Uncle Buck

I had an uncle named Buck - Buck Crouch. Uncle Buck worked for the City of Nashville - Centennial Park Division. His had only one job his entire life. He was the gardener/caretaker of a little garden in Centennial Park called "the bowl" by locals. I said a little garden - it was roughly circular and about 100 foot diameter, as I recall. Uncle Buck started by planting a few flowers to cover up an ugly fence on one side of the park. He gradually added shrubs and flowers and rocks and paths over the years until it became a favorite with park visitors. It sloped toward the center from all sides - thus the name "the bowl."

The bowl contained hundreds of different flowers and plants. It was absolutely beautiful and immaculate all year. Even in the winter, there seemed to be color everywhere. It was a serene place with several narrow paths that people would stroll along and admire the flowers. Uncle Buck was always working in the bowl - all day, every week day. Nobody else touched anything in the bowl except Uncle Buck.

Uncle Buck only had one eye. He said he was hit by lightening when he was younger. I didn't think of it at the time, but today I find it ironic that a one-eyed man spent his entire life making a beautiful place for others to see.

Uncle Buck died about 40 years ago. The bowl is still there in Centennial Park. It's bigger now. In fact, it is one of the main attractions of the park, and there's a whole crew assigned to maintain it. It's still a serene, beautiful place.

I guess you don't have to build a skyscraper or a golf course or a shopping center to make a difference for people. You can be a simple gardener planting flowers and shrubs to cover up a fence in a park.

Thanks, Uncle Buck.