My Mom,Deanna and myself used to go to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints every Sunday. This was 1971 and my Dad would drop us off. He didn't have time for the Lord. He spent much of his time at Carney's gas station over on eleven mile. It was owned and operated by Al and Keith Carney. Father and Son. They also did body work. Dad would often quote Al Carney saying, "you cain't bump one out". He was from the south and believed in using bondo. Dad would hang around with Al and Keith and maybe a few other neighborhood guys and they would drink RC Cola and eat cashews from one of those glass topped vending machines. This was real livin' down there at Carney's. More fun than church.
Even though my Dad normally just dropped us off and left, he couldn't help but noticing one parishioner that stood out from the rest. "Cowboy Eddie Okroy" Dad would say with a smile. The reason Cowboy Eddie stood out was because in the suburbs of the Motor City, everyone used cars to get from point A to point B but Eddie could only be found riding his burgundy Rollfast bicycle. He would pull up to the church on it dressed in a powder blue western style suit with a yolk across the back, black cowboy boots, horn rimmed glasses and a cowboy hat. He would then lock the bike to a small maple tree using one of those chain covered in see through vinyl tubing, four tumbler bike locks. There was certainly no one else like Cowboy Eddie Okroy in Royal Oak. Remembering back, I would say that he looked a little like Buddy Holly(with a cowboy hat). I used to listen to a 45 of Holly's That'll be the Day around that time, but I never really noticed the likeness.
Years later, Deanna and Jeff (her high school sweetheart) got married in that church and I read something from Proverbs out loud. Today, it is one of those 10 minute oil change places. Can they even do that? I wonder if Cowboy Eddie Okroy knows about it.
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