The Professor's late for class so we sit bored yet anxious for him to arrive so we can get it over with but the minutes drag on."I'll handle it," a husky classmate wearing glasses, a white shirt and trousers, not jeans, says climbing out of his desk and leaving the room.
Immediately he rushes back in, hair askew, glasses in hand, shirttail halfway out, one hand in his pocket jiggling change with a broad plastic smile on his face.
"How's everyone doing today?" he perfectly mimics the voice, face and mannerisms of our Prof.
Of course at that very moment our Professor rushes in to witness the spectacle and it's hilarious when the husky guy realizes it ... stops ... steps away from the podium and explains, "We know how you hate tardiness so I went ahead and started for you."
Husky guy takes his seat.
"I like this guy," I tell myself.
After class he tells me his name's "Guy."
Of course it is.
That's my first recollection of Guy Gains Sayles, Jr.
Quickly becoming friends we hang out, argue life's purposes, take classes together and form the greatest damn Spades players in the history of the Baptist Student Union where we regularly cheat to win.
Guy was in a hurry to get to the ministry so he finished College in 3 years to get on to Seminary where he excelled ... save for one near fatal flaw.
In a moment of religious zealousness, he calls as I'm enjoying my 5th year of College to say I should come to Seminary too.
"Alright," I say without giving it much thought and we're reunited in Louisville, Kentucky.
I'm still uncertain of what I brought to our friendship ... crazy antics, exposure to obscure rock-n-roll, intense competitiveness on the racquetball court, profane humor and laughter.
Guy gave me direction without letting me know, lots of questions, intensity in the classroom I'd never witnessed before and he taught me to cook biscuits-and-gravy (the man can flat out cook).
He can also flat out preach and to this day remains the best I've ever heard.
It's been more than a decade since we've seen each other but we both, along with his lovely wife Anita, turned 60 this year and that's as good a reason as any to pause, look back for a moment at our lives intertwined for a while, leaving us different ... and better I think ... than had we not fallen under the other's spell.
All those years ago we bravely and naively embarked on changing the world and, well we have, except in much smaller and more meaningful ways than we believed then.
I do know that much of who I became in life, the things I've accomplished and the people I influenced for better or worse, is because of Guy.
He's not to blame of course as he had no idea what he was doing but more than anyone else Guy set me on the path finding God.
It's taken me through multiple marriages, a 30 year stint helping others help themselves, the magical world of writing and a dance of faith often on the thinnest of ice ... to a life full of children, drunken Guardian Angels, a journey to whatever's next and a love I never knew I could have.
That's what I've received on my 60th and it's a shame I don't have anything to give you in return.
Regardless, Happy Birthday old friend!
Happy Birthday Anita!
What a ride we've had.
Thank God it's not quite over yet.The Professor's late for class so we sit bored yet anxious for him to arrive so we can get it over with but the minutes drag on.
"I'll handle it," a husky classmate wearing glasses, a white shirt and trousers, not jeans, says climbing out of his desk and leaving the room.
Immediately he rushes back in, hair askew, glasses in hand, shirttail halfway out, one hand in his pocket jiggling change with a broad plastic smile on his face.
"How's everyone doing today?" he perfectly mimics the voice, face and mannerisms of our Prof.
Of course at that very moment our Professor rushes in to witness the spectacle and it's hilarious when the husky guy realizes it ... stops ... steps away from the podium and explains, "We know how you hate tardiness so I went ahead and started for you."
Husky guy takes his seat.
"I like this guy," I tell myself.
After class he tells me his name's "Guy."
Of course it is.
That's my first recollection of Guy Gains Sayles, Jr.
Quickly becoming friends we hung out, argued life's purposes, took classes together and formed the greatest damn Spades players in the history of the Baptist Student Union where we regularly cheated to win.
Guy was in a hurry to get to the ministry so he finished College in 3 years to get on to Seminary where he excelled ... save for one near fatal flaw.
In a moment of religious zealousness, he calls as I'm enjoying my 5th year of College to say I should come to Seminary too.
"Alright," I say without giving it much thought and we're reunited in Louisville, Kentucky.
I'm still uncertain of what I brought to our friendship ... crazy antics, exposure to obscure rock-n-roll, intense competitiveness on the racquetball court, profane humor and laughter.
Guy gave me direction without letting me know, lots of questions, intensity in the classroom I'd never witnessed before and he taught me to cook biscuits-and-gravy (the man can flat out cook).
He can also flat out preach and to this day remains the best I've ever heard.
It's been more than a decade since we've seen each other but we both, along with his lovely wife Anita, turned 60 this year and that's as good a reason as any to pause, look back for a moment at our lives intertwined for a while, leaving us different ... and better I think ... than had we not fallen under the other's spell.
All those years ago we bravely and naively embarked on changing the world and, well we have, except in much smaller and more meaningful ways than we believed then.
I do know that much of who I became in life, the things I've accomplished and the people I influenced for better or worse, is because of Guy.
He's not to blame of course as he had no idea what he was doing but more than anyone else Guy set me on the path finding God.
It's taken me through multiple marriages, a 30 year stint helping others help themselves, the magical world of writing and a dance of faith often on the thinnest of ice ... to a life full of children, drunken Guardian Angels, a journey to whatever's next and a love I never knew I could have.
That's what I've received on my 60th and it's a shame I don't have anything to give you in return.
Regardless, Happy Birthday old friend!
Happy Birthday Anita!
What a ride we've had.
Thank God it's not quite over yet.
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