I remember one year that I went to Marshall to visit. I was not in high school at the time and loved going to Marshall.
Charles came by my aunt's house, picked me up and walked back to his house on Wilson Street.
Aunt Sedalia was there making hats and I of course was fascinated with that because she had several beautiful ones that she had finished.
All Charles talked about was wanting me to stay in Marshall and go to school. I actually was fascinated by the thought of staying and going to H.B. Pemberton.
Charles took me to a football game that week-end where I fell in love with their marching band.
I was amazed with the way they danced and marched to the tune of "Hit The Road Jack" a song that Ray Charles had sung.
We did not have that high speed marching band in Phoenix where I lived.
Speaking of songs:
Charles took me to a cafe where we got a Dr Pepper and sat down at one of the booths . He reached in his pocket and pulled out a huge handful of dimes.
I don't remember if anyone else was in the cafe but I do remember that he put a whole lot of dimes in the Jukebox and played the same song over and over.
The song sung by Ted Taylor was called Be Ever Wonderful.
I think cousin Charles thought he was Ted Taylor because he sang right along with it. Not to mention they shared the same last name.😀
I was in awe of my cousin who was one of the most caring people persons in the world that I knew and one of the funniest who kept you laughing.
Over the years whenever I heard that song, I thought about Charles and laughed about him having all those dimes just to play that song.
Be ever Wonderful, Stay as you are
Be ever Heavens, gift my guiding star
You are the only one who can break my heart
You are the only one who can tear us apart
I now believe that Charles was singing that song to an unknown love who came into his life years later in the form of Vivian Brown the love of his life. I can say with certainty that he loved him some Vivian.
He stayed with me in Phoenix for a couple weeks and told me he was going to marry the girl of his dreams from Daingerfield.
Stay sweet and true
Be ever loving me as I love you
Darling please take my heart
Til the end of time
Well Cousin you are Heavens gift, and God's shining star. Those dimes, they are the twinkling stars that light up the night. Rest well Cousin, rest well.
