Roger & Brenda
When you look back through the years, you probably remember people who entered your life and later drifted away. Roger and Brenda Stark are one of those couples for Peggy and me.
We met them soon after moving to Hardy, Arkansas. They attended the Ward Street Church of Christ, where we also began worshipping. Since they were close to our age, we quickly became friends and remained close until Peggy and I later moved to Conway. Although time and distance eventually separated us, we have never forgotten the friendship we shared with this wonderful Christian couple.
Simple Evenings, Lasting Memories
Most Friday nights, we would gather to play Uno or another card game. Our evenings were simple chips, soft drinks, good conversation, and plenty of laughter.
None of us drank alcohol or smoked, so those nights were centered on family and friendship. After putting our children to bed, we would spend hours talking about work, raising kids, church activities, and everyday life.
Sometimes, the ordinary moments become the ones you remember most.
Conversations Beyond the Cards
Roger had served a year in Vietnam. Unlike him, I never served in the military. After college, I received a very high draft lottery number (308), shortly after losing my college deferment.
Roger rarely talked about his experiences in Vietnam during our gatherings. Perhaps he felt that those of us without military experience wouldn’t fully understand what he had lived through. I never really knew.
Instead, our conversations stayed focused on family, work, church, and the small-town life we all shared.
A Simple Trip That Became a Story
One evening, we realized we had run out of chips and soft drinks. Roger and I decided to drive to the local quick stop before it closed for the night.
On the way there and again on the drive home we passed the local bank.
What seemed like an ordinary late-night trip eventually became the inspiration for “Bank Robber,” one of the stories featured in Before We Were Heroes: Southern Fires by Bill Beebe.
Sometimes the moments that appear insignificant at the time become the stories worth remembering years later.