Turning Points
Life is a journey. It has a beginning and it has an end. All along its path are events, places
and people who are turning points. Here, I relate some of these turning points in my own
journey. Hopefully, the stories will illuminate and maybe entertain some of those who care
enough to read.
Life is a journey. It has a beginning and it has an end. All along its path are events, places
and people who are turning points. Here, I relate some of these turning points in my own
journey. Hopefully, the stories will illuminate and maybe entertain some of those who care
enough to read.
Several of us in the bible study were in the Army
Reserves or National Guard. Then there were a
few active duty guys stationed at Fort Knox who
came up to Louisville and hung out with the
group. Tom Turner was one of the active duty
guys and his army billet at Fort Knox was supply
sergeant of a battalion there. Tom could regal
Reserves or National Guard. Then there were a
few active duty guys stationed at Fort Knox who
came up to Louisville and hung out with the
group. Tom Turner was one of the active duty
guys and his army billet at Fort Knox was supply
sergeant of a battalion there. Tom could regal
our bible study group with more stories about what should have been boring day to day work. We
would roll in the floor with some of his stories. He really had a way of spinning an anecdote into a
side splitter. Tom and I called each other “Sergeant.”
Of course, I was out of the active duty army by then but was still making weekend drills and my own
active duty service was still pretty fresh. Tom and I had met through the Saturday night evangelism
program for soldiers. He had gotten involved in it somehow even though the soldiers bussed to
Louisville from Fort Knox were mainly basic trainees.
Tom’s wife Cindy was knock down, drag out, good looking. She didn’t seem to be as interested in
spiritual discussions as some of the others in our group but bring up Churchill Downs and she was
ready to go put money on the horses, at least that’s what the other girls said of her. Tom’s civilian life
had been in advertising on Madison Avenue in New York. I don’t know what Cindy did in real life
besides being married to Tom, maybe that was all.
Tom was finally discharged from his active duty at Fort Knox and his and Cindy’s move back to New
Jersey meant the end of weekend trips to Louisville to hang out with us. I hated to see him go.
A few years later after transferring to Birmingham, one day I was in New York at an AT&T meeting
and got called out of our conference. When I got to the phone, I heard a familiar voice. I don’t know
how Tom discovered I was in New York but that evening I found myself being entertained at dinner by
Cindy and him in their home over in New Jersey.
It was my last contact with Sergeant Turner but I can still hear his voice, “Sergeant Shoemaker…”
would roll in the floor with some of his stories. He really had a way of spinning an anecdote into a
side splitter. Tom and I called each other “Sergeant.”
Of course, I was out of the active duty army by then but was still making weekend drills and my own
active duty service was still pretty fresh. Tom and I had met through the Saturday night evangelism
program for soldiers. He had gotten involved in it somehow even though the soldiers bussed to
Louisville from Fort Knox were mainly basic trainees.
Tom’s wife Cindy was knock down, drag out, good looking. She didn’t seem to be as interested in
spiritual discussions as some of the others in our group but bring up Churchill Downs and she was
ready to go put money on the horses, at least that’s what the other girls said of her. Tom’s civilian life
had been in advertising on Madison Avenue in New York. I don’t know what Cindy did in real life
besides being married to Tom, maybe that was all.
Tom was finally discharged from his active duty at Fort Knox and his and Cindy’s move back to New
Jersey meant the end of weekend trips to Louisville to hang out with us. I hated to see him go.
A few years later after transferring to Birmingham, one day I was in New York at an AT&T meeting
and got called out of our conference. When I got to the phone, I heard a familiar voice. I don’t know
how Tom discovered I was in New York but that evening I found myself being entertained at dinner by
Cindy and him in their home over in New Jersey.
It was my last contact with Sergeant Turner but I can still hear his voice, “Sergeant Shoemaker…”
___________________________________________________
| And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28 KJV) |
| Copyright © 2005 leoshoemaker.com |
| Sgt. Turner June 28, 2007 |
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