In late 2000, I was working at the Arlington Star-Telegram, and fellow reporter Robert Tharp announced one day that his wife was pregnant with a baby boy. The newsroom celebrated by going to Tanstaafl Pub for drinks. The Tharps hadn’t chosen a name yet, and so we were all tossing out suggestions. I decided after 47 beers that Jedediah Ulysses Tharp was the perfect name and wouldn’t take no for an answer. Robert promised to give it careful consideration. Alas, the baby was born, and my suggestion was summarily dismissed! They named the kid Franklin. Naturally, I cut all ties to the family. (Just kidding.) Last month, I attended a party and ran into Robert for the first time in ages. Robert described how Franklin, whom I had never met, was now an 18-year-old senior in high school and a classical guitar whiz kid. Franklin’s mad skills had earned him a $7,000 grant to pay for a custom classical guitar made by Aaron Ringo of Wood Ring Guitars in Weatherford. I asked Franklin to meet me at Wood Ring this week and tell me all about it. He shows off his classical guitar chops before stepping outside of his comfort zone and jamming on a Neil Young song. Thanks for sharing your story and song with us, Franklin. You did great! You might also want to thank your parents for ignoring my advice or else this episode would have been named Toast & Jam with Jedediah Ulysses Tharp, and you would suffer a nervous tic from being bullied for the past 18 years.
Feeling very happy for one of my star students!!