By Shannon Williams
Friendship is such a valuable thing, but is a thing that must have energy and love placed into it. The older the friendship and the older we get, you discover just how wonderful such friendships are. This fourth of July weekend, we hosted one of my husband’s college friends/roommates, and had a get together for three of the four, although the daughter of the one who could not come attended. From the time Paul and I reconnected about 12 yeas ago (we had not seen each other since right after he got out of college and I was still in college), I have heard stories of three dear old friends from his college days. I knew for Paul to have friends this long and still be in touch with them, he was a good guy and knew how to be a friend, thus just might make a good husband! In our years of marriage, I have met them all and hosted them in our home and have been to all of their homes, along with weddings of children, funeral of parents and many other life events.

Paul, Bobby, Greg and Dave all met in 1979 when they were attending NTSU (North Texas State University, which is now UNT, the University of North Texas), in Denton, Texas. They all resided in Crumley Hall, which I have been told in Spanish is spelled “B-E-E-R”! Their life revolved around the intramural sports of each and every kind, and I think any kind of drinking they could do. The drinking age was still 18 back in those days. They lived in a Co-ed dorm, which meant the girls were on one wing and the boys the other. I have heard many a tale of the “First Tuesday Parties” which were held at the start of each semester, but I think it just become a reason to have a party on a Tuesday. These parties were just the start of years of good food and drink. They have since moved on from trashcan punch to lite beer, as they are all in their mid-sixties, and watching carbs and sugars LOL.

Together they hosted a crawfish boil, the weekend after Easter, a tradition that Paul carries on today; but these days it does not last all weekend! We start at noon and are napping by 5 pm! They called themselves the “Sidling Rocks” which was a take off of the Rolling Stones with more of a country flare. Their one and only public appearance was a talent show, where they sang “El Paso” made famous by Marty Robbins. The story goes that they did fine singing the song till they were singing about the cowboy returning to El Paso and then they all broke out laughing and could not finish the song. Each time they are together and the beer is flowing they try again, these days they make it to the chorus and it’s over and done with as they are once again laughing so much.

Over the past 43 years, they have been there for each other, in good and bad. They stay in touch with phone calls, visits and Facebook. The wives and children have also developed strong bonds of friendship. Between them, there is only one living parent, but there are 8 children and 5 grandchildren (two with the same birthday!) and enough love , joy and memories to last a lifetime.
So, place value in your friends and feed those friendships, it is what helps us as we grow old.

Ladies and Gentleman, below I present a picture of the “Sliding Rocks”!

[Jul-5-2022]