Newspaper Page Text
THETAO OF JOE
Joe Causey's flying fingers are taking a rest now. It is
incredible what an impact he has had in his life with his quick
mind channeled through the keyboards of typewriters, newspa
per composition machines, computers and pianos, not to men
tion the fingerboard of a violin. He's using his time to fight
cancer now, but he has always made the most of his time and
has been sure to "fill the unforgiving minute with 60 seconds
worth of distance run."
Joe is a man of many contradictions???extroverted, loving
family, friends and colleagues; yet forever spending long hours
in solitary work???getting out the statements for his family
business, practicing for a piano concert, teaching himself to
play violin, writing long letters of inquiry and advice to public
"servants," knowing that he would only get back their form-
letter responses.
Observing Joe over the years, watching him work and
play, suggests how his rapid-fire wit could be so seamlessly
translated through his fingers to the keys with such accuracy
and clarity. Practice and training and discipline for sure, but
also a pure connec
tion "between the
impulse and the
act." Joe is direct,
honest and unspar
ing of himself and
others. He always
says what he thinks.
He does not beat
around the bush. He
does not sugar-coat.
He does not pull
his punches. What
you see is what you
get. Joe is one of
those rare people,
particularly for a
Southerner, who
doesn't dissemble.
Oddly enough, to
those of us who
tiptoe around con
frontations, Joe is all that much more beloved because you
don't have to wonder what he really thinks about you. You
know exactly where he stands, even if his stance makes you
uncomfortable. You can be at ease around Joe and not wonder
what he really thinks about you, because if he thinks you are
an idiot, he will have already told you, though in the most
sympathetic way possible and with suggestions about how you
can be less of an idiot if you want to change.
Joe is not a "shoulda, woulda, coulda" kind of guy. His love
is active. His regard for you translates into thinking about how
he can help you and then doing it. If your ox is in the ditch,
Joe won't be calling you up to say how sorry he is; he'll be
down there hooking a rope to his midnight blue Mustang con
vertible to yank that beast out of there.
Joe is always ready to play, to have a good time, because
he has already done his work; his responsibilities come first,
and, being Joe, he doesn't put off doing what he needs to do.
So, when it comes time to have fun, Joe can throw himself
into pleasure just as single-mindedly as he throws himself into
work. He's not dragging along a lot of unfinished stuff that
is going to interfere with a good time, because he didn't let
anything interfere with getting that stuff done when it was
supposed to be done. Why can't we all be like Joe?
Sounds like the Tao of Joe, and it is: a zen-like purity that
flows from a mind accustomed to accepting life as it comes and
holding up his end of it, rough-hewn though it may be: serving
his country, running the store, the constant care of a special-
needs son, helping parents, settling the affairs of elderly rela
tives, and now the crisis of his own health???a blow to one who
loves so much his life and the family and friends who populate
it. It's especially cruel because he has finally reached the point
where he could do more traveling and visiting and enjoying the
fruits of his hard work and prudent management.
We love Joe. His wit and warmth live among us and always
will, as long as we can remember his zany antics and his fierce
love for us and for our world.
Pete McCommons editor@flagpole.com
HICKORY STREET
YXTtNMON'
Mill
Ill
II
LOO
1M 1 : ' U
EDITOR & PUBLISHER Pete McCommons
ADVERTISING DIRECTOR & PUBLISHER Alicia Nickles
PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Larry Tenner
ADVERTISING SALES Anita Aubrey, Dede Giddens, Jessica Pritchard Mangum
MUSIC EDITOR Gabe Vodicka
CITY EDITOR Blake Aued
ARTS EDITOR Jessica Smith
CLASSIFIEDS, DISTRIBUTION & OFFICE MANAGER Jessica Smith
ASSISTANT OFFICE MANAGER Sydney Slotkin
AD DESIGNERS Kelly Hart, Cindy Jerrell
CARTOONISTS Lee Gatlin, Missy Kulik, David Mack, Jeremy Long
ADOPT ME Special Agent Cindy Jerrell
CONTRIBUTORS Rachel Bailey, Tom Crawford, Derek Hill, John Huie, Jyl Inov, Gordon Lamb,
Ballard Lesemann, John G. Nettles, Dan Mistich, Drew Wheeler
CIRCULATION Charles Greenleaf, Will Donaldson, Matt Shirley, Emily Armond
WEB DESIGNER Kelly Hart
ADVERTISING INTERNS Charlotte Hawkins, CD Skehan
MUSIC INTERN Will Guerin
COVER PHOTOGRAPH by www.exophoto.com
(see feature story on p. 6)
STREET ADDRESS: 112 Foundry St., Athens, GA 30601
MAILING ADDRESS: P.O. Box 1027, Athens, GA 30603
EDITORIAL: 706-549-9523 ADVERTISING: 706-549-0301 FAX: 706-548-8981
CLASSIFIED ADS: class@flagpole.com
ADVERTISING: ads@flagpole.com
CALENDAR: calendar@flagpole.com
EDITORIAL: editor@flagpole.com
LETTERS: letters@flagpole.com
MUSIC: music@flagpole.com
NEWS: news@flagpole.com
WEBSITE: web@flagpole.com
Flagpole, Inc. publishes Flagpole Magazine weekly and distributes 14,500 copies free at over
275 locations around Athens, Georgia. Subscriptions cost $70 a year, $40 for six months.
?? 2013 Flagpole, Inc. All rights reserved.
VOLUME 27
ISSUE NUMBER 19
@ ?? ??
CIRCULATION
EmjlS
COME TRY ATHENS???
FAVORITE
WINGS!
$10 1-TOPPING PIZZAS
AND $7 PITCHERS OF MILLER LITE
& COORS LIGHT ALL DAY
MMXW
1/2 OFF APPETIZERS
WITH PURCHASE OF AN ENTREE
AND $1 OFF GLASSES OF WINE
STARTING AT 4PM
vzwmMxw
60< WINGS AND
$1 OFF PITCHERS
$1 OFF DRAFTS STARTING AT 3PM
OPEN MIC AT 9PM
LIVE MUSIC WITH
SUMMER MORE THAN OTHERS
a??smiE^(37ti0
LIVE MUSIC WITH
SNOWCONE FOR PRESIDENT
MON DAY-FRI DAY
$2 DOMESTIC PINTS & $3 WELLS
BEER OF THE MONTH:
BELL'S OBERON
233 E. CLAYTON ST.
706.353.0000
AMICI-CAFE.COM
MAY 15, 2013 ??? FLAGPOLE.COM 3