Arms' 401k V (In Color)

This is one picture in a series at a former neighbor’s home in Rogersville, TN. Mr. Arms is a sweet man that made an impression on my life when I first became a resident of the area when my now ex-husband and I were buliding our new home. During the building process, we had become friends with our builders, which caused our process to slow and our timeline less of an attainable goal in moving in. As an effort to help us speed up the process, Mr. Arms drove his front loader up to our residence and proceeded to dig out a 500ft septic line in the rain, in December.

I’ll never forget that old man, frail and old looking, working his heart out as it poured ice cold rain on his head. He never waivered or even slowed. You would think the sun was shining as he worked like a diligent beaver to complete his task in our yard. I know it doesn’t seem like much to some, but it meant the world to me that a man, we didn’t even know, would come out and help neighbors to move into their home. I am forever greatful to Mr. Arms.

Over the years, I saw Mr. Arms’ residence grow from an old house tucked into one of many corners of a long and narrow winding road in the valley we lived in, to a known “junk yard” of his private acess. Most remembered that the old house use to be a warm, stately two story home with rich green grasses and carefully placed flowers along the lawn. Slowly it was transformed so that the rich green grasses were littered with old cars, buses, trucks, and antique farm tools just as a field would become overrun with thistles and briars once the a farmer removes his cows to abandon a pasture.

Yesterday I decided to do something I’ve wanted to do for a very long time. I took my two daughters and we headed to Mr. Arms’ home. He greeted us with a large smile and a puzzled look, stating he was glad to see us even though he had no clue who we were. As I came closer, he reached out with wide open arms and hugged me tightly, reminding me of how my grandfather would show me his greatest of affections. This from a man that still didn’t have a clue as to who I was and why I was there!

He leaned his head back while still gripping me in a tight embrace so as to get a better look at me and asked me who I was. I chuckled and told him my name and it didn’t trigger his memory. I then told him of the memory I had of him helping with my new home some 12y 1-2rs before. I told him that it was understandable if he didn’t remember who I was and pointed to my now 13yr old daughter stating that she was just 6mos old or so at the time he helped us. He raised his brows and leaned his head back and chuckled as the thought of that much time passing somewhat suprised him. He patted me on the shoulder with an even softer smile and said he remembed working on the yard. I told him I never forgot his working in the cold December rain, and I was forever greatful for his assistance.

Once we became familiar with one another again, I told him I was visiting to ask if I could walk around and take some photographs of his collection of vehicles. He chuckled and corrected me in saying that they weren’t his collection, but his 401k plan. I chuckled, he hugged my oldest daughter and sent us on our way.

Hence, I give you, Arms’ 401k!
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