John and Johnnie Godwin

My father-in-law went home to be with the Lord more than 10 years ago — gone but not forgotten. He was born and raised in Whitesboro where some older residents may remember him by the moniker “Big Boy.”

One of the things I loved about him was his eternal optimism. For as long as I’ve known him and probably for most of his life on earth, John Godwin never passed a pay phone without checking to see if there was change in the change slot waiting to be claimed. There’s no telling how much money he garnered in his lifetime by doing that very thing. Our family still finds joy in remembering his funny quirks, of which there were many, to keep us entertained.
My brother-in-law may have found the most fun in remembering John’s habits recently, and to our laughter, he called to share the experience.

Johnnie Godwin is my husband’s older brother. A Baptist preacher by trade, an author and consultant. Entering his name in the Internet’s Google search engine will reveal a few of his accomplishments. He spent a career with the Sunday School Board which is the official publisher for the National Baptist Convention and is located in Nashville.

Johnnie seems to be enjoying retirement and has even written a book about how to do that. Though retired, he’s still busy with speaking engagements and consulting jobs across the U.S.
He called to tell us he was walking through an airport and spied a pay phone. We don’t seem to see pay phones much anymore. I guess the burgeoning cell phone market has cut into their marketability.

Anyway, brother Johnnie thought of his dad when he saw that pay phone and couldn’t resist sticking a finger into the coin-return slot. To his shock and amazement, he withdrew three quarters and a penny.

Is there a lesson here? I think it’s “never doubt someone’s positive thinking.”