Charge Forward Podcast

"Mr. Murfreesboro: Bill Wilson on Community, Recovery, and the Future of Murfreesboro"

• Jim Cripps • Season 1 • Episode 12

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"Mr. Murfreesboro: Bill Wilson on Community, Recovery, and the Future of Murfreesboro"

Description:
What if the key to transforming a community lies in honoring its past while embracing its future? Join us in this inspiring episode with Mr. Murfreesboro himself, Bill Wilson, as we explore the evolution of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. From his nostalgic memories of courthouse square to the growing influence of Middle Tennessee State University, Bill’s love for real estate, local culture, and community shines through.

The conversation takes a personal turn as Bill and I dive into the challenges of addiction and recovery. Reflecting on my 33-year journey of sobriety, we discuss the powerful impact of spiritual awakenings, 12-step programs, and recovery courts in changing lives. Bill shares heartfelt stories of mentorship and community support, emphasizing the importance of grace and accountability in overcoming adversity.

Whether reflecting on local legends like Tommy Martin, discussing societal values, or imagining creative charity initiatives, this episode is a celebration of Murfreesboro's rich history and its bright future. Tune in to discover how shared experiences, empathy, and community support are driving transformation in both personal lives and the city itself.

Follow and Connect with Mr. Murfreesboro:
Facebook ⁠https://www.facebook.com/MrMurfreesboro⁠
Instagram ⁠https://www.instagram.com/mr.murfreesboro/⁠
YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@billwilson2332⁠
or by Phone - Call 615-406-5872



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Jim Cripps

#ChargeForwardPodcast #MrMurfreesboro #CommunityRevival #AddictionRecovery #MurfreesboroHistory #SobrietyJourney #RealEstateLife #12StepPrograms #SupportAndHealing #MiddleTennessee #HustleRecovery

Jim Cripps:

You are the cap for whatever goes on in your store, in your company, in your district, in your household. However excited you are, what you believe is possible, whatever that threshold is. Hey team, jim Cripps here with the Charge Forward podcast coming to you from HitLab Studios here in Nashville, tennessee. I've got a special guest for you today, mr Murfreesboro himself. Bill, how you doing?

Mr. Murfreesboro - Bill Wilson:

I'm doing great, Jim. Thanks for having me, man.

Jim Cripps:

Absolutely Well, you know, you really do try to introduce everybody to Murfreesboro in your own way through that lens of kind of nostalgia and small-town feel, even though it has grown exponentially in your lifetime Right, and you do that through your column. The Mr Murfreesboro Maker.

Mr. Murfreesboro - Bill Wilson:

Is that right In the Murfreesboro Pulse that's correct Online and at different stores around Murfreesboro Toots, junior's Demas's places like that.

Jim Cripps:

I love it and you're trying to share with people kind of what made Murfreesboro that small town that it grew up from. And then at the same time kind of share with people that maybe are new to Murfreesboro or are removed from Murfreesboro a little bit of nostalgia as well as what's going on Right on.

Mr. Murfreesboro - Bill Wilson:

And again, my name is Bill Wilson, also known as Mr Murfreesboro. And the fact is Murfreesboro, this area, is like the fastest growing area in the United States. Now, why is that? I would take it we're talking about Murfreesboro now. We have great schools, we have great roads, traffic's not as bad. I know the Nashville traffic's awful, but Murfreesboro's really got together. They've got places to worship, recreation. It's really a progressive. It's a melting pot of all sorts of people and when I grew up there in the 70s, there's only like 25 or 30,000 people lived in Murfreesboro.

Mr. Murfreesboro - Bill Wilson:

It was more like a cow town. I mean, you could go around the square, wave how you doing. People came down. I can remember on the square where the older gentlemen would come down with their shotguns and shoot birds off the courthouse. Think about that today, jim, that ain't going to happen. So I grew up in a time where there was a lot of trust. Nobody locked their doors, everybody knew everybody. So what I call a Norman Rockwell town, if you picture, norman Rockwell town had a square. We have a courthouse that dates back pre-Civil War 1850. Now, if only two in the state that are still standing. From before the war we had the Seventh Bloodiest Battle of the Civil War.

Mr. Murfreesboro - Bill Wilson:

We had the Battle of Murfreesboro. It depends If you were from the north. It was the Battle of Stones River, because they did things based on rivers, mountains, and then the the south used it based on cities.

