Charles Huff and Tamara Huff

00:05 Tamara Huff 39 years old.

00:09 Monday. November 8th 2021, Columbus, Georgia.

00:16 Envy partner.

00:20 My dad.

00:24 Charles E. Hub. Junior. Age 75.

00:29 Monday. November 8th 2021, Columbus, Georgia.

00:36 Doctor, Tamara Huff.

00:41 I'm her father.

00:45 So Dad one of the best things about my childhood with hearing all the stories about your childhood and I had the amazing childhood and I've always wanted to be able to come to share those kind of stories with my kids one day so I can use to share with me. Like one of your favorite stories like with Mickey or one of the adventures you had down on 5th Street. Okay, maybe it was a my partner in crime. That was my dog that we grew up with me and when I went to kindergarten, make it my father took me to get in the car and make it never been separated for me for long. So in the kindergarten class, I look Brown and she told the teacher started moving back in the children's father, screaming and I looked up and make it was coming down the steps at school. He had followed us to school.

01:43 And the teacher asked whose dog is walls and all, of course, I didn't say anything. So make it look around. Came over and put his head on my leg. So I had to figure out the classroom. So he will see. We went everywhere together.

02:00 And I want to make it was sick. We have a dog and cat hospital. That was about five blocks from the house. And when he was sick or needs to get a haircut and make it with go to the hospital on his own in the veterinarian will call and say tell my father make us up at the hospital. You can come up and pick him up tomorrow.

02:24 Mickey, I love hearing stories about Mickey cuz it reminds me of my dog. Angel, are our Dogs, R Us baby? Who is the grand dog? And the family that we had all our adventures with but Mickey definitely was pretty neat. What about the time? You made the TV for him? So I decided I would go out and Bill make a television. So, I worked on the television set for about 2 or 3 weeks. And

02:57 When I got the point, got everything finished and I couldn't quite understand why I couldn't get any picture in on the television and that's when I realized that that will fuel Electronics, all involved in that. But the so making, I will go go out in the back and we play in the bushes and then we everything, we would like a little tree house and make it with come out and lay up under the tree house. While I go up in the tree and we were playing Cowboys and Indians and he will be running through and we be running through the bushes and everywhere. I went to make it went everywhere.

03:40 It's I think it's so neat. Cuz you know, you were only child for like 10 years before Bruce and Kenny were born. And I'm still only child. I think it's kind of neat here in those kind of stories. Also, to, at least from Big Momma's account. You were adventurous to say the least when Mickey wasn't around. Can you tell us some of the stories that tell me some of the stories about your adventures on your own?

04:11 Will I heal.

04:14 Willow station in the vibratory on on the top of the house that not too many people knew about. I have a small telescope that I will get up at night and look at the moon and stars load always amazed that I put in the moon and the stars looked at night and I had a little while ago, they had a water gauge on it. So when it rains, I would go up and climb up and fight, get on top of the house and take out the Watergate. And I also had that was a carport. If I built around that I could ride my bicycle up around and let the bicycle go and kiss to the garage. So that was just a little fun, you know, could get you hurt, but I never got hurt and it one time.

05:06 Had a super thought I was Superman aquaflash though. I had the Escape, I will put on which was raincoat and I would actually jump from our house to the garage, and a lot of the neighbors would see me go through there and they was complaining across the street. My mother to tell me that I was going to kill myself, so I never got hurt so, but I but unknown to my mother which I told later in life. That was weird. Everything was calculated before I did it at the bilty, to determine the distance between the house and the garage and out of all the times that I did that. I never got hurt always landed in the same spot.

05:50 So that was your control. Chaos around Big Momma's she used to kind of. Look at that. Look at you.

06:08 She's Praying Woman understand why I could be seen, But the lady across the street had a two-story house and she was and she will be sitting in the window and when she was sleep me, when I went for my house to the garage flying unless you were coming to your house. So it took me awhile to realize that I need to stop doing that. So I had to move on the other thing.

06:42 I feel like when you tell me about that story. I was like you had back the classic like dentists am in his childhood or you were two everywhere. All the time. We are making. I will go through through the woods. I got a BB gun and make and I will go hunting. So we wouldn't lay down on the ground, and crawl around on the grass back in the woods, and he will crawl right with me and stay at my own targets. I will make out of paper bags. I fill them up with newspapers and putting it all Target on it, and then put them up in the tree with the guy court. So, making out with will help. I can practice at Bank in the woods.

07:21 That was, that was a way of entertaining. And then, we come back, and we can head up head of house outside and beat making, and don't go in the house and get ready for tomorrow.

07:35 That's awesome. Cuz you are a sure pretty good shot. 20 year old boy.

