James E. Webb was my first cousin, neighbor and friend. James was about 10 years older than me. At the age of 23, he became my junior high school teacher. I had him for classes in the seventh and eighth grades. 

Growing up, he taught me chords on the guitar and mandolin. Once, he even put up a basketball goal for me to practice on behind my grandparent’s chicken coop. He also coached our seventh and eighth grade basketball teams. Through my young teenage years, James was a teacher, a coach, a mentor, a neighbor, a dear first cousin and so much more. He made an electric guitar for me. That was the first of many, many hand-crafted instruments he would make for others, which were mostly banjos and mandolins.

When I was in the eighth grade, James gave me an A plus grade on a poem I wrote. That was the only “plus” I ever received from him in school. He once gave me a “C” grade because I failed at memorizing all of the 23rd Psalm. However, the A plus for the poem was an encouragement to me to keep writing and for better or worse I have been writing my entire life. 

Mr. Webb, as he was affectionately known by hundreds of endearing students, recently died. His funeral was on Feb. 14. Loved ones and admiring friends paid their respects through various songs and testimonies. Sadly, I wasn’t able to attend. 

Years ago, I wrote a book titled “Grandpa’s Store, Reflections of my Childhood.” The book has been around for a few years and has even been out of print for a while. Recently, it was restored back into print. One week after Mr. Webb’s funeral, on February 21 I was reading over the information about Grandpa’s Store on Amazon.com and to my astonishment there was a very nice review left by Mr. Webb about my book. He was mentioned several times in the book because he was raised by my Grandpa and Mama Hinkle. He was a central character in Grandpa’s Store. He told me once that it was a good book. I was relieved to hear him say so. Yet, somehow I missed his written review on Amazon.com.

The review was an A plus, five-star review with lots of info, insight and affirmation. I put my laptop down and wiped tears from my eyes. Mr. Webb was giving me a final parting grade from the grave. Of course, he always got the last word. Because he was 10 years older, a coach and a school teacher, all I could do was nod my head and agree with whatever he said.

The review that Mr. Webb wrote was written several years ago. It was surreal that I didn’t read it until one week after his funeral. I guess God knew that’s when I needed to read it. What he wrote came at the just right time. 

I hope that we can all think about what words we might say, what actions we might do that might be a meaningful word to those who left behind. Something we might write or say or do today might be just what they need to hear from us, from the grave.

— Dr. Glenn Mollette may be emailed at gmollette@aol.com.