. We went from arguing and fighting, mostly my fault, to being able to sit together for Sunday school. Or at Youth Group. Or, we would discuss our families. It was really neat.
You might think Uncle Rob being in the Navy was the reason I joined. It was influential, and one time we got a tour of a submarine. But Uncle Rob actually, had told me not to join the Navy.
Then, I remember one day, my Mom, and Aunt Mary kind of got into a fight. It was just after William was born, they wouldn’t talk for years. It was so sad, because the Robinsons and the McCarty families had gotten along so well. Something about the move I guess. I never figured out why they fought, but I did know that my Aunt Mary and Mom agreed: Someday they would meet for lunch. That was a profound statement for me. So, I wanted that to happen. It did happen! I ended up going to Billy’s graduation from Christian Liberty Academy, in Illinois. After that, I remember my Mom and Aunt Mary re-connecting.
But yes, without Billy, I doubt I ever would have been able to connect with other people very well. I think Kathryn had reached out to form a friendship, prior to the arrival of Billy, and it failed. I didn’t even know what a connection was, till Billy showed up.
The Saddest Moment
One day, Billy managed to call me, while I was stationed in Misawa. He wanted me to attend his wedding. Because of manning I doubted whether I would get leave. I had nefarious intentions of my own, for returning to the states. So, I did ask if I could get leave. But they told me I wouldn’t get it. I think my Uncle Rob could have helped me get leave, but I didn’t press the issue. I regret not attending Billy’s wedding. It would have been such a blessing to see him, at his big moment, when his family formed. I met his wife, to and she is not only beautiful, but very sweet. Billy had told me, he would be willing to do “Just about anything” to have me at his wedding. I felt like I failed Billy, in not pressing for the leave. For not attending his wedding. I regret this Billy.
The Courier 