07:45 And I got a lot of trouble like that. I went out to a friend of my mother's house and she was in the window watching and her son's that I bet you can't get those flowers as everything could stay home. So, I could all of this be about five or her flowers off and she was in the one looking so cause I was in trouble again.

08:06 What was it, like growing up with big? Mama? Bday your parents about?

08:20 You'll get the keishin so they would always give me books to read in books of interest and they will find a phone that I had an interest in science or they always brought me science books and they followed me through life. All the way to do, you know, from those old Victorian on top of the house to high school where they made us pay scale school for the science fair that had lights in it that we wired up and had batteries and look like the Mercury Space Capsule. So it followed me through life, but they were very educational Gardens.

08:58 That's kind of, that's something. I remember a lot about big mama being the teacher. She always does big day past 1, I think I was around 10, but I got a lot more time with big mama. They always were really supportive of anything. I ever did educationally and give me computers and things like that. So,

09:20 I think they've always been super supportive. What did you want to be when you grow up when you were that age when you were young co-pilot?

09:33 There was an airport near the house that the Glide path that was for small planes and the Glide path, right across the house and there was a big tree in the backyard. So I can play. I am as well as I can get up in the tree and just sit on the limbs and wipe the plane come in. So I kind of wanted to be a pilot at the time and I was always interested in flying.

09:59 Did you ever go fly my two brother with me? Fine? And I'm glad I found out about a real upset told me that you won't kill my whole family.

10:33 Yeah, it is.

10:35 You have, you had so many interesting things happen like that. That's a sosoni. What do you remember the most about Big Daddy about your dad. He was able to be with very interested in me being a success. And you were the first person that came to me and told me, he said, you know, you can be anything that you want to be. He's late. I work everyday, and whatever it takes for you to be what you want to be. You know, let me know. And you will you do your part. I do my part.

11:08 And they will do a beer concern. You know that you did. I did the right thing.

11:17 Yeah, I feel that way. It kind of how you been for me. Anything. I wanted to do anything. I ever tried to do. You're always at 110% behind me, whether it was being in the backyard, throwing the football around, Saint time, no matter how far away we were anything like that. I felt like you always believed in me no matter what and being the doctor. I don't think I would have been able to do that. With that guy about that kind of support because you are always a hunt, you were team Tammy 110% even down to the telephone calls to make sure I made it home. Okay? From the anatomy lab.

12:08 Yes, you are definitely been all that time. And that's kind of how I remember Big Daddy being we want to make sure that the family had what it needed.

12:25 Because he know you work a lot. He didn't have an opportunity to travel a lot. He would let us at later years. He would let us go on trips, but he always stayed at home and work and I asked him once. I see why you don't ever go on vacations. He said I have to stay home and work so you can go on the trips and what all they're happy about later in life. After I finish mortuary school. I told myself that I want to go on a trip with mothers. Use a AK and she was going to take a conventional. He never went. So he said you're not quite ready to run the funeral home right now so I can run this funeral home in enough. So one day he walked in and said, okay. I'm going to the

13:08 Connecting with your mother, funeral home is yours. And so I almost went into a State of Shock and he left, they went on a trip and a half and then I start thinking I see, I think you were right. Need a little bit more training, but everything worked out. Good. He got back and we're doing several funerals and he checked it out to make sure everything was done properly and I got Raven review. So I've been okay since that time.

13:38 I mean, how long?

13:39 Do you think that was?

13:41 That was a.

13:44 1970 to put a timeline on it because I finished North Carolina ENT in 1970. The mortuary school in from 7th, Avenue to 7th and Warren. And I was here about a year working before he, you know, exactly going on trips over everything worked out, fine. And at that point, you know, I've been well trained cuz I've been working in the business, all my life, anyway, so it wasn't the one like I had to go and try to figure out what was going on and what you do, it was just a matter of implementing, everything that you knew.

14:26 It's ironic cuz I grew up in that family business to. So I remember times where I wanted you to go places and you weren't able to because of that, but that was a business that sustained us and I had so many. Great adventures with you, weather is getting a call and getting person. I think it gave me a sense of the importance of family and a sense of like responsibility to the even though I'm not in the funeral business. I think there's a lot of similarities between

15:14 The practice of medicine and then being a funeral director. I think a lot of folks don't see that but you and I have talked about it a lot that there's a few times. When people are more vulnerable than the death of a family member or a severe illness. It really kind of shows who you are, you know.

15:34 It really does.

15:38 But yeah, it

15:40 It's been some adventurous as I used to not be able to have people come see us at the funeral home when I was a kid cuz they thought that we lived in the back of the funeral home. So they want the movie. My Girl Macaulay Culkin and stuff man. I killed All My Friends Are Dead.

16:02 I thought I remember one back when I was young. I did it twice, so I don't think I'll be able to, I know what I told you about it. I just ran from the bottom of the Washington Monument to the top play.

