MEMORIES

It was unfortunate but I never had the opportunity to meet Chandler Luckhum. He was the town barber for over 40 years in Irvington Va. and the father of Garry Luckham the husband of "Sam Wheeler", the writer of this story. They currently live in Irvington in the very house Garry grew up in and later completely refurbished. His contracting business specializes in retrofitting and refurbishing older homes.

All who knew him told me Chandler had a quick wit and was an extraordinary story teller. He knew everyone in Irvington going back a couple of generations. As his life was drawing to a close he told his son Garry who was visiting with him at the hospital, that he had wanted to go to college his whole life and finally he was going to be able to do it. You see he had donated his body to science at the Medical College of Va. He could see humor even as he prepared to pass from this world. If you have an interest in seeing more about this quaint, historic Virginia town here is a website you might find of interest. TLS http://www.city-data.com/city/Irvington-Virginia.html

TO IRVINGTON WITH LOVE:

On a recent rainy Sunday morning, I found myself awake before the chickens and decided to get up and start the coffee. Trying not to disturb my sleeping husband, I got my coffee, and went to our little library, four cats in tow.

I picked up a book that I have read many times before but this time had special meaning. It’s called “To Irvington with Love” and my father in law, Chandler H. Luckham had written the preface for the book. With his recent passing, I felt that melancholy mood one gets with love and loss and the marching on of time.

Re-reading that preface reminded me of how one can truly love a place. I am a “come here” and would fall under the category he wrote about “working hard to be able to live here” even though my idea of hard work was nothing compared to what earlier generations endured just to eek out a living.

I started reading all the memories so sweetly described by folks who are long gone and it set me to thinking about the town and the people of our Irvington today. Even though life from the early to mid 1900’s was much harder, it seemed more fun in many ways. Now we are so busy being busy we don’t make time for porch parties, games of charades or telling a good ghost story while roasting oysters in an outdoor pit.

We barely see our neighbors because we have TV to watch, e-mails to send and text messages to read. I remember as a kid, Sunday afternoons were kept open in case company dropped by. Folks back then didn’t call to say they were coming, they just showed up.

On nice days, we would sit outside and watch the cars go by knowing most everyone in them and say “Wonder where they are going?” No elaborate meals were planned. You had leftovers for after church lunch; it was served cold even if it was meant to be hot, and it was always delicious.

I miss those slow motion times. I worry about these kinds of things disappearing. What kind of tribute will we be able to leave the children not even born yet? What stories and recipes can we hand down to them?

If you enjoy a good love story, pick up a copy of this little book and be sure to read the preface that Chandler wrote. It inspired me to start planning a gathering of neighbors and friends for an old-fashioned porch party.

When e-mails and TV shows are long forgotten, I want to be able to remember the moments spent with all the wonderful people that make up this beautiful little town.

Sam Wheeler

2009