A Story about Papaw Jim as told to me by Cecil Perkins

Yesterday, Carla and I went to Lowe’s to see about some things for the house. We went to the Lowe’s at Highway 71 and Ranch Road 620. I can hardly go around that spot without getting Carla something from Rosie’s Tamale House. They have really good breakfast tacos and Carla wanted one.

When I stopped in, the first person that I saw there was Cecil Perkins, the old ring neck himself. I went back outside and got Carla and we went in and sat down to listen to Cecil. Cecil is a first cousin to Carla’s mom. Carla’s mom’s maiden name was Heffington and Cecil’s mother was a Heffington. Cecil has a small ranch on Hamilton Pool Road and the log cabin that Jim Heffington was born in is located on the ranch. The ranch is the old Heffington home places. The log cabin was restored by Cecil. Jim Heffington was Carla’s mom’s dad. Since Carla’s mom (Margie) was an only child, Jim treated Cecil like a son and Cecil loved Jim like he did his own father.

Cecil has many stories about Papaw Jim, but the one that I like best is the trip to the horse races in Hot Springs, Arkansas. You see, Papaw Jim was a life long Southern Baptist and adhered to most of the ways of the Baptist faith. His only weakness was the horses. He loved horse racing with a passion.

Well, Cecil had taken Papaw Jim to a couple of horse races, one in New Mexico and one in Louisiana. Cecil also loved horse racing and actually owned some race horses. Jim bragged to Cecil about those trips but said that the one thing he would enjoy most in life is to go back to Hot Springs, Arkansas. He said that he was too old (he was in his late 70’s or early 80’s at the time) to go back there.

Cecil found out that there was a horse race in Hot Springs in the next couple of weeks. He asked Papaw Jim to go. Papaw Jim got to go to Hot Springs and sit in the mineral baths that he had done earlier in life and then Cecil took him to the races.

Papaw Jim told Cecil that he had always wanted to go the horse races and bet $10 a race, which was way out of his budget. You see, Papaw Jim was a retired fireman and his pension was only $100 per month. Well, Cecil took Papaw Jim’s money and went and got him 14 ten-dollar bills. There were 14 races that day. He wanted to make Jim’s wish come true.

Knowing that $140 was too much money for Papaw Jim to lose, Cecil decided on a plan.
He would tell Papaw Jim that he bet the races just the way Papaw Jim has handicapped them, but Cecil decided not to actually place the bet.

Cecil had decided to give Papaw Jim back his $140 at the end of the day, assuming that Papaw Jim would think that he had lost all his money. According to Cecil, at the end of the day, Papaw Jim had calculated that he had won $488. Papaw Jim was really excited.

Cecil not wanting to tell Papaw Jim that he had not actually placed the bets paid Papaw Jim the $488. The problem was that Papaw Jim talked all the way home about winning $488. Cecil was growing tired of hearing about it.

He told Papaw Jim that he ought to quit talking about it because he was afraid that Margie would find out about it. Papaw Jim said “dadburn thunderation” (his trademark saying) don’t tell Margie. Gambling was against the Southern Baptist ways.

So Papaw Jim kept quite about betting on the horses and Cecil kept the story to himself until after Papaw Jim has passed.

This is such a great story and I am looking forward to Cecil telling me mores stories.

Coming tomorrow, Leroy Carlson, my Dad.