Dear editor:

I was at the DDS – Department of Driver Services – this past week to renew my license for another eight years. The young lady said, “You are number one.” I asked her what she meant. She said all those people who have come in today did not have the documents to renew their license and I had all the necessary papers to renew without any problem.

I informed her I had got a free veteran license since after the Korean War in 1953 and have never had a ticket or anything against my license in all these years.

The young lady told me she hoped she is still working at the drivers services to renew my license in eight years. I told her that in eight years that I would be 94 and she said, “Like I said, I hope to be here to renew your license.”

I told her OK and it was a date, but not to tell her husband she had a date in eight years as he may be jealous.

When I got home I started to think, “Why me Lord” as I had lost my mother and father, then lost six sisters and six brothers-in-law, three brothers and their wives, I had a dozen aunts and uncles and lost them and all their spouses.

I had a dozen cousins who had children, and they all seem to have gone to heaven along with their parents. One of my daughters died at 51 from cancer, and myself I had lung cancer just lately and was cured.

The last Retiree Rally I went to they rung the bell of 168 family campers who had left me. Also, we belong to the Troup Travelers in LaGrange, and when we joined a number of years ago we had at the time 50 families. Now it is down to about 16.

I was in the service for 10 years and all my old buddies are gone, all the people I went to school with are gone, all the friends I grew up with around Dixie and Dunson are gone. I just lost my best friend James Railey, whom I talked with for over 36 years nearly every day, who just of late parted this earth.

I have lost a niece and several nephews and one great nephew.

I have not smoked or drank any booze now for over 18 years, but when I did I was smoking three packs a day and drinking enough booze to float a ship. From all the smoking, about 15 years ago the VA doctors said I would have about four years at the most to live.

The Lord has a reason for keeping me here, of which I am grateful. Maybe it is to continue to take care of my lovely wife who is in bad health. I still have two daughters and two sons and several nieces and nephews and five grandkids, so maybe it is to see how they will turn out in life.

Bill England

LaGrange