One Hell of a Starry Night

On a warm and starry night in the spring of 1954, a dashing young doctor met a beautiful young nurse on the Skyway at the Peabody Hotel and they danced. On November Sixth in 1954, they eloped and embarked on a wonderful fairy tale of a life. Through house fires, tornadoes, three children, and a multitude of adventures, they laughed and loved, and lived a very good life. From the Broadwater Beach Hotel in Biloxi to Vaught-Hemingway Stadium in Oxford, they lived every minute to it’s fullest. Saturdays always culminated with a steak, a baked potato and a salad. In the late 60’s, Birthdays meant a trip to Shakey’s Pizza on Brooks Road in Memphis, no anchovies please. Saturday afternoons in the fall revolved around Ole Miss Football.

Sadly, the dance ended far too soon in November of 2000, when the now aged doctor went to his reward. The beautiful young nurse spent the next 10 years shamelessly spoiling dogs and grandchildren. Miss Lady, a land shark masquerading as a poodle, frequently enjoyed breakfasts of scrambled eggs, sausage and the occasional finger. Sleepovers at Nana’s house often found 6 kids in matching pajamas on the pullout couch in front of the television set watching a bootleg video tape of ‘The Sound of Music’.

In July of 2010, the nurse and the doctor danced again. We all miss both of them terribly. This evening, if you listen to the breeze, you can hear the music they danced to on Peabody rooftop that starry, starry night so long ago. If you look deeply into the moon lit clouds tonight and squint just a bit, you might see them dancing in the moonlight once more. The beautiful young nurse always loved to dance with the dashing young doctor.

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