By Rody
Tim was the big brother who was a little bit closer to my age, so even though he was way older, he wasn't the oldest! Tim was always helpful and easy to talk to as a kid, and he was fun to be around. He knew the best jokes, would play with us and share things with us. Tim always had an awesome record collection and he liked to have you listen to songs with him. I remember once when he got new stereo headphones, he called me into his room to listen to a song. He put them on my head and started the turntable. Suddenly I could hear this man's voice saying over and over "number 9, number 9, number 9" and it was going back and forth right through my head! It was really cool!
Tim was always ahead of the curve with his taste in music. He would play a song for me and months later I'd start hearing it on the radio. Tim introduced me to so much music throughout my life, but some of the favorites I remember were the Eagles, Charlie Daniels, and of course, the Marshalll Tucker Band!
I knew better than to mess with Tim's stuff too! He was meticulous about his things but especially about his wardrobe. He used to iron his own clothes and get them ready the night before school. He'd have the shirt and pants hanging up side by side, all ready for the next day. Unfortunately, sometimes he'd wake up to find his ready-to-wear outfit had already walked out the door! It wasn't much of a mystery how they walked off and Tim would get so mad! (Find photo of clothes thief here.)
Tim could be stubborn too. I remember that if I did something he didn't appreciate me doing, he would tackle me and punch me just enough to make his point! Once, I did something that made him mad (I can't remember exactly what it was) and he started out after me. I tried to outrun him. I ran all over the house, through the front yard, through the neighborhood, around the block, as far as I could run but he was right behind me. He never let up. He chased me down until I just could not run any more. Finally I headed for home and collapsed in the backyard, out of breath and knowing what was coming! I found out recently that Tom has those very same memories!
During his High School years, he fixed up his bedroom really cool. My friends and I loved to hang out there. Tim was always a collector and he had hip, unique stuff like cool albums and 45's, bright colored posters, and some occasional paraphernalia. There was a huge black light strategically placed in just the right spot for maximum enhancement of the whole space. Almost everything in the room was painted with bright fluorescent colors but the most amazing part of the whole room was the bedroom door. It was in the corner of the room and once inside, you just had to keep it closed so as not to miss that spectacular view. It was the best part! The whole door was filled in from top to bottom with a maze and collage of psychedelic fluorescent pictures. The abstract pics were designed and painted exclusively by Tim but after a while he let others draw a little bit. It originally started out as one tiny picture that grew from around the doorknob until it filled every space. It looked spectacular in the dark. One night some friends and I came home from the beach and decided to hang out in there. As soon as we got settled and shut off the light we turned on the infamous black light, anxious to begin enjoying the full effect and instantly the colors came to life! The purple tinge of the black light made the whites of our eyes brighter and our bodies amazingly tan. But then suddenly we also noticed something really weird. We were glowing with bright fluorescent blotches all over our bodies! It had been a red tide, which left phosphorescent microscopic sea life all over us! I'd never seen anything like it!
Thanks Tim for always being there, for sharing yourself and your wonderful life and that awesome room. I love you! Happy 60th!
Birthday!!! Let's hear some music.
The Eagles
Charlie Daniels Band
Marshall Tucker Band
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