Troy to the world! Macon holiday fixture is clanging the bell for the 17th year

Troy Singleton’s hands swing like pendulums to provide a ring tone for the season.

Ring. Ring. Ring. Ring. Ring. Ring.

His post is Kroger on Hartley Bridge Road in Macon-Bibb County. Every day, he watches a steady flow of folks pushing grocery carts through the parking lot, carrying everything from laundry detergent to frozen pizzas.

Some are wearing Santa hats and Christmas sweaters. Others have reindeer antlers and holiday wreaths attached to their vehicles.

Many know him by name, and he knows them, too.

If they don’t see him, they hear him.

Ring. Ring. Ring. Ring. Ring. Ring.

Troy is a fixture at the Salvation Army kettle next to an entrance at the busy grocery store. He has worn a red apron on this same stretch of sidewalk every December for the past 16 years.

While the Salvation Army depends heavily on volunteer bell ringers, Troy is among those paid for his 12-hour shifts. He began jingling bells on Nov. 29, the day after Thanksgiving. He won’t have a day off until Christmas.

Sure, his feet often hurt after standing all day, but he doesn’t mind. It’s a “good’’ tired.

You can almost keep time to the constant ringing of the tiny bell, with its 2-inch mouth and swinging clapper. It has a high and distinctive tone, like a jingle from Santa’s sleigh every 1.5 seconds or so.

There have been times when Troy has kept rhythm with multiple bells. Last year, he rang four, then six, at a time, slipping the wooden handles between his fingers.

He can carry a tune, too. After all, he sings in the choir at Greater Little Rock Baptist Church on Felton Avenue.

In his outdoor sanctuary, his bell accompanies such classics as “Silent Night,’’ “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,’’ and, appropriately enough, “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day.’’

Just call him “Troy to the World.’’

Troy is 49 years old. Although Christmas is his favorite time of year, he was born on another holiday. He arrived in the world on Feb. 2, 1970. Groundhog Day.

He began ringing the bell for the Salvation Army at the now-closed Kroger on Pio Nono Avenue. That was closer to his home off Anthony Road. He later was transferred to the Kroger on Hartley Bridge, where he has seen the store expand in size. He also has watched a number of businesses and restaurants at the shopping center come and go over the past 16 years.

“You get to know people, and they get to know you,’’ he said. “When I came back this year, the day after Thanksgiving, a lot of people and some of the workers said they were glad to see me back out here. I like getting to meet everybody and being friendly. I love to tell them ‘Merry Christmas’ and have them put money in the kettle.’’

Troy enjoys laughing with them, too. He tells jokes. He shares stories. Sometimes he tells them about the time he tried to do a back flip on a swing when he was a child. It didn’t end well, but he can find humor in it now.

The holidays are not always filled with joy and happiness. It is a difficult time for many, especially those who have lost a loved one. Troy remembers a woman telling him about losing her son in an automobile accident.

“She was crying and, when she came back out of the store, I stopped her and had a prayer with her,’’ he said.

It was 20 years ago this week I began volunteering to ring the bell for the Salvation Army. It has become a Christmas tradition for me and my family. To me, it represents the reason for the season. It is a reminder of the joy of giving, an opportunity to help those in need.

The kettle is a collection plate wrapped in red. And you get back more than you ever put in that kettle.

“One lady told me every time she comes out here, I have a smile on my face,’’ Troy said. “And I said, ‘Yeah, that’s me.’ ’’

Ed Grisamore teaches journalism at Stratford Academy in Macon. His column appears on Sundays in The Telegraph.