The Wild Hogs
Have you ever seen the movie "Wild Hogs" starring John Travolta and Tim Allen? Some buddies of mine and I decided to ride our Harleys down the Natchez Trace Parkway from Nashville to Natchez one weekend about 10 years ago. It was a fun trip and we enjoyed getting out on the open road. On our way back, I decided for us to stop in Forest and see what had changed as I hadn't been through there since 1979. Well it hadn't changed much but I wanted to see if I could find anyone I knew from the early 70's. Thought about stopping by to see Mayor Chambers as she was my 7th or maybe 8th grade teacher at Hawkins but figured she might be too busy for someone to drop in with no prior notification. Jimmy Lackey owned the True Value Hardware store and I thought maybe his son, Jim might be there so we pulled into the parking lot. While my buddies waited outside, I went in and asked for Jim but he wasn't there. I told them my name and said I used to live here about 40 years ago and they were friends of mine. All of a sudden a black man who was listening said, "You say your name is Mark Welsh?" I replied yes and he said, "Do you remember me?" I looked at him more closely and it dawned on me who it might be. I said, "Do you have a twin brother and y'all played trumpet in the high school band?" He grinned and said, "Yep that's me" It was Dennis or Dewayne Hayes (I always got those 2 mixed up) from the 1975 class. We chatted a bit and I enjoyed hearing how he was doing. We left there, stopped by the Methodist Church to see it and it looked the same as I remember. We continued on East on Highway 80 and I pulled into Whiteway Farm where the Lackey's lived. The 5 of us drove our Harleys up to the barn where an elderly man and his wife were outside at the horse trailer. I introduced myself and said that I used to live here and my father trained here. He asked my Dad's name and I told him. He said to wait here a minute and went inside the barn. He brought back a large picture of a man riding a horse. He said this picture has been hanging in the office for over 40 years .... it was my Dad riding a horse the Lackey's owned back then. Wow! We talked a bit more but were pressed for time so we said our goodbyes and headed north to Tennessee. Was hoping to see some more people I knew but from 1974 to 2011 is a long time and I didn't know where I might find anybody. Planning on a trip around April 1st to visit a couple of Bearcats that live close to Laurel (Micah and James Hendry)but will definitely stop through Forest again and maybe see some people I knew or meet some of you nice folks. The picture leaning on the back of the car was the pic of my Dad. Me and a couple of my buddies at the Mississippi River at Natchez, all military veterans: (I'm on the right of the tall guy)
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- Life in Forest in the Early 70's - Mark Welsh January 28, 2022, 4:15 am
- School Life after Forest in the 70's - Mark Welsh May 9, 2022, 4:48 am
- The Good News Singers from Forest United Methodist Church - Mark Welsh May 2, 2022, 5:30 am
- A Tribute to my good friends - The Hendry Brothers - Mark Welsh April 12, 2022, 2:21 am
- The Mischief Makers - Mark Welsh February 28, 2022, 4:48 am
- Do You Remember (reply with a smiley face if so) - Mark Welsh February 25, 2022, 4:49 am
- Old Fashioned Fun and Pranks - Mark Welsh February 23, 2022, 1:20 am
- Re: Life in Forest in the Early 70's - Steve 70 February 17, 2022, 5:27 pm
- Mrs Willie Mae Mitchell - Mark Welsh February 17, 2022, 2:20 am
- The Beautiful Dog River - Mark Welsh February 16, 2022, 2:43 am
- The Wild Hogs - Mark Welsh February 15, 2022, 2:01 am
- Driving the Carr - Mark Welsh February 14, 2022, 12:48 am
- Don't Stop the Music - Mark Welsh February 12, 2022, 1:15 am
- Basic Youth Conflicts - Mark Welsh February 11, 2022, 2:26 am
- Mississippi Drivers License - Mark Welsh February 10, 2022, 3:47 am
- It's Horse Show Time - Mark Welsh February 9, 2022, 1:33 am
- Field Day at School - Mark Welsh February 8, 2022, 1:48 am
- RE: Meadow Hill Drive - Mark Welsh February 3, 2022, 1:47 am
- Re: Life in Forest in the Early 70's - Mark Welsh February 2, 2022, 9:40 am
- Re: Life in Forest in the Early 70's - Mark Welsh February 2, 2022, 4:12 am
- Recognize - Lu Ann Gould February 2, 2022, 9:54 am
- Re: Life in Forest in the Early 70's - nancy chambers January 28, 2022, 12:57 pm
- Re: Life in Forest in the Early 70's - Steve Clark 70 January 28, 2022, 11:36 am
- Re: Life in Forest in the Early 70's - Lu Ann Gould January 28, 2022, 9:27 am
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