Eleanor "Joan" Miller

"Honey", By Bobby Goldsboro

On a sunny Spring morning in April 1968 without saying a word Joan gave the  new  45 a spin

"See the tree, how big it's grown

But friend, it hasn't been too long

It wasn't big.

I laughed at her and she got mad,

The first day that   she planted it

Was just a twig

Then the first snow came and she ran out

To brush the snow away

So it wouldn't die

Came  runnin' in all excited,

Slipped and almost  hurt herself

And I laughed till I cried""

Remembering all the snowmen she rolled up on Dawnview Drive, maybe?

The song quickly pulled  her in  and she began to cry.

Joan had her sentimental side; but never seemed  to wear it on her sleeve before this  particular Saturday morning.

I followed the lyrics carefully too, wondering what she was thinking.

Could she be reminiscing about their first meeting at the skating rink at Reynolds Park?

Their wedding day April 10,1953?

Or perhaps when she kissed him bye as he went off to service.

Maybe she was thinking about the birth of her beloved first born Kathy.

Or could it be Joey and Gary running on the seawall at Fort Fisher?

She could hear Junne's voice singing the words ,he the long-time country music singer with his own variety weekly; The Junne Miller show on local NBC!

And oh how she cried!

"She was always young at heart,

Kinda dumb and kinda smart

And I loved her so

Surprised her with a puppy

Kept me up all Christmas Eve two years ago ''

There goes Playboy the white poodle; the Christmas gift from Junne,  jumping hoops out back of Uncle Moscoe"s Carolina Beach cottage with Kathy.

Those beach days with the whole family and me were the best. Junne is driving the VW Bus with  passengers  including  Daddy Gene, Grandma Kate , all the Miller kids; sometimes cousin Judy,  and of course Carolyn!

And it would sure embarrass her

When  I came in from workin' late

'Cause I would know

That she'd been, sittin there and crying

Over some sad and silly late, late show"

Oh how Joan loved to watch the series Peyton Place and Dallas!

But she spent much more time at Gay & Taylor working, and out in the yard gardening than she ever did watching TV.

And what a glorious lawn  it was! Pruned trails reaching  all the way back through the woods with flower blooms sprinkled as far as the eye could see.

Master gardeners Joan and Carolyn did the planting, weeding, and pruning, while Junne took care of all the mowing.

"And honey I miss you and I'm bein' good

And I'd love to be with you if only I could

"Who would go first and who would be left behind?' she wondered, as the music played on."

She could not know then ; but Junne would be the first Heaven bound, and Joan"s life was never the same. She would  spend her remaining days with the kids, or at the church always doing good  for others , caring for sister Carolyn, treasuring her grandchildren Kenny, Leah, Chris, Jenna ,Jacob, Crystal, Dalton, Kayla; and great grandchildren Emma, Jack, Jayden, Laylen, Chrisopher, Ruby, Jase, Isabelle, Bentley, Gavin, Maison, Phillip, and Lorelei.

Driving in from the beach to visit; the house was always empty.   Joan and Carolyn would be at the church scrubbing, cleaning,  polishing, placing flowers on the altar, or preparing food and  tables in the fellowship hall for some special congregational supper.

Always service to others first.

She wrecked the car and she was sad

And so afraid that I'd be mad

But what the heck

Though  I pretended hard to be

Guess you could say she saw through me

And hugged my neck

Now I didn't witness any car wrecks, just the most precious love between two people that one could ever imagine!

For all the outside chores and projects they called each other Frick and Frack and made the perfect team.

They used to slip away from the family for breakfast together and a little alone time whenever they could.

Later in life I arranged a special weekend away on the beach at Ocean Isle  just for the two of them.

I came home unexpected and caught her crying needlessly

In the middle of the day

And it was in the early Spring when flowers bloom and robins sing

"Joan" went away

And honey, we miss you and we're bein' good

And "we'd" love to be with you if only "we" could

One day while I was not at home

While she was there ,"but not" alone

The angels came

Now all we have is memories of  'Joan'

And "we'll" wake up nights and call her name

Now our life's an empty stage where "Joan and Junne" lived and played

And love grew up

And a small cloud passes overhead

And cries down on the flower bed

That " Joan" loved

"Joan and Junne "we miss you and we're being good

And we'd love to be with you if only we could

In my mind from that day on, in April 1968,   hearing  that  record play, for me would always be :Joan and Junne's  special love song.

See the tree? how big it's grown,
But friend, it hasn't been too long
It wasn't big...
I laughed at her, and she got mad
The first day that she planted it
Was just a twig...
Then the first snow came,
And she ran out to brush the snow away
So it wouldn't die...
Came runnin' in all excited
Slipped and almost hurt herself
And i laughed 'til i cried...
She was always young at heart
Kinda dumb, and kinda smart
And i loved her so...
And i surprised her with a puppy,
Kept me up all Christmas eve,
2 years ago...
And it would sure embarrass her when i came in from workin' late,
Cause i would know...
That she'd been sittin there an' cryin',
Over some sad and silly late, late show...

And Honey, i miss you...
And i'm bein' good...
And i'd love to be with you...
If only i could...

She wrecked the car, and she was sad
And so afraid that i'd be mad,
But, what the heck?...
Though i pretended hard to be,
Guess you could say she saw through me,
And hugged my neck...
I came home unexpectedly,
And caught her cryin' needlessly, in the middle of the day...
And it was in the early spring, when flowers bloom, and robins sing,
She went away...

And Honey, i miss you...
And i'm bein' good...
And i'd love to be with you...
If only i could...

One day while i was not at home,
While she was there, and all alone,
The angels came...
Now all i have is memories of Honey
And i wake up nights,
And call her name...
Now my life's an empty stage, where Honey lived, and Honey played
And love grew up...
And a small cloud passes over head,
And cries down on the flower bed that,
Honey loved...

And see the tree? How big it's grown,
But, friend it hasn't been too long
It wasn't big...
And i laughed at her, she got mad...
The first day that she planted it,
Was just a twig...