The Red Flannel Rag

Shirley and JimMorris

Two of Mom’s brothers, Uncle Shirley and Uncle Jim were strong influences in

my life. They chose me as the recipient of their portion of Hopkins Gap tradition. They

were members of the eighteen children born to my grandparents. Shirley grew up

homeless after the age of ten; and, after he married Ethel, who also grew up homeless,

they raised their own children and opened their doors to other homeless children who

grew up in the Gap.

Uncle Shirley and Uncle Jim gave me the origins of local place names, moonshine

stories, stories of male escapades, bonding, and friendship. They shared hunting

stories, ghost stories, and tall tales that, to my constant amazement, ultimately went full

circle and always connected to something.

Uncle Shirley was a solidly built man with strong shoulders. One of his favorite

things to do with his children was have them stand in the palm of his hand. Then he

would hold his arm straight out from his shoulder and have a picture taken with the

children standing in his hand.

As a young man Uncle Shirley had a full head of black hair and brown eyes. He

lost his hair while he was very young, and I only remember him as a bald man. He was a

very wise man. Many people in the Gap went to him if they had a problem to work out.

I often asked his advice on my life questions. When he was given a problem, he would

get real quiet and it was as if you could see the cogs turning in his brain. Sometimes it

may take an hour for him to give his opinion. You would think he had forgotten the

question, but he never forgot and would ultimately give his advice.

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