CAL THOMAS COMMENTARY AUGUST 22, 2019
I WISH TO PAUSE FROM THE REGULAR COMMENTARIES ABOUT POLITICS AND CONFLICT TO SAY A WORD ABOUT MY LONGTIME FRIEND AND ASSOCIATE JACK PERKINS, WHO LEFT THIS LIFE TUESDAY FOR ETERNITY AND TO MEET HIS LORD AND SAVIOR.
JACK AND I CAME TO NBC NEWS IN WASHINGTON AT THE SAME TIME – 1961 – HE AS A WRITER TO DAVID BRINKLEY. I WAS A COPYBOY. WE EVENTUALLY WENT OUR SEPARATE WAYS – HE TO A LOS ANGELES TV STATION AND EVENTUALLY THE CO-HOST OF A AND E’S POPULAR BIOGRAPHY SERIES, AND ME TO A HOUSTON TV AND RADIO STATION AND LATER BACK TO NBC AND THEN A NEWSPAPER COLUMNIST.
I VISITED JACK AT HIS HOME ON AN ISLAND OFF THE MAINE COAST. HE WAS SHOOTING BEAUTIFUL PICTURES AND WRITING EVEN MORE BEAUTIFUL POETRY. WE TALKED ABOUT GOD AND HIS SON AND EVENTUALLY JACK BECAME A BELIEVER. HE SPOKE OF HIS CONVERSION AT OUR MEDIA DINNER BEFORE A RAPT AUDIENCE.
I SHALL NEVER FORGET OUR LAST VISIT AT HIS HOME IN FLORIDA. AS MY WIFE AND I WERE ABOUT TO DEPART THEIR HOME, JACK LOOKED AT ME FROM THE KITCHEN AND SAID “THANK YOU FOR JESUS.” HE CAN NOW THANK JESUS IN PERSON. IT’S NOT “GOODBYE,” JACK. IT’S, SEE YOU LATER. I’M CAL THOMAS.
