It was the fall of 1962 with all the leaves turning colors of the rainbow in my small home town. My next door neighbor had a newborn that was a delight for me. A beautiful girl that I fell in love with and spent my time spoiling her. Karen Lynette Jordan came into the world on Aug. 23, 1962. Her dad drove a truck for Carolina Freight, so he spent a lot of time on the road. As her mom progressed in her pregnancy, I was designated to drive for the trip to the hospital. I hadn't been around before anyone was preparing for a baby so I didn't know how to react when Katherine called me and said she was ready. "Ready for what?" I said. "The baby, of course" was her answer. I flipped. I was more nervous than she was and just about forgot to call the truck terminal to let them know the situation so they could relay the message to Wendell.
As I walked up and down the halls of Floyd Hospital, I tried to remember all the things Katherine had told me to do in preparation. Call the school so someone could pick up her son, Tony. Call her mom in Dalton at work. Her mom (Ruby Dean) worked at Putnam Chenille, so it was about a 50 mile drive and would take her about an hour and a half to get to Rome. Call the dry cleaner to delay the delivery of her clothes for that day. Cancel the milk delivery for the next morning. Feed her cat. Needless to say, I was a nervous wreck. Finally, a nurse came down the hall and told me that the baby was here, a girl, and said Katherine would be in her room in about an hour after recovery. But I could go to the nursery and view the baby.
The most beautiful baby that I had ever seen before was brought to the window. Black hair and blue eyes with chubby cheeks and a perfect little mouth. I was in love in that moment. It was a love that lasted forever. When she would look at me, my heart melted. I never knew such a miracle existed. Everyone was in love with this baby. She became such a delight for everyone. A few months later, I became a part of her family by marring her uncle, Marvin Burns.
By didn't get to see her very much after this time because I moved to Calhoun and she moved to Centre, Alabama. We had visits over the years and she would visit her grandmother for dinners and reunions. Such a beautiful woman that people would just stop to look at her. Her life was struck down suddenly on Feb. 19, 2002. So young to leave us broken hearted. Complications from a gall bladder surgery. She left behind a young son and mother as well as brothers and sisters. But her memories linger still. I still see her beautiful smile and her eyes, well they are indescribable. Her hair was a mahogany, falling beneath her shoulders.
As I sang at her going away party, I remembered all the times that I sung to her as a child and rocked her to sleep. Now she is being rocked by angels, sheltered in their loving arms. I still miss you, Karen. "Tadpole"
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