My father was a hot shot basketball player, Monroe High School's leading scorer his junior year, who missed most of his senior year after an ankle injury against Cauthan Westbrook and Madison County. But the story Pop tells most about his high school basketball days was when he slipped and fell down as he led the team through the line of cheerleaders before a tournament game. But he rarely shows off his skill. Rather, give him a guitar and without fail he'll put his ring finger on the D note on the guitar's B string and bend the note while making a horribly pained face. It's both sad and funny.
Pop is a jokester.
And I am one of only three people who has seen his dinosaur routine, when he pulls the waist of his green sweat pants up near his chest, his arms held close to his side like useless appendages as he crouches and makes a high shrieking sound, then hops around the room. My sister and I laugh, but Mom is not impressed. My father has been a psychology professor at Fort Valley State College for over 20 years. In recent years, he has also taught creative writing at the University of Georgia and Emory. The latter positions came after his success as a writer.