Thank you, Sheriff Taylor, the dad I never had.

[NYC_SKP]

I probably owe more to Andy Griffith and the skills he portrayed as a father on the Andy Griffith show for my upbringing than to any other male figure ever alive.


I came up on a defunct due to death asparagus ranch, raised by grandmother in a home with mom and sister, four years older, and attended a two-teacher eight-grade school.

Like Mayberry, I was raised in a rural setting, without even running drinking water (we had to go to a well to refill what fed a single kitchen spigot).

We had a Black and White TV that my mom bought my grandfather with her first paycheck.

Three years and 14 days younger than Ron Howard, Opie was the boy I longed to be.

And Andy was the dad that I never had, but for lack of any other came to teach me values, and morals, and kindness and goodness, and how to be happy with just the way things are, and without preaching about it.

Thanks, Sheriff. Thanks, Pop.

Rest In Peace.



PS: Fact is, my DU user name is inspired by Barney, who was once heard to say, "Andy, I think we got us an SKP!" (escapee)

[malaise]

1. What a beautiful post

Rec to the max

[TeamPooka]

2. you said it for me Thank you

RIP Andy

[pinboy3niner]

3. Is that a bullet in your pocket...

...or are you just happy to see me?

Out of that whole series, I think the most memorable, funny thing, was Barney having a single bullet that he had to keep in his pocket.

And, of course, there was the memorable opening...

[NYC_SKP]

4. Often posted here: Andy on the Patriot Act.

Though from the less nostalgic "living color" years of the AGS, it demonstrates lessons unlikely to be seen in any of today's television series.

Thanks, pinboy3niner!

[pinboy3niner]

5. Barney was just a little bit rusty on the Constitution...

[NYC_SKP]

6. His HAIR! ROFL!

That's one of the best, easily top five, takes from the show!

[pinboy3niner]

8. The hair is what got me, too

That was pure genius!

[malaise]

7. Rusty is a euphemism

[progressoid]

9. Perfect video to email for the Fouth of July

[Honeycombe8]

12. That Barney. What a character. And Andy is such a great straight man....

I mean "straight" in the sense of the one who doesn't have the funny lines, of course.

[ananda]

14. ROFL

Andy and Barney were so good together. Inspired!

[Faygo Kid]

10. No Dad here, either. Slightly older.

Nine when the show debuted in 1960. Much older now. My heroes were Andy and Al Kaline. I chose well.

[JohnnyLib2]

11. Touching story.

[pinboy3niner]

13. CNN aired a clip of their last interview with Andy...

...in which he said, "The theme of our show was love."

[nolabear]

15. You're my Mayberry brother, SKP

I wanted him to be my dad too. Him and Atticus Finch. That kindness, respect for his son while guiding him in the way he thought he should go, it's the way children should be raised. I had a dad but it was a far cry from what I needed. Interestingly, I married a man whose family hails from those NC mountains, and have spent a good deal of time in "Mayberry" over the years, really Mt. Airy, Pilot Mountain, Fancy Gap VA, and those gorgeous, gorgeous Smokies. They're in mourning there. As I am here.

[pinboy3niner]

16. Atticus!

Actually, I had a good dad but I lost him in my junior year of HS when he died at the age of 49. Unlike some here, I never felt the lack of a father figure because my dad was there when I was growing up. But I sure did miss him later, at those important times of my life that I would have loved to share with him.

If your guy's from NC, he probably is familiar with Cheer Wine. I lost a friend in VN who was from Salisbury, and I was introduced to Cheer Wine when I visited his brother there. NC has every right to be proud of their local soft drink. It's great!

[KoKo]

17. Wonderful post....

Some of those TV stars from those days were incredible inspirations to those of us who grew up rural in compromised family situations...and thrived on being able see other family situations portrayed on those black and white TV's.

Replacement parental figures. The "Father Knows Best series"... (Robert Young) was my stand in father. Sheriff Taylor was my Brother's "father" role model. Since my brother died last year, this brings back some powerful memories.

There's not much of that around in the TV Wonderland these days that show examples to kids who truly need to have that kind of inspiration in their lives, sadly. I'm glad some of us had that opportunity though.

Andy Griffith's show was that kind of experience.

's