by Ricky Doc Sauceda
Proverbs 22:6 - Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.
My family moved to Cut-n-Shoot, Texas from Houston in the summer of 1971. Momma had spent part of her childhood in Victoria where my Grandpa Lizzardi’s family lived. Their home was located in an area similar to FM 1485 and Crystal Creek – including the old bridge that used to cross the creek. She felt “at home” on our 10 acre country farm.
My first friend was Jimmy Lee who lived at the top of the hill from my home. I walked up there and introduced myself and we started hanging out together from that point on. We would roam the woods and just have fun doing country boy things. We once evaded being run down by “Grandpa” – a huge and menacing hog that was part of our livestock on the farm. He chased us up a tree and we were stuck there for about an hour before he decided to walk away. I can still hear his grunting.
I made another friend whose daddy lived alone in a shack up the hill opposite of the Lee family. Sando was a rough type. All of the girls in the area liked him, including my two older sisters. He was the son of Johnny Neil who spent his days walking up and down the country road and along the highway. He would go to the little country store past Crystal Creek bridge to buy tobacco and beer.
Johnny became a friend of my Daddy. He would come over and visit and would share some beer, talk and laugh. They enjoyed each other’s company.
Johnny was an old man and I didn’t know his age. He was white haired, scruffy and unshaven, always smelled of beer and had a worn out look on his face. That is how I remember him: a tired old man who was living out his existence.
He was found dead in his shack by family. He hadn’t been seen walking around for a few days. His ex-wife lived nearby with Sando and his sister. His simple shack did not have electricity or plumbing. I once went to look at it with the Darsey brothers after Johnny’s passing. We were astonished at how simple he had lived.
I once asked Daddy why he bothered talking to the old man. He told me,” Son, everyone needs a friend. Do not judge people. We need to be kind. One day you will need a friend too.”
Daddy shared with me that Johnny’s dad was a moonshine runner. He had made a lot of money with the business. He put the money in mason jars and buried it somewhere on my family’s farm. Johnny said that he had looked “high and low” through the years for that stash but never found it. I guess it’s still out there somewhere.
I pray that Johnny is in the Kingdom now. I hope that he finally met his Maker. I hope that he is happy, laughing and talking with Daddy.