March 27, 1946, you were born in Clarksville, Tennessee. You started life thinking your father was dead. In 1957, when he showed up and you answered the door, he told you he was your daddy. You replied, "My daddy's dead." Funny - I was born in Ohio in 1957 and that was the year you moved here. I was born a couple months after you arrived in Ohio.

You would have turned 66 tomorrow. Once upon a time, I would have thought you'd be old at that age. Now, I know you were still young. You were a college student when you died, and the dean of that college and teachers and fellow students attended your memorial service. The head of Mansfield's NAACP was at your bedside while you died. You had an impact on so many lives. Saints and sinners loved you.

Yesterday and today, I was supposed to be somewhere else. Of course, I fell while I was doing laundry to prepare for the trip, and I'm at home. And, true to form, your friend PJ showed up, distraught, yesterday. Although I'd still be warning you away from her, I let her in. She hadn't eaten for a couple of days; she got food. She needed money, so I had her do some work to earn a little. She came back today and earned a little more. I guess you left her to me along with your car and dog and a crooked-neck cat that's outside, somewhere, because she left a window open. God bless you, babe - you're still getting your way, aren't you?

If I hadn't fallen in the basement, I don't know where PJ would have been yesterday and today. Maybe she'd have been sucking on a crack pipe. I'm hoping that she's telling the truth about straightening out. I know you wanted that. She calmed down pretty quickly, yesterday, with a little food and helping out with some yardwork. She seemed fine, today, with doing a bit more in the house and talking a little more. Thank goodness she didn't seem the basket case that showed up yesterday.

While I'm trying to move on, I guess I still have follow-up to do for you. I guess that's your birthday present from me. She's behaving herself, while she's here, and I haven't noticed that anything's gone missing while she's been here. Maybe your faith in her will be proven in the end.