ld, v e r y m u ch o ld. Th e o r g a n ist s toppe d a n d th e s e r v ice beg a n .
“We a r e he re th i s m o r n i n g t o hon o r th e life a n d t im e s o f R en e e M a r ie Tho m p s on . S h e w a s a w on d e r f u l p e r s o n w i t h a k i n d he a r t , a be a ut if u l s ou l, a n d g i v i n g sp i r i t . To da y , we c o me t o get h e r t o hon o r th at l if e , t o hono r th is w on d e r f u l pe r s o n , t o hon o r R ene e . ” H e h ad a d ee p vo ic e , o b v i ous ly bu i lt “ st r ong ” f r o m y e a r s a n d ye a r s o f s m ok i n g . H is s out h e r n d r a w l w a s s t r o n g . Th e r e a r e t wo k i n ds o f s outh e r n a cc ent s. The r e ' s th e st e r e o typ e one , t h e “ You M i gh t Be A R e d ne c k ” k i n d o f on e J e ff Fox w o r th y h as made f am ou s. The n the re w as th e m o r e r e al i s t ic o n e , a l on g d ra wl. Th i ng s b a r e ly m o v e d in t h e S out h . I n m a j o r ci t i e s s u ch as N as hv i ll e , B i r mi ngh am, a n d A t l a nt a, t i me can fly b y so f ast you 'd n o id e a it w as e v e r t h e r e . Th e d r a w l sho w e d th e t r u e a s pe c t s o f th e S o u th .
T h e m an c ont i nue d. H e exp r es s e d h is s o r r o w f o r t h e l o ss, h a v i n g bee n a l on g - t ime f r i en d o f ou r f a m ily a n d bee n th e r e t h r o u g h m a n y o f o u r h a r d e st t im e s. I c ou ld n 't p l a ce h im, th i s l ongt ime f r i en d o f o u r f am i l y . We p r ob a b ly h ad h is p i c t u r e bu r i e d s o m e w he r e .
“ No w , ” h e s a i d a f t e r h is l ong , d r awn ou t a n d i n si n c e r e m ono l og u e , “we w i ll he ar f r o m th e c hu r ch c ho i r , s i ng i n g on e o f R en e e ' s fa vo r i t e s ong s . ” Th e c ho ir s too d t og e the r, f o ld e r s in the ir h a n ds, a n d beg an t o s i ng . I d id n 't r e c ogn ize th e s ong . As t e rr i b le as th at may s oun d, I d on 't th i n k Mo m ev e r h ad a fa vo r i t e s ong .
T h e r oo m w a s, l i k e I s aid, f u ll o f peop l e . P eop le w e r e te a r i n g up . H a n d k e r c h i e f s w e r e d a bb i n g eye s a n d m e n w e r e b l i nk i n g r a p idl y . T h e r e w e r e a f e w I r e c o g n i z e d, s u ch a s my g r a n d p a r ent s a n d cl o s e st f a m i ly m e m b e r s. T h e re w as my S un day Sc hoo l te ac he r , Y out h M i n i s t e r , a n d Mus ic M i n i s t e r . Th at w as i t . E v e r y on e e l se w as a tot a l m y s t e r y .
T h e m us ic s toppe d a n d I kne w w h at w a s c o m i ng . M y t u r n . I w as go i n g t o b e c a ll e d t o th e f r o n t t o g i v e my “s pee c h ” I 'd p r ep a r e d . I c ou ld n 't r e a l ly c a ll i t a s pee c h . I t w as n 't a spee c h . I t w a s m o r e o r l e ss a poe m I 'd w r i tten . A p a t h et i c a tte m p t at a poe m. I w a s g i ve n an a w k w ard i nt r o d u c t i on .
“R ob e r t Tho m p s o n is th e so n o f R e n ee . H e w i ll no w c o me a n d spe a k. ” Y e s, th at w as a bou t i t . I s w a l l o w e d p a s s e d th e l u mp in my th r o a t .
“ My . ..u m . . .M y n ame i s R ob. . . R ob e r t. ” I w a s s tu t te r i n g . I f i n a l ly j u st to o k a d ee p b r e a th . “ I 'm n o t th at goo d a t s pe a k i ng , so I ' ll j u st r e ad my p o e m . ” Th i s w a s a n d w a s n o t th e t r uth . I j u st did n 't w a n t t o b e u p the r e . I w a nte d t o s p e ak a n d l e a ve . Ho w h a r d w as th a t ? I j u st w a nte d t o spe ak a n d l e a ve . I pu ll e d t h e p i e ce o f p a pe r ou t o f my c o at po c ke t a n d l a id it be f o r e m e .
“M y mi n d is fi l l e d w i t h m a n y a m e m o ry,
Each hu r t i ng , begg i n g f o r f o r g i ve n es s.
W h at is it i n side o f me th at ac h e s f o r a no t he r s un r is e ?
W h at is it i n side o f me th at ma ke s me
wa n t t o sc r e a m a n d sc r e am,
As k i n g y o u t o fr e e m e .
