Mo (My Cousin Joey)

After writing and before reading out loud, Mo said, “I wanted to get this written so Joey’s kids can read this on the computer and know this about him.” Mo’s cousin and friend, Joey, is 77 years-old-strong. “He still goes out fishing all the time,” Mo added, visibly proud of his cousin’s love of life. Keep fishin’ and being you, Joey! What an awesome friendship you share with Mo. Did you know how much Mo has looked up to you all these years?

Mo McCooper
My Cousin Joey   
March 25, 2010

Being an only child, I could have had a sheltered childhood.  But once I could walk, my cousin Joey came to our house to take me on adventures.  As he was 3 years older and my parents had great confidence in him, we went everywhere.

Sometimes, later on while playing on the neighborhood streets, a bully would start messing with us by saying mean things or pushing us around.  Next thing, Joey would be standing over the punk and telling him to leave me or us alone or have his “head beat in”.

As we grew, I would watch him play football, basketball and baseball and join in when it was a “pick up” game.  Joey was my idol and showed me how to make and keep hundreds of good friends.  At age 17, when he graduated high school, he joined the US Navy for 4 years.  I had just finished eighth grade.  It had been a great run!