I have always loved Andy Griffith and The Andy Griffith show. Even Make Room for Soldiers. Why? Cuz I swear to God he looks just like my daddy did right down to the gap in the teeth. I absolutely loved him as the sheriff of Mayberry and if there was anyway I could live there I would have.
That simple black and white world was the perfect place to me. Pies in the window, chillin' out at Floyds Barber Shop, red and white picnic blankets. I loved Mayberry and I loved Mayfield, the home of Leave it To Beaver. These places surely existed in some far off galaxy and some far off time and life, well it was damn sweet.
Looking around you now there is nothing to hold a candle to it, we are far too fast a culture, Andy dies and within 10 minutes its on the news and reruns are hitting the screen. In Mayberry Aunt Bea would still be out with Clara picking a hat to wear to services, and everyone would be comin' a callin' to pay respects.
We no longer respect.
Otis the town drunk let himself in to his cell when he had too much- today we get in a car and kill someone or shoot someone or vomit on a lawn. We have lost our decorum
Andy would kick back after a long day of policing no his front porch with a cigarette and pluck out a tune. There were no drivebys, there were no ghetto beat box thumping cars going down his street. People went for a stroll and waved. We no longer wave to people.
He sang blue grass and I hate blue grass but I loved how he casually and slowly and peacefully created music to fit the peacefulness of a world that never really did exist. I wish it di
Maybe he is in heaven right now chilling with my dad saying "HOLY SHIT we look alike!", or maybe he's busting out "I Got A Rod, You Got a Pole". Either way..I'll miss him and all his character stood for.