Kenny Smith
I have never forgotten the people I grew up with. Although some of the places we went and the things we did have become a bit more fuzzy over the years. But their faces still remain clear in my mind.
Jimmy was a lot of things to a lot of people. But for me, he was for the most part, a friend, a big brother and sometimes a mentor.
If I had to pick the best years of my life. I would have to say it was the 70's. In the late 70's or early 80's many times late in the evenings I would go to the Nobleton Park and build a camp fire. About the same time most every night Jimmy would be making a beer run. I always made sure my fire was big enough to be seen from the road. Every time Jimmy drove by he would stop by just to check on me and make sure I was okay. Sometimes he would even smoke a joint with me and give me a beer if I was alone.
In the early to mid 70's. He and his brother Rhino (Steven) and me and one of mine would walk the rail road tracks from Nobleton to Istachatta on the weekends. We had friend's there that went to school with us a one in particular who was over 18 and would buy beer and wine for us all. Then we all went to another friends house who's parents always stayed out late on Friday and Saturday night's. And only a few years later it was Jimmy I would give my money to and he would go buy the beer for me.
Growing up in Nobleton during the70's was the best years of my life. Jimmy was about 5 years older then I was. So he was not always a main character in my life at that time. But he was always around and every time we saw each other we always had a smile, a hand shake and good words for each other. I left Nobleton in the early mid 80's and I don't think I ever saw him again.
Now here it is in 2026 and I'm sitting here thinking about the best years of my life and the people who were always there. I am so very glad to have known him way back then. I wonder if he knows that I still think about him from time to time. And he still makes me smile when I do.