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Friday, Oct. 16, 2009

Fifty brings showers of blessings

IVEY — I drove across the bridge at Lake Tchukolako late Wednesday afternoon to see my friend, Greg Eady, on his 50th birthday.

He was wearing a colorful T-shirt with those half-century numbers. He was proud to have reached midfield in the stadium of life.

His sister, Laurie Wood, has always called him an “old man,” even though he is the baby of the Eady bunch.

It rained the entire trip. (I thought October was supposed to be the driest month of the year.) I never turned off my windshield wipers and hit every puddle out on Highway 57.

But the hour I spent with Greg was pure sunshine.

Greg was born in 1959 with Down syndrome. He had lived in Gordon his entire life with his mother, Jewell Eady.

I met him 10 years ago this week, just a few days before his 40th birthday. I believe each of us is put on Earth for a special reason. Greg’s mission was collecting thousands of aluminum cans and saving the pop tabs to raise money for the Ronald McDonald House in Macon.

Then, three days after his 40th birthday party, his world was shattered forever. His mother collapsed in his brother’s driveway and died of an apparent heart attack right there at his feet.

It’s a blessing that Greg comes from a large and loving family. His sister, Laurie, and brothers Johnny, Terry, Gary and Chuck pulled together and worked it out so Greg would always have a roof over his head and someone to take care of him.

Greg brings joy to so many people in Wilkinson County by simply being Greg.

“He has always been special,” said Laurie. “My mother never wanted us to treat him any differently than anyone else.”

Greg still gathers pop tabs, although the years have slowed his pace. He spends a lot of time each day with his portable “office” — large tote bags filled with papers. He has about 10 “offices” that go wherever he goes.

He cannot read, and Laurie said there is no rhyme or reason to the paper trail he follows. He tears out articles and advertisements from newspapers, magazines, junk mail and even pages from the phone book.

In one of his stacks, she found a page of biochemistry notes from her college days in the 1970s.

Laurie laughed and said she and her husband, John, try to discourage Greg from taking out the trash. Greg doesn’t recycle; he recirculates.

Although he cannot read, he does recognize numbers — like the “50” shirt he now owns. And the digital clocks to help him keep track of when professional wrestling and his favorite soap operas are on TV.

His constant companion is a Yorkie named Peanut. He did not have to go far to come up with the name. For Greg, the three basic food groups are french fries, boiled peanuts and potato chips.

He is a faithful member of Clear Creek Baptist and a big fan of gospel music. He is an honorary member of the Big Sandy Creek Band.

Saturday night, Greg’s friends and family will gather to celebrate the big Five-Oh in Gordon. Greg got a new karaoke machine for his birthday and has promised to sing his two favorite hymns — “Amazing Grace” and “How Great Thou Art.”

Although there is no rain in the forecast, I bet there’s not a dry eye in the house.