16:27 I'm going to go in the first time with the sake of control. So we would watch the trip to watch the name of the different Monument. How old are you?

16:48 About 10 11 12. I'm going to the high school playing football before I was in shape. So I made it to the top so I will good.

17:05 Yeah, I never been in that good of shape album.

17:16 What are the random fun?

17:20 Is there that you had that? You can share we are the hike to the top of the mountain? So we we went on 15 Mile hike. I think about 50 Mi of this side of the mountain to the top. So, you know, it was some days with a hundred and two or three and then at night, it was in the thirties. And but that was an adventure that you will never forget what it's on. The route is kanta you CC and I did at Philmont Scout Ranch in.

18:04 In the late summer on the Mexico.

18:17 So, I went from a Boy Scout to the gals president.

18:23 Is so awesome. You really have faith.

18:26 You've Been Everywhere.

18:31 The weird no giving people cross the street and learn how to fold, American flag and elementary school, cuz I want to say to controlling the alarm and we got to play it by 10 minutes earlier, so that helps you learn.

18:55 No, that's that's

18:57 Wow.

18:59 I feel.

19:01 Sometimes with all the adventures in the play, different places, you you've been in life. It's almost like you're like the Forrest Gump of Columbus, Georgia. You've been everywhere and like been like right around the corner from everything. I thought making a shake hands or make it like you, he was going to shake your hand.

19:30 What's the Don said? You don't? Why don't you teach Angel that?

19:40 Wouldn't been bothering you would not have being a part of you and would not let anybody get close to me.

19:49 Almost like I had my own personal bodyguard.

19:59 Where is my hot dog? Made my dad come home from at, from work at night. Make it was since the car coming home getting in front of the car. Every night, bought with it. They are supposed to pay. The remaining walking from the garden to the thousand. In the carpool every night.

20:23 Ironic because Angel used to track you. As soon as you would turn into the subdivision, she would run to the window and watch you come all the way into the driveway. If you would run back. I'll be at the door. Waiting on you every night. She did that for you more than she did for the rest of us laws.

20:53 But we will a lot of fun. There was pretty, it is interesting cuz I have this picture from all those Adventures because I grew up and be in the same house. You were born is so what kind of felt like? I lived vicariously through you, everybody loved everybody and everybody took care of everybody, you know the end there was nothing that anyone needed. If somebody in the neighborhood had they will take it to him. You know, I know my mama used to cook food and she would send me across the fence with the food, to take to some people that didn't have food. And the first thing I don't know, probably but not tell anybody.

21:53 She really enjoyed doing that. You care a lot for people. Then she also did things for the school and the young lady know.

22:07 Charles should not be able to go to the prom because she didn't have a dress. I couldn't buy a dress and she bought a lot of prom dresses under knowing anybody. And of course, you look at me and say you better not tell nobody.

22:23 Sorry, but Mama telling she will cook Thanksgiving dinner for him. Don't worry about it. So, before we all sit down to the table to eat our Thanksgiving dinner, we had to take food next door to his house and get it on the table for him. And then when we get back is open, now, you can sit down and we have done it, but we always until he passed away to come Thanksgiving dinner.

23:00 I remember that I think that's like the generational thing. It's just a course you do for others cuz it's kind of the way you've been raised. The holes. Are there always remember though the young man that was trying to not trying but he was going to medical school, but he was in the, he was in college at the time and not.

23:23 My father used to go over on the weekends to take him on the way home. My mother cooked food and he and she would take food over to him and she work with him and too late. He went to medical school. You know, now I look at how much they helped him to get to be a physician and then I look at you and see how many people help you do time and trying to become a physician as they just don't. Are you training to make sure I was fed and everything else? So,

24:02 That is.

24:04 It's amazing how it all kind of comes full circle, you know.

24:08 Everything from the adventures to like you. You were, you were like the best girl that ever before they even had like the phrase girl, dad, like you made sure. Every birthday party was made every pony rides. Every. Yeah, you are. The only day. That's not how many field trips. And let's not even to mention, I have one for you. What was it? Like the first time you had to do my hair?

24:44 Well, I thought about it and then we'll go back to be on the bus. I will good rope braid braided rope. Well.

25:08 What's up? I'm in the little things that I used to have hurt my knuckles with all the time.

25:21 You're pretty good bad dad.

25:24 It wasn't that hot. No one believe me when I tell him that you braided my hair cuz my hair was so long down to my shoulders braids in them and get it at the Anna. What you call it.

25:43 It was the Royal the Royal Crown.

25:54 Yeah, it is funny. When you first started doing my hair. I had to sit on top of the toilet to be tall enough either braided by the time you finish that was I thought that was so cool.

