Names From Memory Lane

In my earliest years, I had a best friend classmate named "Yank'. Back then, I didn't care where he got his name, but now I do. To this day, I do not know where he got such a name, and I haven't seen or heard from him, nor he from me, for more than 50 years. Occasionally, just a thought of Yank, whose real name is James, and other hometown friends of my early years, bring tears of sadness to my eyes. Most recently, after more than 40 years, I returned to the spot where Yank and I went to school and played cowboys. My heart is also warmed when I think about some other names like Mr. Sam Railroad who lived across the railroad from the main part of town. I later learned that his last name was Williams whose son Sammie Lee was older than me. Sammie Lee was a classmate of mine as well as a fellow player on the basketball team. For a spell, he also dated my older sister Lou, whose real name is Louella. I always thought that he was a swell guy, but apparently, my sister didn't think so because as I said, they merely dated for just a spell. There was another movie-going gentleman who was a friend of my father. Mr. Hassing Grim is all I remember and never knew the 'Why' of such a name. Moreover, I have reason to believe that he was a 'once upon a time medicine man', because I recall that he administered a remedy that brought healing to a very bad wound of my older brother Calvin who was known by some as Red. Tanny, whom I later learned was Casey George, ran a grocery store in our little town. He was a good and decent man, most kind and friendly too, and never did I see him frown. Brut was what we called another good man in our community, but his last name was Ranson. As I recall, there was another man, short and stocky, whose name was Stuky. I do not recall any children that he and his wife ever had, but he was a very reliable and hard-working man. I do not remember another name that he ever had. Just Stuky. Lastly, there was a man who came to town for what seemed like just a visit. I had forgotten about him until I was reminded of him by a younger sister, Tressie, whose real name was Tressie. When she spoke of the strange but kind man, I quickly recalled him, because he had the most unusual name of them all. It seemed that he was most proud of his name, and there was no other name by which we would call him. I can't even picture him, but the very thought of him casts a sweet and lasting memory. It seemed his name was always attached to any and every task he ever performed. He was most helpful, and whenever he completed a job, he would yell out what in fact was the only name we ever knew. His name was like 'the end' of a mission. His name was 'Book Closed'. 041622PS