Marshall Ramsey

A month into selling Banjo’s Dream and it has been a joy. The children’s book has sold differently thank my short-story book, Fried Chicken & Wine — which was a surprise runaway  hit. Banjo’s Dream is a steady seller — one that when parents do buy it for their kids, they report back how much their children love it. I’ve had a half-dozen people in the past couple of weeks tell me that their kids want to read it every night. That makes me proud.  And I had a parent come back and buy more for presents. That makes me smile. I know Banjo’s positive message is getting through to them.

Banjo was a dog who represented possibilities. He was a little brown dog who had a huge will to live. He overcame so many odds and he taught me that if I could believe it I can do it. I believed in him. And I believe in his book.

So I go out in stores and sign books. I do my 30-second elevator pitch to parents who wonder if they book is right for their kids. I greet fans of mine and Banjo’s with joy and sign books for them. I drive the highways and byways of Mississippi as I work to pay off my investment.

I’ve learned a lot from this book. It was a huge financial risk that I’m working hard to make pay off. I call it my MBA — I’ve gotten a solid business education from it. It’s about taking a calculated risk and making it work. It’s about using my talent in a good way to help others.

Soon, I will be visiting schools to talk about Banjo’s Dream. I want to teach kid’s about the power of dreaming and doing.  I want them to be able to reach their goals like I have.

Banjo would approve of that.

Frost crunched under the two figures’ feet as they walked quietly through the frozen  Mississippi woods.  Record cold blanketed the land as the grandfather felt how cold his grandson’s hands were.  They needed to build a fire to stay warm. And they needed to do it now.

A cold front had blown through earlier in the week, leaving five inches of rain and  Arctic air behind. The ground was frozen and the wood was wet.  Building a fire would be difficult at best. The grandfather smiled and thought of Jack London’s “To Build a Fire.” That book made him cold even in August.

His grandson shivered and then squeaked, “Papa James, I’m cold.”  Like the man in the book, the grandfather realized he had to succeed. Just hopefully with better results.

“I know you are cold Danny.  We’ll have a fire going in no time.”

The little boy watched as his grandfather gathered the wood and believed him. The old man found some dryish leaves and brought them over, too. He fumbled in his pocket for a box of matches.  They had the supplies. They had the desire. They had the need. Now it was up to his grandfather’s know-how.  And his persistence.

The old man stacked the wood carefully and made it easy for oxygen to get into the fire.  “Fire needs fuel and oxygen,” he told the boy. “Otherwise it will smother. That’s why you stop, drop and roll. You try to cut off the fire’s oxygen.”

The little boy was half listening. His hands were bitterly cold and hurt.

Each attempt at lighting the fire failed. The wood was wet. The leaves wouldn’t catch. But the grandfather didn’t quit. And he didn’t keep trying the same things.  He adjusted his plan. He found some dry paper in his backpack and lit it. Eventually the wood ignited. And soon, the two were enjoying a toasty, blazing fire.

“Remember this boy,” the grandfather said as he held his shivering grandson tight. “Persistence is the secret ingredient of life.  If we had quit, we’d be really, really cold.  But we didn’t. And now we’re enjoying the warmth of a fire.  Sometimes a fire won’t come easy. You have to keep trying new things and never stop until you get it to light.”

The lesson was lost on the little boy — until 35 years later.

Daniel sat in his office of his small business with his head in his hands. The numbers didn’t look good.

In a small gift shop in a suburb of Jackson, Mississippi, Daniel looked at the picture of his grandfather he kept on his office desk. What would the old man do in this situation?

Daniel had been laid off from his job in 2010. He had courageously taken the family savings and opened a small, unique gift shop that offered the best items of Mississippi.  While his rent was high, his shopping center received great traffic. Until the outlet mall opened and sucked customers away like a black hole.

His business had gone cold. He needed to build a fire. And the wood was wet.

He  thought of that night in the woods. He imagined his grandfather standing there calmly changing strategies. He had a goal and was going to achieve it — he had to achieve it.  He thought of his grandfather’s persistence.

He looked around. He had been trying to do things they way he had done them the previous three years. Daniel sat down with a piece of paper and thought of ways he could get his business moving again, too. He Googled ideas and brainstormed. Like his grandfather flicking matches, he kept throwing new ideas out there until a fire started.

He changed his marketing strategy. He redesigned the floor plan of his store to make it more inviting. He used social media more and created a popular twitter account that offered free advice and personified his business.  He told stories about each piece of merchandise in his store.  He created a strong online storefront and began shipping unique Mississippi gifts worldwide. He became a storyteller and told his store’s story. He found his strengths — his dry wood so to speak — and he lit them.

Within six months, his store was enjoying record profits.

