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Lumber • Paint • Flooring Cabinets • Hardware • Tools & More Find Hometown Quality, Hometown Value & Hometown Service at any of our 5 Locations Handy Andy, Vidalia • 912-537-8572 Andy’s Home Center, Lyons • 912-526-4865 Handy Andy Home Center, Eastman • 478-374-0075 Handy Man’s Home Center, Hazlehurst • 912-375-5844 Hoboken Building Supply, Hoboken • 912-458-2119 When Only the Best Will Do Since 1923 18 Toombs County Magazine Meredith was not only confident, she was also just about the sweetest kid I’ve ever met. “You know, Cassie calls in right before 7:00,” she said, just to make sure I knew about her friend’s show as well. “Cassie and Meredith met at the batting cages during a tournament at Partin Park,” said her father, Brian Durden. “They were side by side in the batting cages. Cassie heard me say Meredith’s name and recognized her voice when she answered. Cassie walked over and said, ‘Is that Meredith from the Meredith Show?’ Now they call each other just to say ‘hey’ or congratulate each other on their sports stuff.” The youngest of four children, Meredith grew up listening to Barney on the way to school. “My mema called in sometimes,” she said, “and my older brother and sister called in from time to time to talk to Barney, too, but they didn’t have a show.” I smiled as Meredith said, “My dad owns Toombs County Pest Control, and my mom Alicia owns Bishop Durden Insurance Group. If you need insurance, go to her.” Meredith’s love for her family was apparent from the moment I met her. “What do you think about your daughter’s show?” I asked her father. “You see so many kids that just text on the phone all the time. I love that she can carry on a conversation and enjoy talking to people,” said Brian. Every week morning on the Meredith Show, she and Barney discuss everything from Braves’ games, her sports activities, which include softball, basketball, soccer, and pretty much whatever Meredith is thinking about that day. Listeners learn game scores and enjoy hearing all about Meredith’s own antics. When her show first began, Barney would try to guess the color of her hair ribbon that morning. Now the game is to guess the color of her shirt. “What do you enjoy most about the radio show?” I asked. “Whenever your friend says, ‘Hey I listened to you this morning,’” said Meredith, “or asks for a shout out. It’s really fun. I love it. And I love Bubba, Ms. Henrietta and Mr. Phillip, Ms. Becky Rollins, and the other people that call in during the show just to tell me, ‘Hey.’” Ms. Henrietta and Mr. Phillip live in Soperton, Meredith explained. “They’re married.” “They don’t have any family here,” said Meredith’s father, “so they’ve claimed her as their granddaughter. They’ll come and watch her games sometimes. They’re very special.” “Ms. Henrietta is a great cook too,” said Meredith. “She brings the team cookies sometimes.” “Do you ever have a morning where you feel like you just don’t have anything to talk about?” I asked. She gave me a big smile. “Never.” As much as Meredith enjoys radio, her future plans are to become a nurse practitioner. “I love science,” she said. “If someone needs help, I don’t want to be the person that says, ‘No. I can’t help you.’ I like to be somebody who can help people.” Even though Barney has joined the Durden family for a July 4th BBQ a time or two, I got the feeling that he’s most comfortable calling plays at sports events or talking to kids behind a microphone. If he’s at the gym, I wave if I can catch his eye, but he’s normally spinning the stationary bike at a speed that would challenge a competitor in the Tour de France with head down and earphones in place. I can’t help but wonder what kind of “classic country” could possibly inspire that kind of speed. Eventually, like Wendy in Peter Pan, the children who call the radio station grow up. “They get too old, and they just stop calling,” said Barney. But I have to hope that there will always be a child out there who will want to carry on a conversation with the rest of us. I have to believe that the world of Facebook and Instagram will take a backseat to conversations in our families. It’s easy to see what Barney values: sports, physical exercise, and conversations with children. These things may all seem insignificant in our complicated world of politics and social woes. But I think he’s got it right. A bit of exercise and some sort of sports would do us all good. And if we put as much value on conversations with children as Barney does, perhaps everything else would take care of itself. ��TCM TRADITION, QUALITY AND SERVICE YOU CAN BUILD ON Follow us on Facebook • www.hahwinc.com Brown’s jewelry 115 Meadows Street, Vidalia 537-4616


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