Mr. Murfreesboro - Bill Wilson:

So it was the battle of murfreesboro okay, I did not know that, and there was over 25 000 casualties there, close to 25 000. So murfreesboro today I think there's about 170,000, maybe more, but we've grown. The main reason is mobility. If you take a pen and put it in the center, in Murfreesboro's exact center of Tennessee, middle Tennessee State University is one of the big reasons. But if you take a pen and put it in the center of Murfreesboro and draw out 500 miles in a circle on a map, you will be within a day's drive of 75% of the US population. If you go north or south or east or west, you've got to come through Murfreesboro or close by, because of 840. We have I-24 that will take you to the east coast. We have 65 south. It's close by, it will take you to the Gulf Coast and then 40 will take you from the East Coast to the West Coast and 840 connects all those there. You go.

Jim Cripps:

Yeah Well, and the thing that I find interesting about you is I never know where I'm going to run into you, people ask me I've been a realtor going on, going on 25 years well, real estate.

Mr. Murfreesboro - Bill Wilson:

And then I know one of your passions is in recovery court and making sure that people are in recovery and stay in recovery and are successful right on yeah and then also just the passion for murfreesboro and the people that make up the the town I just love people grew up my parents instilled in me, you know, the golden rule do unto others. And you know we never know when we don't know how somebody is until you, they don't care what you say, it's how you treat them and how you care for them. And it doesn't matter if you live in the white house, the penthouse or the poor house. Everybody's got a story. I can't stress that enough. You know, and being in recovery, you think well, these bums that live under the bridge, or homeless people, there's a reason they're there and some of it is. They just went through a divorce, they made a bad life decision. Could be addiction, it could be mental illness. Now, do we treat those people the same? We respect people when they want to do something for themselves.

Mr. Murfreesboro - Bill Wilson:

Addiction is not like cancer and I've had many relatives who've had cancer and friends we all have. Some they've died, some they've recovered. But the fact is, if you have an addiction, if you have cancer, there's more compassion. With an addiction, you're just. You're looked at as just being crazy, you know a fool. But the fact is we all have issues. I don't care who it is. That's right.

Mr. Murfreesboro - Bill Wilson:

There's, uh, three things that affect all of us. That affect everybody. Doesn't matter if you're a Republican, a Democrat, if you're a black or white man or woman, a Steelers fan or a Cowboys fan, that's right. That's finances, money, romances, relationships and health. So it doesn't matter. You know how much money we have in the bank. I mean, god forbid if you have children. I have a son who's 24, if he got diagnosed with cancer or whatever, if I had money, yeah, I can fight that disease. But in the long run we're all mortal and we're only on this earth for a certain amount of time. Why not be kind to each other? Because right now it's been a crazy world the way it's been, and I'm not trying to stir anything up. But on the tv, don't turn on the tv. I don't honk my horn at people like I used to because I'm afraid somebody's gonna unload on me. So, uh, no, I get your. That's covered a lot of stuff right there.

Jim Cripps:

But yeah, well, you know, I think you're. You're spot on when you say that recovery is not looked at like other illnesses, yeah, and you know how much, you know. How much further could we help, how much more could we help people if we look through it, through that lens, amen. And now, fortunately, you know, I've had the experience of knowing some of the same people that you know and I think the first time we were actually officially introduced was at drug recovery court.

Mr. Murfreesboro - Bill Wilson:

The board a board meeting? Yep, they're in Murfreesboro, Right, they the board uh a board meeting? Yup.

Jim Cripps:

They're in Murfreesboro, right, they do a great job. They do, and you can tell by everybody in that room that they, they have this compassion and passion to help others. Amen, and you know I was. I was invited to come down by Troy Sandifer and. John Hughes Right Good people. Yeah, those guys over at hustle recovery, they're doing great things.

Mr. Murfreesboro - Bill Wilson:

Yes, yes, yes.

Jim Cripps:

And you know, I remember they were kind of going through the list, they were talking about working up the uh to do list for the fundraiser, right, and I remember you know they kind of got to the end and there was two or three things and you said don't worry, I'll take care of that, right, and I just think that's kind of at the core of your personality, cause I called a couple of people as long as money's not involved, no, I'm kidding. Well, I called a couple of people and just said you know, tell me a little more about Bill. And every single one of them talked about how much you care about people and how much you care about those that are going through a struggle, and helping them tell their story and helping them kind of modify their story so that they believe in themselves again. Right, and I think that's one of those things that costs nothing, that we could all do a better job of is helping people tell the story that will allow them to win again.

Mr. Murfreesboro - Bill Wilson:

Amen. It's like what doesn't kill us makes us stronger. I think of James. Consider it pure joy, the trials and tribulations we go through. We're supposedames. Consider it pure joy, the trials and tribulations we go through. We're supposed to consider pure joy.