26:19 Yes, the original girl dead.

26:31 How many you always end up the other thing to, even to this day? You still eat breakfast. Everything the morning? I I'm bad about that drink coffee, but you always made sure. I have breakfast at late at night because he was just getting started in business and he will get called in the morning. He will always make sure he was at home in my entire education, school in Columbus, Georgia. He cook breakfast every morning for mother and

27:15 I eat bread with no bus, route 111 here, the time, and all the young man that does, they don't know, the blockhead mother, invited him to ride to school in the morning. So, of course, God he had a our breakfast. So that was not a morning past that he did not cook breakfast. His knowing what was going on. He was going to cook breakfast and then you go back to work.

27:44 I just love that commitment cuz you always,

27:46 Picture again, no matter what? We did, you took me to school every morning you made sure braids or sore Knuckles and all in. You always made sure. I have food and awful to. We always had so long as her breakfast in the mornings. I never went to school hungry and then we had kind of a ritual after school. They pick me up, make sure I went to soccer practice with band practice for acid that week. You really kind of looking at the time. It didn't seem that important, but it is so important that we ate together. That was kind of like our time to talk and catch up.

28:27 And we even do that now still.

28:36 Few decades late.

28:39 Now that was just always having that time where we were always together. It's like, yeah, it was pretty awesome. Nice.

28:54 You woke then Wednesday 2 days or one day.

29:03 Cuz I was just us and we I think we end up just and it was two days, but we stayed the night.

29:14 Yes, so it started off work. I was always big for my age. So I spent up hit me to go get the tickets and I was I was just ten or eleven and they charge me for two adults and a child.

29:38 That was.

29:41 Then we took when we went to the on the train to see all the animals and you're great, and we'll hope for the husbandry.

29:52 Tell us about the moose are events with the Moose Hall. Google's moose in the in the piano app that everybody was trying to get the Moose to come to in the mood swing. Wouldn't come running back and couldn't win, I thought I told him. I said, I bet I can make the move, come over here.

30:21 It was just such as it, cuz every thought we were the coolest people that you don't call them loose Samu, but sure enough over everything pictures and stuff. Then we ended up with a lot of times when we went on trips with not stay the night. We end up staying the night just had a really nice time. I think that was one of the best one at like 1 like Mikey memories and stuff growing up 4 and the other one with the entire front.

30:58 Will you have three of the five starters on the soccer team? We were trying to get back, you call me. I was leaving the mall, and that was a person that was supposed to be a group of the bring them back to the soccer game and tomorrow, then you sleep well later. This opposed to pick us up and picked us up. Can you come and get us? The game was at 6, it was probably 4:30. And I told you that, you look at that, just come right at the interstate, as I'm looking at the calendar.

31:44 Indiana State and I was not driving. The speed limit to go to Callaway Garden from Columbus Georgia. So I told Tammy is, I'm starving us. They go in that restaurant. Get me the house will be like an ass, That's a change. I say I'm going to come through. I'm going to jump out over the doors and they are about to jump in the car. When I stopped at the gas station. You don't buy the open, the gas cap where I put the gas then put gas in and got back to the interstate highway. And I looked at the times, I really don't have enough time to get back, but I got a new car to town. So we got weed back but we got to the park. I'm going to get the part of the anybody jump out of runs and drove in to the up, to the put up to the field. Almost everybody jumped out of the lineup on the field.

32:44 For the game, go to the hell no players, so I had to go party player.

32:54 Is oranges through the whole team? Was there. Kind of P bass back in Columbus again? Cuz I've had the bomb childhood.

33:13 Just having family around but you you're pretty amazing dead. Like nothing I ever did you said now? I don't do that and it was never like old girl. Can't do that.

33:29 I like this and you can do anything you want to. Do. You have my support in this much? Much appreciated.

33:41 I am beyond blessed to have you as my dad.

33:52 Write for 2 hours.

33:57 I know you'll be by the house today.

34:02 And this is one more thing cuz I have to make sure. I always say thank you for this. You have been literally the ride or die on the road. All these times where I was, when I was in medical school and I'll be caught by the train at 12 at night and I've been studying all night and almost falling asleep at the train. You stayed up and talk to me the whole way home when I was in residency and I'll get called out in the middle of night and I was scared and I was walking to the place and you can't even now is a practicing surgeon if I'm out late. And I need somebody to talk to me on the way back from the hospital. You are always there. You are my emergency contact for everything. Don't tell me you always answer the phone. You're always go with their dad and I can't tell you how much I appreciate you. I mean,

34:59 You are always there.

35:11 I will get together. I appreciate you and I really appreciate you taking the time to talk to me in looking forward to the day. I can have my little munchkin talking to you and you can tell him that all those stories to.

35:36 Are you going to save that one for the kids?