A few days ago we received a call from Phil’s closest friend. He and Charlie have been close for years. Between going to the river bottom (city people may not know what that means), or just long talks, lots of laughter over a glass of sweet tea, they have a special bond. But that day Charlie had to deliver some news he did not want to deliver. Another friend, who was part of my childhood, had left his belongings, his precious family he adored, and exchanged this home for the glory of Heaven.  To us he was gone; in reality he was finally home.

For the rest of the day, I felt sad. We are the “Baby Boomers”. Most of us are nearing 70. While many think we are “old” we do not see ourselves as old; we simply think we are finally mature and filled with wisdom. Then there is…….Ricky.

Mature? Not sure I’d say that; a kid at heart, oh yeah! Loved life? You bet! Lived life till there was nothing left, I’d say that too! One of a kind; even that took on new meaning with Ricky!  Never met a stranger? Full of laughter, tall tales which ended up usually being true, that would be Ricky.  But I’d say this above all things…..the joy of the Lord, a love of people, full of laughter and a love for Jesus….that sums him up. And he was my dear friend.

Our moms were best friends from the time we were little tykes so we were together way more than I wanted. “The Pride boys are coming,” mother would say and even she would sometimes shudder. Ricky and his younger brother Eddie were what was referred to as a “handful”; and their reputation exceeded them throughout our small community! Funny thing was, no matter what they were up to, Ricky was laughing the entire time while Eddie not so much. In fact, looking back, the fact that Eddie made it to adulthood is a miracle! Between having a fishhook caught in his eyebrow and his head being used for rock throwing target practice, Eddie had to be tough to survive.

Ricky and I were in the same grade so his antics in school were always front and center in our house; I called it reporting but Rickey called it tattling. “You tell everything,” he’d say next morning on the bus. He was right! And I loved to tell…..on him. The day he crawled up on the cafeteria table at lunch and began to run while the teacher was chasing him is forever etched in my mind. He was about six and could run like the wind! The teacher was tall, and lanky. She was screaming, “Ricky Pride, you come here right now!” but he jumped down under the tables, his infectious laugh never stopped while ducking and outrunning  her the whole time!  I loved it! We, the onlookers who followed the rules for fear of “the paddle” were in awe of Ricky who had no fear! In some ways, he was our hero.

Ricky actually made it to high school where he found he had a love for football! All that energy became every coaches’ dream; he could do things on the field few had the tenacity or grit to contemplate.  When he was inducted into our hometown Hall of Fame a few years ago, it was well deserved!

As the years passed and life got real, Ricky traded football for Jesus and they became quite a duo. He put all that energy into his love for the Lord, family, and country. And then he found Facebook. Daily I couldn’t wait to see what he “shared” with the masses and I sat back and laughed because I knew he was laughing! Between faith and politics he loved to stir things up and social media became his outlet.

I rarely saw him except for going back home for funerals or reunions. Wherever it was, invariably I would walk in and from the far back of the room I would hear, “Tree! There you are!” and a cackle of laughter followed. He gave me that nickname in junior high and it stuck.  Oh how I hated it in school but how I came to love it every time he yelled it. He had one voice tone: loud and as his hearing failed…..louder.  But we always picked up as if we’d never been apart. “Tree, if I’d known you were going to be looking this good at this age I would have married you,” he proclaimed in a room filled with onlookers, laughing the whole time. Not skipping a beat, I shot back, “If I’d married you I wouldn’t be looking this good!” The whole group laughed but Ricky laughed loudest of all!   We had history; but most of all we shared a love for Jesus.

I’m still sad today. We drove back to our hometown to attend the service; hundreds of people came. The lines went for hours.  Even Covid didn’t deter; he was loved because he loved everyone he met. A stranger wasn’t a stranger if Ricky’s gaze and smile landed on him.

We talk about being Jesus with skin on; that was Ricky. He was rare; he was real; he was a man full of the love of God and it showed. Like all of us life sometimes went off the rails and got messy but unlike many, Ricky never slowed down; regrets and guilt didn’t become sidekicks.  He learned how to forgive and move on. He was the real deal.

On the way home to Grand Prairie, I kept pondering what life would look and feel like without him in it. I kept thinking about Willy Wonka and the Chocolate factory, the Gene Wilder version. Then I knew why: Ricky got The Golden Ticket! Not for a chocolate factory but for the trip of eternity: Heaven. He’s in Heaven and Jesus is probably laughing till His side hurts! His parents, our parents are all there and he has a huge audience to entertain!

At funerals, we talk about how a person lived; not how they died.  No one knew Ricky was going to leave; no one knew and it came as quite a shock, probably to everyone but him. He was fully ready. I wonder if he talked God’s ear off all the way, if he told one tall tale after another. I bet he was in awe he got The Golden Ticket.

We all have a Golden Ticket available with our name on it; bought and paid just for each of us. In the meantime, live everyday with all the gusto, joy and laughter you possibly can.  Make it your mission to make someone’s day better.

I think I know what the Lord said to Ricky after He said “Welcome Home”. I’m pretty sure He said, “Well done.”