It was late fall in 1980. The leaves were golden, the weather was turning crisp, and my first semester at Texas Tech was almost over. I got off work one night just as the breathtaking West Texas sunset was casting shadows over my drive home. That is when I saw her… I almost ran into the person in front of me in traffic that evening. My heart skipped a beat. I swallowed hard. She was sitting all by herself at the corner of Indiana Ave. and South Loop 289 in Lubbock. She was black and she was beautiful… She was a 1979 Chevy Silverado pickup. I quickly turned around, so we could become better acquainted. I was speechless. I did not know what to say to her, as I took in all of her beauty. I just kicked her tire, and then immediately felt as awkward as a 7th grader at his first school dance. “I am sorry,” I told her! How could I be so clumsy?

I could not sleep that night. I was in love. How will I ever be able to pay for her? She simply must come home with me! The next morning before work I went to inquire about her. Would I be deemd an adequate suitor by the car salesman? Was I too young? Was I too eager? A man in a leisure suit took me back to a smoke filled office and sized me up. I swallowed hard and finally mustered enough courage to ask the salesman how much it would cost to purschase the truck of my dreams. “Well, I will have to go ask my, sales manager, Bubba about that son.” Today I would tell him: “Let me talk to Bubba.” But I was 18 years old and in hopelessly in love. They had me and they knew it. I soon discovered it was going to cost a whopping $4,500.00 to drive her off that lonely car lot. Where would I come up with that kind of money? That is where Mr. Wallace enters the picture.

T.J. Wallace was the president of Plains National Bank in Lubbock at that time. I was one of the bank’s best customers. There were times that my checking account actually had $100.00 in it. My father died in 1978, so I didn’t have a man to accompany me to the bank that morning to inquire about a car loan. I went by myself. Thankfully Mr. Wallace had known my father professionally.

I was so nervous. Mr. Wallace was not wearing a leisure suit. He was dressed sharply and even had his own secretary. I don’t remember anything about our conversation. All that I recall is that he allowed me to sign that 36 month car note without a co-signer. He trusted me. Or so I thought! I felt like a man that fall day in 1980. I walked confidently out of the bank, and quickly made the trek back to Pollard Friendly Ford to bring my truck home to her rightful place of residence.

I actually paid that first car note off well before the 36 month period was completed. The monthly payments were all of $112.00. The truck loan was paid off, but my debt to Mr. Wallace will never be paid. He is still in the banking business today in another city.

Fatherless boys will always struggle with confidence. They feel self-doubt as they encounter situations where a dad would normally accompany a son. Like buying a first car… When men of character and depth step into such situations, they make an impact that will last for a lifetime. I have been blessed with good credit all of my adult life. I have taken out 10 car loans since that fall day in 1980. I have had three mortgage loans. I have never been turned down on a credit application. I think T.J. Wallace gets his share of the credit for that process. I am almost 29 years overdue, but it is never too late. Thank you, Mr. Wallace. You have been one of my heroes for a long time.

Funny thing happened today… I purchased another black chevy silverado. $4,500.00 would not cover it this time. The banker’s name was Julia. She did the application online with a large worldwide corporate bank. She was pleasant and helpful, but she must have thought I was in another world. The truth is…I was back sitting in T.J. Wallace’s office at Plains National Bank in Lubbock today…And I wondered to myself if I was the only fatherless boy she had encountered today.