Mr. Murfreesboro - Bill Wilson:

I'm not at that point yet where I can, hey, bring on some more stuff right and a lot of decisions, decisions I made in the past, for decisions I made based on self I'm talking about addiction and then there's repercussions, there's consequences, but thank God today I don't have to make those same bad choices. But it's important. Back when I was drinking, it'd been nice to have a recovery court then. How cool is that, where they recognize addiction and recovery, that there's a court that will not just it's not just throwing in somebody in jail. That's not the answer. It gives them a path forward. It gives them a path forward and not everybody has the same path. As far as recovery, we got pretty much the same story the consequences you know get drunk, you get drunk, you meet the police, you have an accident, bad things happen. Not everybody is a alcoholic or addict, that you know, that drinks or whatever. But the fact is to have that opportunity of recovery court, it's a blessing, oh absolutely total blessing well and all those people support it too correct.

Mr. Murfreesboro - Bill Wilson:

So I've been. There's been times in my own life where I've been left for dead on the side of the road, you know. I've had bullets fly by. I've broken my back in. A car accident Finally got me sober. It was September 21st. Next Saturday will be my 33rd year of not having to find a drink or find it necessary to take a drink to survive or to live. That's amazing. I'm 6'4" and I'm about 210 right now.

Mr. Murfreesboro - Bill Wilson:

My last drink of alcohol I woke up in my parents' house and I got really sick. I was so sick and I was so sick that I was throwing up blood. Blood was coming out. I got down to 122 pounds, oh my gosh. So I looked like I'd been in a death camp. I was like just my cheeks were drawn in and hollow eyes and and uh, what's wild is? I had this white light experience. I call it a spiritual experience. God was saying Bill, you're done, you've got to quit, you've got to change. From that day on I've not had that compulsion to drink. It was removed.

Mr. Murfreesboro - Bill Wilson:

I did reach down in my pockets in my blue jeans because I came to I just had been in a blackout, and a blackout is where you drink so much you don't remember what you've done. Well, I reached down in my pockets. I had these two tickets. One of the tickets I was going 55 in a 40 mile an hour and the other one had open beer containers. Why didn't I go to jail? You know that song jesus take the wheel. Um, I should. There's been many times. I should not made it home or should have died. So you know alcoholic poisoning, uh, but for some reason god found it necessary for he wanted me to live. Now, faith will that works. His dad.

Mr. Murfreesboro - Bill Wilson:

I had to go through a program, a 12-step program, which the co-founder of this program's name was Bill Wilson. Oh, wow. So I'm like thank you, lord. That is not a sign. I'm like Bill Wilson, you helped found this place and not everybody goes through a 12-step program. You have things called Celebrate Recovery. They're in a lot of churches. Some people just put the drink down.

Mr. Murfreesboro - Bill Wilson:

Yeah, I've got friends who are in the program. They're doctors, they're lawyers, truck drivers. There's people who have educated Some people who are not educated. I mean, it doesn't matter what walk life or how much money we have in the bank. It doesn't discriminate. It does not. That's the word I was looking for, correct. So I've been blessed. God's grace and mercy has been very kind to me because I should not be sitting here at this moment for many, many reasons. So that's why it's important for me to give away what was freely given to me. I cannot so much that's been given to me I have to it back. That's right. You have to share it. I have to share it or I'm, you know, shame on me.

Mr. Murfreesboro - Bill Wilson:

Yeah no it's a gift. Life is a gift, sobriety is a gift right but there's a lot of people, as we sit here, that won't make it, yeah, that go on to the bitter end. So again, I'm very fortunate in the fact that I have survived and in a lot of the cases, I think the Lord wants us to thrive Not only just survive, but he wants us to thrive.

Jim Cripps:

Yeah, well, and I think one of the reasons that we suffer, that we go through the tough parts, is so that we appreciate the good stuff, the good stuff, and so that we understand what a gift it really is.

Mr. Murfreesboro - Bill Wilson:

Yeah. Well, with pride and ego comes shame and guilt. Well, the things you know. The way I was living my life, I was like Lord if there is a hell, I'm going to hell. But thank God again for his grace and mercy because and I have I think it's important to have, uh, mentors around. I have philip robinson, who's a associate pastor down at new vision baptist in murph, murfreesboro. We talk daily, I'm in the word daily, um, to keep me accountable, sure, because left to my own devices, I'll self-destruct. That's just the way my past history has been. So I have to think of like a thoroughbred horse and you have to have handlers. You have to have somebody you know guide. I had to have somebody not ride my back, but A coach, yeah, to coach me. Say, hey, bill, how are you doing? You know what's going on doing, you know what's going on.

