Griffin Speaks

ALL WE WANT IS PEACE

A few months ago I was in Birmingham, Alabama on business and decided to drop in on my old friend, Cleo Thomas. Cleo an Alabama attorney, is also Chairman and Chief Executive officer of A.G. Gaston Corporation (holding company of Booker T. Washington Insurance Corporation and its subsidiaries.) He is a 1977 graduate of the University of Alabama, where he was the first African-American elected as president of the Student Government Association. He received the George C. Marshall Scholarship to Oxford University in England, and was awarded a B.A. degree in philosophy, politics, and economics from Oxford University in 1982. He served as law clerk to U.S. District Judge J. Foy Guin from 1982-83. He is probably one of the brightest and most distinguished men in the state of Alabama. He is also the only sibling of our own distinguished City Councilwoman, Janet May. 

I walked into the reception area and saw my old secretary, Mary Grant answering the phone. She welcomed me with her usual enthusiasm. We chatted for a moment and then I asked her to buzz Cleo to see if he had a moment to see me. She rang his office and told him that “GREG GRIFFIN IS HERE TO SEE YOU” I could hear Cleo’s response, “I’ll come down and get him!” It made me feel great to know that he would take time out of his busy schedule to speak with me unannounced. 

Cleo’s office is the entire top floor of the old Pythian Temple. It is truly amazing to visit. The last time I had visited the office was when Dr. A.G. Gaston had summoned me there in 1988. Cleo was in a great mood and we had a great visit. He told me a great story about his friend Alabama Chief Justice Drayton Nabors. I would later share that story with Chief Justice Nabors and he told me an even greater story about Cleo. My visit with Cleo came to an end, but not before he said something to me that inspired this article. Cleo said at the end of our conversation “At this stage in my life all I want is peace!” 

I began to think about that profound comment. I began to realize that at this stage in my own life all I really want is peace. The late John Lennon in a song said, “Imagine all the people, living life in peace. You may say I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one. I hope someday you’ll join us, and the world will live as one.” Well John, you can count Cleo and me in. All we want is PEACE! 

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