Columnist: Some random thoughts about life, LaGrange

Published 12:00 am Monday, February 29, 2016

Rich Simpson

Contributing columnist

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I’m just sitting here in a fast food parking lot on an absolutely beautiful morning, thinking.

First off, I’m thinking about how nice it would be if I could harness this delightfully cool air, and save it for a hot steamy day in July or August! It’s the type of day I can sit on my back deck and just look up at the trees and the sky, breathe in the clean, fresh air and be grateful I was given an opportunity to be on this earth for a while.

Right now, I’m thinking about writing a song, entitled “I’m In The 4th Quarter And Lookin’ For Overtime.”

I just read a story about a great professional football player who hung up his shoulder pads to serve his country in the military.

“There’s more to life than the pursuit of money,” he said.

His name is Glen Coffee. Sounds like the makings of a five-star general.

This is my third column of my new agreement with the LaGrange Daily News. I am grateful for the chance to communicate with my hometown, which I miss very much! Plus, this ole baby boomer needed something else to do besides sitting around with other baby boomers, talking about things we can’t eat anymore.

Other than some occasional visits, I have been gone from LaGrange for 51 years come Aug. 6. Who remembers the early ’60s black on yellow bumper stickers that read, “LaGrange Georgia Wants New Industry”?

During that period my family was riding down the street in Clemson, South Carolina, when we heard a guy yelling “Hey!”

He ran up to our car, all excited! It was a hometown boy, Don Mahaffey, who was a student at Clemson.

He had spotted our “LaGrange Georgia Wants New Industry” bumper sticker — LaGrange.

The fountain on the square. I can still hear my mom saying, “That beautiful, beautiful square.”

Rich Simpson is a former LaGrange resident and a LaGrange High graduate who worked 42 years in radio. He may be reached at rwsimpson4@gmail.com.