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Page 4 - Friday, April 14, 2023
The Jenkins County Times
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Carmen Bennett
Columnist
The Times
Uncle Ernie Stories
This past week I learned via Facebook that Monday was National Siblings Day. Now if
you’re my Facebook friend, some of these sibling nursings will sound familiar, however
after a hysterically funny “remember when” phone call with my brother, I remembered so
many other “episodes” we had together growing up.
To my mother's dismay, my brother and I were both slobs growing up. That's why I know
it's a hormonal thing that makes me crazy about my house being clean now. I was not bom
this way! We used to really trash our bedrooms and my mom would get the shakes when she
came upstairs and saw them. Strangely though, she never got on to both of us at the same
time. So, when she'd come down on my brother for his terrible room, we'd chunk all his
junk into my room. Conversely, when she'd go crazy about my room being a wreck, we'd
chunk all my junk into his room. We literally drove my mom crazy growing up. If you think
my mom is a nut, she has ample reason to be.
Once my brother backed into a huge 6x6 post holding up the shelter part of the bam. We
called all over town trying to find a post to replace it before my parents got home. The effort
was unsuccessful.
Similarly, one of us, I can't remember which, backed into a cherry tree and pulled it down.
We set up blocks around the tree to make it stand up. I don't know if Mama or Daddy ever
figured that one out.
I had just gotten my driver's license. My brother and I were driving home in my '64
Mustang. It was a GREAT car, but unfortunately on the way home the brakes went out. It
wasn't a huge deal since it was a straight shot home and after all, I learned my driving skills
from watching episodes of the Dukes of Hazzard. The problem was my brother had driven
his 4-wheeler to my Aunt Ruby's house and wanted to pick it up and drive it back home.
I told him I didn't think I could slow down enough for him to get out, but he insisted that
going up the big hill before we got to Aunt Ruby's would slow us down enough. Wrong.
You don't think 20mph is fast until you try to jump from a vehicle moving at that speed. I
saw him jump out and roll all the way to Aunt Ruby’s Garden. I couldn't stop to check on
him but I saw him raise his hand behind a row of turnip greens in an "I’m okay" kinda way,
so I kept on heading home. When he got home on the 4-wheeler, I was still doing laps in
the yard trying to stop.
Once we were washing mom's car and my brother hooked the water hose onto her bumper.
She left to go to Otis Skelton's store to get onions for a fish fry and pulled the entire pump
out of the pump house. We came home to a small-scale model of ol Faithful. When I was
in the 5th grade and my brother was in the 1st grade, I was called to the office of our little
country elementary school. Apparently, my brother had shot a bird out the bus window.
The principal handed me a letter to my parents regarding my brother's behavior and asked
me to deliver the letter. We had a LONG driveway and all the way down the driveway my
brother begged me not to tell Daddy. I would not have told my parents except for one little
fact. The JERK told our principal that I TAUGHT HIM HOW TO SHOOT A BIRD! For
the record, I did not.
Once when I was about 20,1 talked my brother into going to pick up an antique dresser I’d
bought. He hooked up my dad's cattle trailer and we took off in the rain to pick it up from
the antique shop. It was pouring rain and a little Datsun truck was stopped in the road. Ernie
went off the side of the road and to avoid turning the trailer over, went straight down in the
ravine. We saw squirrels, trees, shrubs, chipmunks, and all sorts of things fly by on our way
down to the bottom of that ravine! When we finally crawled out and back up the ravine, an
ambulance was waiting for us. The deputy asked Ernie (since he looked older) to call our
parents. Ernie said - "uh no. I will call Daddy after you put me
in the witness protection and relocation program." Luckily See CARMEN page 5
Daddy was glad we were alive after seeing all that
Another Easter is in the
history books. I can’t
help but think about how
drastically my Easters
have changed as the
years fly by. This Easter
I had dinner with other
older friends. There were
no raised voices of kids
hunting eggs. No brightly
colored baskets loaded
with goodies. Everybody
had their own thing to do
this year, which left me to
my own devices, I know,
that can be dangerous.
You must be amazed at
how ever-changing life
is. For instance, Sunday,
I catch myself sitting at a
dinner table with a woman
I have never met. She spoke
with a Gemian accent and
she’s 86 years old. I don’t
think I could even tell you
her name, Therail, Therile,
something like that. I do
know she was funny and
had words of wisdom for
all of us. Oh, and she could
make a lemon charlotte that
would put your eyes out!
Of course, “you must
put the orange marmalade
and buttered almonds
on top or it won’t taste
right.” She advised each
of us. She talked of how
her love life was probably
caput at 86 years old! Naw,
you can find someone, I
know a 96-year-old man
that’s looking! She asked
for his number. What is
her life story? I wanted
to delve so much deeper,
the newspaper man in me
wanted to know! Why
didn’t I? She was a no-
nonsense kind of woman.
By Joe Brady, Editor
for
The Times
a plain-speaking soul, in
short, I was afraid she
would hurt my feelings!
What we talked about
probably wasn’t all that
important, we discussed
our medications, the side
effects, that sort of thing.
What is important is that I
met her in the first place.
Life is wondrous like that.
People come in and out of
our lives for brief periods
of time and either make us
feel good or bad, I think the
choice is up to us.
I do know that when
Therail, Therile, whatever
her name is told our hostess,
“Pam, don’t invite me back
unless this gentleman is
coming as well,” I felt
honored. That’s all for now,
take care!
Optim Primary Care
Millen taking walk in
patients
Just off
the
Paved
Road
This home just
By Joe Brady, Editor
for
The Times
It is now easier to seek medical
assistance in Jenkins County. Since
Jodi Gilmer, PA-C joined the Optim
Primary Care Millen Clinic, the
practice is now focusing on walk-in
patients, same-day appointments,
sports physicals, women’s health,
and DOT physicals.
Jodi is practicing alongside
Dr. Prakul Chandra, a long-time
physician with the practice. Jodi is
no stranger to rural communities,
having graduated from Portal High
School in Bulloch County. “I grew
up in a rural setting, and I chose
working in a rural community
because that is where I could do the
most good.” Jodie and her husband
Richard have one son. “When we
aren’t working or chasing after
Rafe, you may find us living the Jodi Gi | mer PA _ C
farm life with our menagerie of
animals.”
Jodi has been a Physician Assistant since May 2016 and is Board Certified by the
National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants. She is also a honor graduate
from Georgia Southern University.
“I am so excited about working with Dr. Chandra and getting to know the patients.” Jodi
will be in the clinic Monday-Friday and may be contacted by dialing 478-982-0120. Optim
Primary Care Millen is located at 961 E. Winthrope Ave.
Allstate Building Services, LLC
Window Cleaning * Pressure Cleaning * Caulking Specialist
Quality Work At Its Best
2 5— years of experience
N'aml Ftltis, Oiraer P.O. Boi 112P
813-309-7188 Millen. GA M4J2
Vpetti; 11 a y.ilioc-.; om
.Jenkins County Times Proudly covering Jenkins County
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Sarah Saxon Admin/Legals/AP Correspondent
Brad Asbury Sports Editor
Jake Gay Reporter
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THE JENKINS COUNTY TIMES
issue 5 April 2023 is published weekly by on Friday
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