Dear Editor,
Memories are so important to each of us. However, I believe memories should be shared so others can remember them also and receive joy from what happened years ago.
My name is Ms. Tammy Sherrod Jeffers and I’m from Swainsboro. Sometimes I still feel like I’m 50 years old or am still in my late fifties, but now I'm merely 70 years old. Where did the time go? Because 50 years ago this month, I was merely a young and mature 17-year-old teenager. In September, I celebrated my first wedding anniversary. It was such a beautiful wedding at my church. My parents, Bill and Dear Sherrod, blessed us alongside my in-laws, Clyde and Thelma Green. I was so ready to be an adult. My graduation for school would commence in June 1977. I had finished my credits and was finally able to go with my husband to Fort Leonard, Missouri for his basic training for the Army National Guard in 1976. The training would last for several months. Being back home, I was feeling sick for about two weeks. I thought that it must've been a bug I could shake. So, I had made an appointment to go see Dr. Ray. His office at the time was in an old building of Smith and Powell - where I was born in April of 1959. So, I went to the doctor, and the nurse told me that Dr. Ray wanted to see me in his office, so I said, “Ok”, still not thinking anything about it. I remember the office looking so clean. I went into his office and sat down across from him at his desk. He had such dark, black hair and he was smiling at me. He said, “I’ve got some news for you”, still not expecting the news I’ve gotten I said, “Okay?”. He then said, “Well your weight is 88 lbs. and you’re not going to weigh that much longer... because you’re expecting a baby!”. I was so surprised and as happy as I could be, so I had asked Dr. Ray (being super excited and not expecting to hear this news), “Is it a girl?”, and he said with his great sense of wit, “I can guarantee you there’s a 50% chance it’ll be a girl!”. I was really thrilled to hear everything he was telling me. He was so kind to me and all of this was so new and unexpected to me. I guess if I had any idea, I would probably want to have my mom and my mother-in-law with me to share the exciting news. At the time, my husband and I had a sporty blue Ford Maverick, but now we’re having a baby - we’ll need a family car!
Well, here it is fifty years later, and I wanted to share this precious memory with Dr. James L. Ray, not even thinking he might still be alive! I called his old office feeling a little Scared, feeling unsure if they’ll say he’s not here anymore. Then, she said he works at another place and proceeded to tell me how to get in touch with him. So, then I called that place and she said she would have him call me the next day. Sure enough, he called me the next morning. It was so good to hear from him. We talked and I shared with him all the exciting memories from 1976. He told me he was so glad I took the time to share this news with him - that it was the second-best news he had received this week. So, then I proceeded to ask him what the first best news was for him. He said that his son, who unfortunately was in a car accident in Wrens, Georgia, but mentioned that he was going to be alright - very thankful to hear that! So, then I asked Dr. Ray how old he was and he said that he was 84 years old. I had asked if he was still working and he said he worked a couple days a week. I said, “Do you still have that nice black hair (jokingly), and he said, “No, it's been gone!”. He had made my day by calling and talking with me, reflecting on that very special day of mine. I told him I wish we had taken a picture of him and I, now to have seen us in our younger years of life - but I can still see both of us in that office. Memories - be sure to share them with someone today. I would love to hear from anyone wanting to share with me at missdianedee@yahoo.com. Come on and pick up the phone to call me at 706-832-0016.
Tammy Sherrod Jeffers
