Man........
Another member of the Crichton family taken us from way too soon during this time of year
Halloween 2007.
The Crichton Comets basketball team opens up their season against Philander Smith College at Streets Ministries on Vance Avenue.
Yours truly, who was always armed with a camera to capture moments on North Highland Street, decides to get a group shot of the kids having fun before the game.
In the photo, there’s Michelle Woods and Brittney Woods as well as Jasmine Scudder (now Wade).
There’s also Marissa Jackson on one of them old school flip phones as well off in the distance Courtnee Steen (now Dunlap) and Brittney Davis as well as my one-time neighbor Quita Williams, all three looking like exasperated moms.
At the front, there’s Rickey Norman in one of them masks (I want to say he was wearing the wolf one?) and Steven Hayes giving the Jordan shrug.
It’s been 15 years since I took that photo on Halloween night in Memphis. Crichton has since closed and has now turned into the Life Church of Memphis. Many of those people in that picture have moved on to bigger and better things.
And tragically, two people in that picture are no longer with us, Ms. Davis and now Steven.
When you lose two people like this during this time of year in the prime of their lives, you think about your own mortality. As my grandmother once told me, we all have a number in this life.
And when it is called, there are no take backs. When it is your time to go, it’s your time.
I don’t know the circumstances of Hayes’ death. It’s best for me to not know.
What is more important that a family will have one less chair at the family table on today.
Guys, if you’re reading this, be grateful for the fact that you’re on the right side of the grass today.
There’s so many that should be on this side of the grass today.