Daniel looked out at the customers in his shop and thought of his grandfather. He was thankful the old man had taught him not to quit when things were tough.  Some grandparents give their grandkids toys and cash. Papa James had given him the gift of persistence during tough times.  He tried new things instead of making excuses. And it was one of the most precious gifts of all.

Today I’ll be eating, watching football, dog shows, parades and then eating some more. I’ll be sharing time with my sister and her family. I’ll watch my kids eat waaaay too much. I’ll enjoy my wife’s amazing cooking.

But I won’t be shopping.

When I found out some stores are open on Thanksgiving, I cringed. It was a visceral reaction — one that even surprised me.  Was it because I think that people in retail deserve a day off? Yes. But that wasn’t quite it. Was it because I don’t want rampant commercialism sticking it’s nose under Thanksgiving’s sacred tent?  Kind of — although as a small businessman, I understand the value of making a buck.  I sat here wondering why it bothered me so badly. It burned in my belly like a third helping of oyster dressing.

Until it came to me in a flash.

We aren’t allowed to stop anymore. As a society, we’re 24/7 365 days a year.  We’re glued to our phones, checking the latest Tweets or  a reading instant Facebook posts.  We get texts at all hours and are constantly checking our e-mail accounts.  We never unplug.  And that takes a toll on us.

Now, we are at risk of losing the one day when we can unplug and say thank you for the blessings we have.

I don’t want a door buster to be Christmas busting through Thanksgiving’s barricaded door.

So I won’t be shopping today. I’ll be holding on tightly to the one day when I can unwind.  I’ll be grateful for all the blessings in my life. I’ll take a moment to slow down and say thanks. And for that, I’m thankful.

Upcoming signing schedule for Banjo’s Dream:
Friday 11/29 — Barnes & Noble — 2 p.m.
Saturday 11/30 — Mississippi Children’s Museum 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Lemuria Books — 3 p.m. —
Monday 12/2 — Main Street Books (Hattiesburg) — 4 p.m. until close
Thursday 12/5 — Turn Row Books (Greenwood) — 5 p.m. –7:30p.m.
Friday 12/6 — Casa Bella Interiors (Reservoir) — 11 a.m. — 2 p.m.
Saturday 12/7 — Jingle Bell Market (Flowood Pearl) — 10 a.m — 4 p.m.

1. Amy.
2. My sons.
3. My parents.
4. My sisters.
5. My family as a whole. Like water on stone, they shape me with their love (and sometimes drama)
6. Charlie and Patsy Daniel. They are friends and mentors.
7. Pip the dog.
8. a quiet faith.
9. That I’m able to use my talents to make a living.
10. That I know good people. I’ve been blessed with amazing friends.
11. That I’ve lived in cool places like Knoxville, Conroe, San Diego, Marietta and Mississippi.
12. I survived cancer. I would have missed out on two of my three boys and so much joy.
13. That I make mistakes. It seems to be the only way I learn.
14. That I’ve had an interesting and fascinating career.
15. That I’m physically active and love exercise. Thank you Paul LaCoste, Clark Bruce and Patrick House.
16. The Clarion-Ledger for giving me opportunities.
17. Mississippi Public Broadcasting for also giving me a wonderful radio platform
18. My radio producer Cherita Brent. She’s a real pro and friend.
19. My editor Brian Tolley. He’s believed in me when others haven’t.
20. Everyone who buys one of my books. Thank you for helping support my family.
21. For all my friends from San Diego. I worked in an amazing place called Copley News Service. I was blessed.
22. That I have heat. And a house. And a warm bed. And food on the table.
23. That I inherited an insane work ethic. It was the greatest gift I’ve ever received.
24. That I owned an incredible dog named Banjo who gave me love and the idea for two books.
25. That I went to the University of Tennessee. I got an education and a career.
26. That I live in a land full of great storytellers and great stories.
27. For social media and the good people I’ve met through it.
28. For every sunrise I see.
29. That people want to see my work. Having fans is a powerful and humbling experience.
30. That I am no afraid to take risks.
31. That I live in a good neighborhood with nice neighbors.
32. That my sons attend great schools.
33. That my wife is an amazing teacher.
34. That I have (most of) my teeth.
35. That I’ve taken 45 trips around the sun.
36. That I’m surrounded by talented and creative people.
37. That I live in the age of air conditioning.
38. That I live during a time of great advancements in all areas of human endeavors.
39. For a good book.
40. For time to paint.
41. For hugs from my sons.
42. For HDTV and College football.
43. For being a Pulitzer Finalist twice. That was cool.
44. For seeing the joy on a kid’s face when he or she read’s my children’s book.
45. The Smoky Mountains. It’s where I feel closest to God.
46. For the ability to read.
47. For a sense of humor.
48. For laughter.
49. For the privilege of living in this great country.
50. That I could easily write 50 more things.