Mr. Murfreesboro - Bill Wilson:

And I have a disease called alcoholism or addiction that tells me I don't have a disease. It says you're, you know it's out there doing push-ups in the parking lot while we're sitting there and but I have still not found it necessary to take a drink in these last nearly 33 years. My life has not been perfect. I have not been perfect. I have not been perfect, but my life is so much better with the plug and the jug. I find there's three things in life if I can do that. First of all, you find I've always been a believer, so I need to trust God. A clean house that doesn't mean I'm going to come go clean your house or my house. That means I keep all that negative stuff. If I owe somebody an amends, I need to make that amends. So clean house, trust god and help others there you go.

Mr. Murfreesboro - Bill Wilson:

So trust god. First clean house, then help others. When I'm helping others, I don't have time to worry about all my junk that's right. Well, and and it gives you it also kind of refills you, you know it fills that the sunlight of the spirit, because we all do better when, for some reason, sunlight or light light goes through darkness that's right there's been many times I don't think I was going to get out of the darkness.

Mr. Murfreesboro - Bill Wilson:

You know I was like this, is it? It's's usually still the things that affect me, affect you, affect everybody. Oh Lord, I can't. You know. There's been times in my life where I didn't know I've never worried about money, never had to Done very well. But there's been other times in my life where if I didn't have family, friends, the pastor, I could have been easily under a bridge.

Speaker 3:

Oh, absolutely.

Mr. Murfreesboro - Bill Wilson:

So go from one extreme to the other. I've got to be okay in recovery, no matter what's going on. I can't drink. There's nothing I can do. I'm powerless. So I think that is the key is knowing that I don't have the power, and that's why I need God in my life. I need God in my life, but I need godly people in my life too. And if I can go through what I've been through and if you're going through something, believe me, you can do it. You can make it, but not by yourself.

Jim Cripps:

Well, some people, I think, just well, not some people, everybody. I think from time to time we just need somebody to help us remind us that there is hope. There is hope. That's it. And because the most desperate, the most empty person is the one without hope Got to have hope. So, you know, that's part of our prayers every single night. You know whether my son's saying them, whether I'm saying them or my wife is saying them, it's we ask that God give hope to those who have lost hope and those who have lost their way, that he guide them back. Show me the light. That's right. Show me the light. Well, and kind of, the spirit of the Charge Forward podcast is that we sit down with folks that are leading inspiring lives, that maybe somebody you know is sitting beside them has no idea what they've been through or what kind of background or what the great things that they're doing. And you know, life is not sunshine and rainbows all the time.

Mr. Murfreesboro - Bill Wilson:

It is not puppy dogs, puppy dogs and rainbows, Like some people say.

Jim Cripps:

that's right, how do you, as you're talking to people in Murfreesboro or wherever, how do you go about kind of showing them mercy and, at the same time, instilling hope?

Mr. Murfreesboro - Bill Wilson:

Well, well, I think one thing. I just look at my life, what I've been through, I have to remember that people did there were people were giving up on me like man he's never you know. If you saw my car parked at O'Charlie's or wherever the watering hole was, you went on by because you knew there was trouble. I was the type of person that if we were sitting in a bar, you were drinking and our friends are drinking and I hadn't had a drink, I'd walk up, take your drink, down it and I'd go to the next. And then there's a fight breaking out or say some god-awful something derogatory to somebody.

Mr. Murfreesboro - Bill Wilson:

You know I was bill was the guy that came through the front, bought drinks for everybody, then left out the back without paying the tab. That that's the type of person I was. Or someone who would, uh, steal your wallet, help you look for it and then want a reward for finding it. Yeah, so that's really messed up. But to answer your question, I think I have to look and remember that people showed me a lot of grace.

Speaker 3:

Yeah.

Mr. Murfreesboro - Bill Wilson:

And when I started making amends to people and part of that was by keeping the plug in the jug, but when I actually wrote down the people I needed to make amends to and go and see them face to face, ninety nine percent were welcoming. So, bill, we knew that you're a good person. My heart's always been right Right, but sometimes it's between my ears. My mind isn't always correct.

Jim Cripps:

Yeah, but that's great that you know, and I think that's one of the reasons why some struggle even more with addiction or don't find their way to sober living is they don't have those positive people in their world.

