Unwanted Dog-28

I have repeatedly told readers Dusty West adopted me. So, perhaps now would be a good time to unload some insider secrets about this, in my humble opinion, awesome individual.

Dusty's mother Lois was quiet and reserved.

I frequently heard him say, "She was the opposite of my father."

His name was William, however, everyone called him "Buck" because he was an avid deer hunter in his younger days around the Asheville, North Carolina area where he grew up.

Lois West expressed herself through her artistic flair, creative writing, and poetry. Dusty told me she had been a life-long writer almost from the time she left the cradle. He once mentioned she wrote an ode for her mother, and when the matriarch of the Nelson side of Dusty's family died at 102 years old, his family had the dedication engraved on her tombstone.

Dusty's mother encouraged him to write, but his calling was in another avenue of displaying his imaginativeness that involved lighting, sound, and other behind-the-scenes projects of the Country Music industry's up-and-comers, Indies, and those not signed to major record labels.

One dreary day, as yours truly whined about being stuck inside during another of the thunderstorms Nashville is famous for, Dusty placed a pencil, eraser, and ringed notebook on the table in front of me. Somehow, that simple act appealed more to me than the gusting wind, heavy lightning, and hail I observed out the living room window. His generosity kindled a fire which has, through many twists and turns, led to me now penning my autobiography and writing about him. Just one of the many special favors Dusty enlightened my pathway with.

Needless to say, Dusty had powerful impacts on me. He cared about the things I did and demonstrated his kindness through little maneuvers. More than one chilly winter night he wrapped bricks he warmed in the fireplace in cloth and put them on my feet when I was in bed. Toasty warm and, oh so welcomed!

Dusty was the younger of twin boys and referred to himself as "The Runt." All of five feet and six inches tall, Dusty may have been shorter in stature than most men stood, but he did more for me than anyone else. I will always considered him a giant with the true measurement of what a real man was. This included such qualities as forgiving another's faults, apologizing for any griefs he caused, and being compassionate enough to lend a helping hand. Unfortunately, his older brother Tyler died from spinal meningitis soon after birth. That ailment seemed to be rather rampant when Dusty was a boy.

Tyler's death continued to hold sway over Dusty. I remember on his deathbed he told me, "I'll never understand why I was allowed to live out my life but Tyler perished."

Life has such a mysterious way of wrapping itself around you, and things do occur there seems to be no explanations for. What else can you chalk something like that incident up to?

Never wealthy in terms of money possession, Buck West moved his unassuming family to the Nashville area and purchased Country Comfort. Farming caught his fancy and they were satisfied with the parcel. The trade had been passed down through the West lineage for multiple generations. In time, he expanded the acreage. A good team of mules, a tractor, and a plow, assisted him in pulling up a living through his strong back for the three of them mainly from potatoes, corn, and a section of cotton.

In time, Buck West added another title to his job resume. He operated his own bootlegging operation that grew in popularity with its illegal production, closed doors sales, and widespread distribution services. Business to the locals around his homestead became more profitable than working the land offered.

Dusty told me several stories about how many of his parents' friends frequented Country Comfort as a place to land while going through divorces or other major life altering events. Tales also abounded about Buck West hiring off-duty deputy sheriffs to park their cars on the property at night to cut down on "certain" riff raff troubles that occasionally popped up from low social class persons with bothersome reputations.

(TO BE CONTINUED:)