Day 24 "Big Al" For the RHM

Of course he smiled all the time, he was a photographer! I had no idea the guy had such artistic talent. I thought he was a real estate guy. Seriously, a few  years back I worked at the gym where he was a member. Always nice, always polite, and ALWAYS smiling. "Big Al" we called him, at the gym I mean. Fast forward a year or two and TK and I are tag-team teaching a multi-culture class. Each week TK would teach about the culture of a particular country and I would teach the class how to prepare food from that culture. Big Al was one of a few very devoted class members. It was during this 11 week class that I learned of his talents. I think it was the third week of classes, we learned about Japanese beliefs and culture. I taught the class to roll sushi. Al Eubanks was THE BEST at it. Better than ME! He just jumped right in there and created his own roll, just like that. As if the man had been rolling sushi for quite some time. Anyone who can create pretty food earns quick "cool points" with me-and so it began. My admiration for Big Al. In the weeks that followed, he allowed us to call him "Chef Al" and he smiled every time we did. We became friends.
I mentioned  The Buying Of Chairs in a previous blog, I referenced at that time, The Red Hot Momma and The List Maker and their support of our endeavors both here and abroad. It is no coincidence that Big Al, The RHM's father, also "bought our chairs". He supported us in our class, bringing his "home work" supplies each week (just like The RHM) and bringing along his camera for our end of class field trip to the Hindu Temple and multi-culture market.  He took fun pictures for us but that summer I would learn he truly was an artist and photography was his medium.  As we raised money for a trip to Kenya, he offered some of his photographs to be auctioned at our fund raiser (buying of chairs again).  His nature photos were beautiful! That's the kind of guy I knew him as. Photography artist, sushi maker, real estate man, nice guy, happy guy, smiling guy extraordinaire! He was so much more than that of course. He was a husband and a father and a grandaddy and a friend. But superior to all that still, Big Al was a follower of Christ. Maybe that's why he smiled so much.

Cindy, Thank you for being a part of this project. I pray for you every day. I love you.