Griffin Speaks

ABRAHAM LINCOLN AND THE EMOTIONS

A few years ago, I loaded my family in the car and we journeyed to Chicago, “chicken in the car and the car won’t go” Illinois. It was a journey that my family will never forget. We were off to Uncle David’s wedding reception.

David Waite is one of my best friends. I met him while I was earning my LL.M in Taxation at Boston University School of Law. In exchange for free housing I served as a Residential Director for two Brown Stones on Bu’s Campus. I lived at 96 Mountfort Street. David was a frequent visitor of one of my charges, C. J. Lovett.

Almost all of my charges were from wealthy families. The Rolls Royces were everywhere! C. J. Lovett’s Father was the leading Workmen Compensation attorney in the nation. He lived in Rhode Island. A huge Mickey Mouse in his office window was his trademark.

One day I was visiting C. J. when in walked the vainest, most arrogant human I had ever met. It was none other than DAVID WAITE. You see any woman would disagree with my first impression of David, because women think he hung the moon, the sun and parted the seas. David is a mulatto and by anyone’s standard of beauty, drop dead handsome.

After I got to know David we became great friends. He was a groomsman in my wedding 15 years ago. He is incredibly wealthy. I was amazed at this college kid with the fancy condo. All of his friends were rich. I was the exception. He always introduced me as his personal attorney. David exposed me to the lifestyle of the rich and famous.

One day I rode with David and one of his rich buddies to Martha’s Vineyard to attend a party at the home of James Taylor and Carla Simons. David knew everyone that was anyone. I was not overly impressed with Martha’s Vineyard and this disappointed David. He charged it off to my being a Hillbilly from North Carolina. We had a few tense words, but you can’t stay angry with the oldest Peter Pan in the world.

So my friend David finally decided to settle down after having interviewed thousands of beautiful women for the role of Mrs. David Waite. I would have to be dead to miss his wedding. It was the worst weather I had ever driven in. There were moments when I seriously thought the end was near.

When we crossed the state line and arrived in Kentucky on interstate 65 North, I noticed a huge brown sign with white letters that read Abraham Lincoln’s Birthplace. I told Debra that we must stop and visit on our return to Alabama.

We were blessed and arrived safely. My best friend, Howie Hodges and his wife Beth are also close friends with David. They were not able to attend the wedding, because they were stranded in the airport in Washington, D.C. Howie laughed at me for driving, but look who made the wedding.

We left the children with Debra’s Aunt Brenda and Uncle Sam Martin. Sam is a big wheel at Sears. They had a lovely home, but Debra and I wanted to be closer to the action so we opted to stay in downtown Chicago. We were dog-tired when we arrived at our hotel, but the excitement was about to begin.

We freshened up and headed for the festivities. Debra was mesmerized by the glamour. We were two of the oldest people at the festivities. Debra said, “those are some dancing white folk”. Everyone looked like a model or a movie star.

David assigned us to sit with his special guest. We sat with Wanda, Sheila and Pamela Hutchinson. Debra almost had a heart attack. You see they were the original EMOTIONS. They sang beautifully at the reception. Debra could not stop singing DON’T ASK MY NEIGHBOR or BEST OF MY LOVE.

David’s wife was as beautiful as he was handsome. We met the parents and everyone was lovely and happy. David’s parents are real estate tycoons in St. Louis, Missouri.

David is still happily married with two gorgeous kids. They have fabulous homes in Chicago, Illinois, Indiana and Montego Bay, Jamaica. The villa in Montego Bay has a breath taking view of the city. A couple of years before this grand wedding we vacationed with David at his Villa in Montego Bay, Jamaica. Also present were my best friend Howie Hodges and his wife Beth. We arrived the day after his close friend and houseguest, Phillip Michael Thomas (Miami Vice) left. Debra was impressed that we were occupying the same room as Phillip.

My excitement now began to turn to the Abraham Lincoln birthplace. I couldn’t believe that such a treasure was so close off the interstate.

The Lincoln birthplace is located off Interstate 65 in Hodgenville, Kentucky. Almost 100 years after Abraham Lincoln moved from his birthplace, a log cabin originally accepted as the birthplace cabin was placed in a Memorial Building. Mark Twain, Williams Jennings Bryan, Samuel Gompers, and others formed the Lincoln Farm Association to preserve Lincoln’s birthplace and establish a memorial to the 16th president. Theodore Roosevelt laid the cornerstone in 1909. The Monument was designed by John Russell Pope, and was dedicated by President William Taft.

When I walked up the numerous steps and opened the door of this grandiose neo-classical structure I was overwhelmed with awe. To see this small humble cabin the birth home of our greatest president was more than words can describe. Abraham Lincoln was a man that forever remained in the humble walks of life. He led this nation through its darkest period. You owe it to yourself to visit this magnificent place. Surprisingly it is totally free.

Greg Griffin is a free lance writer. You can read his previous articles at www.greggriffin.com