Mississippi’s COVID-19 numbers seem to be trending downward, which is welcome news, but each day we are reminded why it is important to stay diligent in the fight against the spread of the novel coronavirus.
Some of these reminders come by way of national headlines, and some unfortunately hit very close to home.
There are two men that I know personally who went to be with the Lord over the past week after each battled the effects of COVID-19 for weeks in the hospital.
My sister-in-law’s father, who is from south Mississippi, passed away late last week.
Alan was one of the kindest gentlemen I have met. I hate that I had not seen him for some time before he got sick this summer. We enjoyed many conversations about politics during family get-togethers.
I am sad for his grandson, our nephew, and for the twins who are expected to arrive early next year who will never get to meet their grandfather.
He was a wonderful father and grandfather.
The other man who passed will be more well-known to folks in the area, and that is Ruleville Fire Chief Jack Griffin.
I got to know Jack last year during his run for District 5 supervisor.
Jack didn’t win the election, but he was never bitter about the loss.
I didn’t know him for very long, but I do have a story about him I’d like to share.
Jack was a quiet man. He was a hard-working country gentleman, always sporting a mustache and ready to go fight fires whenever he got the call.
Late last year, I was helping Joe and Barb Forrester lay wreaths for the city’s fallen veterans at the city cemetery when I got a call from my friend, Byron Holden, who runs the Asureprint print shop in Drew.
Byron explained to me that he had just printed t-shirts and other promotional items for something called Isola Fest, and he wanted to know if I wanted to join him in Isola for the event later that night.
“What’s Isola Fest?” I asked him.
Byron said that it was a lineup of comedians, singers and other entertainers that would be at a venue in downtown Isola.
I was intrigued, to say the least.
He went on to explain that the event was setup and hosted by famed entertainer Hannibal Buress.
I was about to leave the cemetery when I asked Joe if he would be interested in going.
He was a little apprehensive, but later on he called me to let me know that he was in.
About an hour before the festival was set to kickoff, I was at Double Quick, and I ran into another good friend from Drew, Stafford Shurden.
He too was coming to Isola Fest.
“This must be a big deal,” I thought. “How have I not heard of this?”
A few minutes later, Byron pulled up, with Jack in the passenger seat. Joe and I hopped into the car with them, and we took off toward Isola, none of us with any clue as to what was in store.
So there we were, on a cold December Saturday night, standing on Main Street in Isola waiting to get into this club.
When we finally got into the place, we were escorted to the front row.
We thought we were getting the royal treatment, but in actuality, we were being placed, front and center, before a stage of stand-up comedians, who generally like to pick on the folks in the front seats.
For the next hour and a half, we took a beating from one comic after another.
One comic pointed to Jack and referred to him as Dave Thomas. He must have made 50 Dave Thomas jokes.
I thought Jack would be insulted, but when I looked over, he was nearly busting a gut laughing. He was having the time of his life.
Another comic promptly dubbed him Wilford Brimley, likely because of his mustache. Again, Jack took it in stride and laughed all the way through it.
By the time the night was over, we had all been roasted pretty good, but we couldn’t get over the bits about Jack, nor how much fun he was having, as the packed room got some laughs at his expense.
A couple of days later, Buress did an online interview with Rolling Stone and the subject of Isola Fest came up.
He had planned to bring the festival back this past spring, but COVID-19 quashed those plans.
I hope he does bring it back next year. I’m not sure if he’ll ever be able to top the laughs we all had that night.
I know it sure won’t be the same without Jack there in the front row.
Life won’t be the same without any of the ones who have been taken too soon by this disease.
In loving memory of Alan and Jack. Two great men gone way too soon.
