A thanks to Betty and Bill, my friends - The Bryan Times (subscription)
Bill would tell me stories about my dad that I would never have heard anywhere else. He told me how the two of them would make root-beer in the basement of my dad's house and how they would light spider webs in the basement with matches. One time we were having coffee, listening to some of the men talk about WWII and I asked Bill why my dad never talked about WWII. Bill told me that my dad never talked about the war because he didn't have a good war. What I will say is that Bill gave me a better understanding of my dad. When I came back to Bryan, Bill took me around town showing me houses. I remember that at the time Bill told me that a smart guy would never buy a house, but would just rent and put his money somewhere else. I didn't understand that at the time, but having lived in five houses in and around Bryan during the last 34 years I kinda do now. Betty and Bill have a farm in Michigan where they have planted walnut trees. Originally the farm was a partnership between Leonard and Dorothy Opdycke and Betty and Bill. Bill told me that one time he was at a tree farmer's convention and he found himself sitting next to a man who introduced himself as Chuck Leavell. Source: bryantimes.com
