My Dad was a GREAT story teller!
Did y’all ever watch “The Andy Griffith Show” growing up? If you’re too young, perhaps you’ve seen the reruns! My dad and Andy Griffith were so much alike, they could have been brothers. Andy was the Sheriff of Mayberry and Ron Howard played cute Opie! Andy had a unique way of sharing stories, especially when he needed to make a point to Opie or his Deputy, Barney Fife.
Andy Griffith and my folks were born and raised in the South. Andy was born in North Carolina and my mom and dad were born in Tennessee. My mom, Lucy, was born in Gainesboro & my dad, Sherman, was born in Cookeville, 80 miles from Nashville.
Our summer vacations were spent in Tennessee visiting both sets of grandparents. Both homes had front porch swings where I spent many hours. It was my dad’s favorite place for sharing stories. Recently I was going through old family photos and was reminded of one of my dad’s stories. The photo was of our son, John, jumping off the high dive at their school in Cairo in 1988. He had been trying to get up the nerve to do this for a long time.
That summer John was telling my dad, aka Poppy Sherm, that he couldn’t jump off the high dive. Poppy Sherm proceeded to tell John one of his priceless stories.
He said, “John, did you know a bumble bee can’t fly?” John looked shocked and replied, “But, a bumble bee CAN fly, Poppy!”
Poppy continued that scientists have said that the bumble bee’s body is so fat and its wings so small that it’s amazing they can fly at all. John looked puzzled and asked Poppy, “Then how does the bumble bee fly?”
My dad answered, “Because no one told him he couldn’t!” John got the message and jumped off that high dive! It was awesome! Next time I tell myself I can’t do something, I’m going to remember my dad’s bumble bee story! Thanks, Dad! I love you & miss your stories!
