As Charles and I grew older, we were asked to do more around 87 W. Wesley. I found myself mowing our 1 acre front and side lawn with a hand mower, a big job beyond my capacity. But I tried. It earned me $0.25/hour.
After a few tries, mother hired a “yard man”, now called a gardener, Lawrence Lewis. Lawrence was a very hard and effective worker in spite of a severe debilitation which crippled his left side.. He could do anything and did.
Lawrence had a great sense of humor and we joked with him frequently. Outwardly, he was always a very happy man. But he enjoyed taking a drink, or two, on weekends. Charles and I bailed him out of jail a more than one occasion.
Lawrence met an untimely and sad end - he was one of about 10 people who died from consuming wood alcohol which was sold to them be a white man named Fats Hardy. Hardy was convicted of this crime. I do not recall whether h e went to jail or died in Georgia’s electric chair.
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