I w ish
“We a r e he re th i s m o r n i n g t o hon o r th e life a n d t im e s o f R en e e M a r ie Tho m p s on . S h e w a s a w on d e r f u l p e r s o n w i t h a k i n d he a r t , a be a ut if u l s ou l, a n d g i v i n g sp i r i t . To da y , we c o me t o get h e r t o hon o r th at l if e , t o hono r th is w on d e r f u l pe r s o n , t o hon o r R ene e . ” H e h ad a d ee p vo ic e , o b v i ous ly bu i lt “ st r ong ” f r o m y e a r s a n d ye a r s o f s m ok i n g . H is s out h e r n d r a w l w a s s t r o n g . Th e r e a r e t wo k i n ds o f s outh e r n a cc ent s. The r e ' s th e st e r e o typ e one , t h e “ You M i gh t Be A R e d ne c k ” k i n d o f on e J e ff Fox w o r th y h as made f am ou s. The n the re w as th e m o r e r e al i s t ic o n e , a l on g d ra wl. Th i ng s b a r e ly m o v e d in t h e S out h . I n m a j o r ci t i e s s u ch as N as hv i ll e , B i r mi ngh am, a n d A t l a nt a, t i me can fly b y so f ast you 'd n o id e a it w as e v e r t h e r e . Th e d r a w l sho w e d th e t r u e a s pe c t s o f th e S o u th .
T h e m an c ont i nue d. H e exp r es s e d h is s o r r o w f o r t h e l o ss, h a v i n g bee n a l on g - t ime f r i en d o f ou r f a m ily a n d bee n th e r e t h r o u g h m a n y o f o u r h a r d e st t im e s. I c ou ld n 't p l a ce h im, th i s l ongt ime f r i en d o f o u r f am i l y . We p r ob a b ly h ad h is p i c t u r e bu r i e d s o m e w he r e .
“ No w , ” h e s a i d a f t e r h is l ong , d r awn ou t a n d i n si n c e r e m ono l og u e , “we w i ll he ar f r o m th e c hu r ch c ho i r , s i ng i n g on e o f R en e e ' s fa vo r i t e s ong s . ” Th e c ho ir s too d t og e the r, f o ld e r s in the ir h a n ds, a n d beg an t o s i ng . I d id n 't r e c ogn ize th e s ong . As t e rr i b le as th at may s oun d, I d on 't th i n k Mo m ev e r h ad a fa vo r i t e s ong .
T h e r oo m w a s, l i k e I s aid, f u ll o f peop l e . P eop le w e r e te a r i n g up . H a n d k e r c h i e f s w e r e d a bb i n g eye s a n d m e n w e r e b l i nk i n g r a p idl y . T h e r e w e r e a f e w I r e c o g n i z e d, s u ch a s my g r a n d p a r ent s a n d cl o s e st f a m i ly m e m b e r s. T h e re w as my S un day Sc hoo l te ac he r , Y out h M i n i s t e r , a n d Mus ic M i n i s t e r . Th at w as i t . E v e r y on e e l se w as a tot a l m y s t e r y .
T h e m us ic s toppe d a n d I kne w w h at w a s c o m i ng . M y t u r n . I w as go i n g t o b e c a ll e d t o th e f r o n t t o g i v e my “s pee c h ” I 'd p r ep a r e d . I c ou ld n 't r e a l ly c a ll i t a s pee c h . I t w as n 't a spee c h . I t w a s m o r e o r l e ss a poe m I 'd w r i tten . A p a t h et i c a tte m p t at a poe m. I w a s g i ve n an a w k w ard i nt r o d u c t i on .
“R ob e r t Tho m p s o n is th e so n o f R e n ee . H e w i ll no w c o me a n d spe a k. ” Y e s, th at w as a bou t i t . I s w a l l o w e d p a s s e d th e l u mp in my th r o a t .
“ My . ..u m . . .M y n ame i s R ob. . . R ob e r t. ” I w a s s tu t te r i n g . I f i n a l ly j u st to o k a d ee p b r e a th . “ I 'm n o t th at goo d a t s pe a k i ng , so I ' ll j u st r e ad my p o e m . ” Th i s w a s a n d w a s n o t th e t r uth . I j u st did n 't w a n t t o b e u p the r e . I w a nte d t o s p e ak a n d l e a ve . Ho w h a r d w as th a t ? I j u st w a nte d t o spe ak a n d l e a ve . I pu ll e d t h e p i e ce o f p a pe r ou t o f my c o at po c ke t a n d l a id it be f o r e m e .
“M y mi n d is fi l l e d w i t h m a n y a m e m o ry,
Each hu r t i ng , begg i n g f o r f o r g i ve n es s.
W h at is it i n side o f me th at ac h e s f o r a no t he r s un r is e ?
W h at is it i n side o f me th at ma ke s me
wa n t t o sc r e a m a n d sc r e am,
As k i n g y o u t o fr e e m e .
I w ish
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