Throughout my eleven and three quarter’s years of life, one relative has stuck out in my memory, helping me through life’s journey.  This amazing relative is Eddie Denning.  His story does not start in 1990, like mine.  No, his story starts on April 24, 1951, in Mount Olive, North Carolina.  Although he has two siblings, Vivian and Barbara, they both have passed away.  He still misses them and has a few happy memories from their life, as they watch him from heaven.
     As a boy, Uncle Eddie was interested in rolling in the mud and that stuff, like any other five-year-old.  He lived a happy childhood in North Carolina.  He had a large room back home with a bed, dresser, radio, and poster of a rock and roll star on the walls.  He lived the easy life.  He never got an allowance and never did any chores.  Back in the 1950’s, most women stayed home while the men worked, so his ma did the chores.  After moving to Baltimore, he went to Bear Creek Elementary School, North Point Jr. High and graduated from Patapsco High School.
     Uncle Eddie was like most new kindergartners, entered his early school years with anticipation and excitement, for it was exciting to be a “big boy” and go to school all by yourself!  In first grade, he had much to learn.  He taught himself almost everything from books along with his other classmates.  Eddie was a tutor, straight A student, and every teacher’s pet.  My uncle taught himself in the summer and studied hard during the school year.  His favorite teacher was not a teacher at all.  His favorite teacher was the principal!  One thing I will never understand is why my uncle’s favorite school executive was a man who murdered the “pal” in principal.  I guess it motivated him to some day return that pal and undo what that scrooge had done.  He believes that it is good that schools no longer whip children.  He believed that it was wrong to harm children at school and that discipline was the parents’ job.  Eddie never liked many sports, but he did enjoy two, soccer and tennis.  To this day, he plays Wimbledon on his Sega.   “You’ll never experience a bigger rush than in a game”, he told me.  He liked college a lot.  He attended the University of Maryland in Baltimore.  It has its own restaurant and store!  However, he really loved his later years.
     He was married in 1972, to a lovely lady named Emily McLauren.  She was kind, and loved children and animals.  In her lifetime, she had more animals than you could name!  They never had kids, unless you count my aunt’s dogs or my uncle’s black sports car.  (He calls it his baby).  Now he works in Saudi Arabia as a principal in a school for disabled children.  I miss him a lot.  I only get to see him once a year and those times are very special.
     I have many personal memories of this wonderful man who has graced my life with his presence.  I would like to share one with you from when he and my aunt first left to go to Saudi Arabia.  Since they are my favorite relatives, I was devastated when they left.  I remember my aunt telling me good-bye over the phone.  I remember going through hundreds of tissues as I sobbed.  My aunt is now home in Baltimore where she lives and my uncle will be home for Christmas.  Until then, I pray for him to have a safe journey home as I impatiently wait.