Ray Hicks' Birthday
Thursday, August 28, 2008 at 02:11PM | Lynn Ray Hicks' birthday, or the anniversary of his birthday, is today. Born in 1922, Ray said that the granny woman who helped bring him into the world didn't know that midnight meant a new day. He said his mother was never sure whether or not his birthday was August 28 or August 29 because even if it was past midnight, it was still dark and the midwife would have called it the 28th until daylight.
That alone makes a good story, as does the tale about how all of the Hicks' children, all eleven of them, were born in the front bedroom of the house on Old Mountain Road. Actually, Ray remarked that the oldest two children were born at their grandparents house before the family moved into the two story home.
Ray is missed. So is his famous southern Appalachian drawl. I was among the fortunate to make regular pilgrimages to his house where I listened to him tell city slickers "hush, I think I can hear the G-nats grinding their teeth." Then he'd laugh.
I fell for all of his sayings, anecdotes, and jokes. I loved the Jack tales almost as much as he did. He said, "There's not a day goes by that I don't think of my Granddaddy Ben and how he told those stories."
Sometimes I think, "Not a day goes by that I don't think of Ray Hicks and how he told those stories."
Laughter was the hallmark of a visit to the Hicks. I miss those times.
Reader Comments (2)
Reading this gave me another mental connection to my much-loved, now-deceased grandmother, Sally Ann. She, too, didn't know for sure on which day her birthday fell. So she celebrated BOTH March 12 & 13. She's also the person who came to mind that day you sat in the swing in your back yard and read to me from the manuscript of your forthcoming book on Ray Hicks. That Appalachian vernacular is very distinctive. She was from WV, but still, as you read words uttered by Ray Hicks, I was picturing Sally.
Thanks for sharing Ray Hicks with us. And for triggering my own personal memories.
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Not a day goes by that I don't think of Ray Hicks and how he told those stories.
i will think that way usually
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