James

We arrived at the farm just behind James yesterday. We had an old boat that had been sitting in a barn out in the countryside of Virginia for about twenty years. It was on Herm's cousin's farm, and it was time to move it, and James was the guy that was going to do it.

In our endeavors to find a way to rid ourselves of said boat, we came upon a great national organization called Cars For Kids. You donate your car or boat or RV, and kids at-risk are taught the skills of repairing them. Cars For Kids will contact a local tow company in your area, and they arrive on the scene and take your problem away, and it's tax deductible. I can't say enough about how well this went for all concerned. It is truly a win/win situation.

James was a young man. When he got out of the truck you could see that he was on his way to a lifetime of labor and that he enjoyed it. A broad, infectious grin spread across his face to show straight, white teeth and his entire persona radiated confidence without arrogance. He had not been spoiled in his short life and he was ready to work. He told Herm that he'd been doing this since he was 15 years old.

His hands were large and his shoulders were broad. His movements lacked hesitancy, each step, each task completed with ease, always knowing the next move to make. All this was done while smiling and talking in an easy, 'old friend' kind of way. I know that one day James' shoulders will be slightly bent and his back will hurt and his hands will reveal what he did for a living his entire life, but yesterday he was young and beautiful and moved with purpose and knowledge of the task at hand.

He told us that his little girl was supposed to be at nursery school. He had told her he would take her as soon as this job was done, but she looked at him with those big, beautiful, chocolate eyes and said, "We're already late now, Daddy. Can't I just spend the day with you?" I guess you know his answer.

James and Herm worked together to get the boat up on the truck, and in a matter of minutes all was done. James seat belted his little girl in and off they went.

There are times when you meet someone only for a moment, and you get a snapshot of their entire life. James was such a person.