Mr. Murfreesboro - Bill Wilson:

It just can't be done. There's no way. Where do I get started?

Jim Cripps:

It goes back to that cliche A lot of people don't need a handout, they need a hand up, encouragement. Yes, correct. So I guess you know who has been instrumental. I mean, obviously God was the leading way, god family, my father.

Mr. Murfreesboro - Bill Wilson:

but there's also a thing where people enable people. You know it's. I came from a real loving, had no reason to be an alcoholic and, by the way, next Saturday is my 33rd, is my 40th high school reunion, okay, and where we're having and 33 years ago this coming Saturday night was my last drink of alcohol was at this establishment. Wow, that's pretty wild, isn't it? That is pretty wild, and it's going to be at Seasons. It was Conrad's back then, but that's in Murfreesboro. It was the Holiday Inn, but I just want to throw that in there.

Speaker 3:

Yeah.

Mr. Murfreesboro - Bill Wilson:

But my father was a big influence. I came from a family my father's family was not very. They weren't poor but they didn't have a lot of money moved around a lot. I guess they couldn't pay around here. His father was the local sheriff in rutherford county in the 50s and 60s. He was a road superintendent in the 70s. So for about 20, 15 to 20 years he was either sheriff or road superintendent. My dad was like the head, uh, county commissioner. He was the head of the county commission, which now is the county mayor.

Mr. Murfreesboro - Bill Wilson:

So my younger brother and I, david, grew up at the workhouse, the courthouse and the jail. So as a kid I would be at the workhouse with my grandfather eating breakfast with prisoners. Today you went, hey, let's go eat with the prisoners. I just, I don't know, I've always I've just always loved people and have kind of been a wanderer. I was known to just kind of wander off and when I was a kid they have to come find me and I was like where's Bill? Oh, he's a mile down the road. Of course I grew up on a farm. My mother, who just turned 90, lives on the last two acres of her grandfather's 800-acre farm they had at one time.

Speaker 3:

Oh, wow.

Mr. Murfreesboro - Bill Wilson:

So I grew up on a farm and it wasn't as big, it was like 50 or 60 acres when I was a kid, but uh, anyway, I think, just being brought, I brought, I was brought up in church, you know, just always believed. I went to public schools, I went to private schools, I went to every school in rutherford county because there were some schools. They asked me not to come back. But uh, I did go to mTSU and I graduated. It took me eight years to graduate, eight years straight. That movie, like Van Wilder, could be about my life. I mean, I was too busy drinking, chasing the women and all that stuff. But you know, again, it's perseverance. But I had people in my life, it could be professors, people who believed in me. They didn't give up because there were a lot of people. He's not worth anything.

Mr. Murfreesboro - Bill Wilson:

He's going to be nothing.

Jim Cripps:

But you had the people also that were welcoming. When you found your way back, they were there to welcome you with open arms. Amen.

Mr. Murfreesboro - Bill Wilson:

And thank God for those people and thank. God for those people. Oh yeah, and my dad, Philip Robinson, my brothers, Dr David Dodd, who was first introduced me to the 12-step program In fact, I think he may have helped start Cumberland Heights, or he was there in the very beginning.

Speaker 3:

Okay.

Mr. Murfreesboro - Bill Wilson:

And Gene Shipley, who's a good friend, a Vietnam vet. We normally wouldn't mix. I mean he helped me, guide me through steps and stuff. But you know I can't name all the people because I've been shown a lot of grace, a lot of grace. I've been married four times. I'm no marriage counselor. I can tell you what not to do. That leads me to believe that it's more than just the drinking. It goes much deeper than that. It's a spiritual malady. That has to be. You have to have some sort of spiritual experience.

Speaker 3:

For me to get help.

Mr. Murfreesboro - Bill Wilson:

That's what had to happen, not everybody. I think there's a thing called a bottom and there's only two ways you can go when you're on bottom you can go up or sideways. Do I want to stay on the bottom? No, I want to go up. But, uh, I'm educated, man. I'm educated from the streets to the teats, to the teachers. I mean, I've I've been educated here and I've been educated through the school system. Yeah so, um, but life's been good to me. In spite of me, life has been good and, uh, I just love people. I want to give back what's been given, freely been given to me. So, um, that was a police. Officers have helped me out. There's a, a guy named Captain Hiram Lester, who's a dear friend of mine. He would in my high school days probably, where you grew up, you had a place, you hung out. There's no telling how many McLoves he made me pour out.

Speaker 3:

Right.

Mr. Murfreesboro - Bill Wilson:

And then he'd call me. He'd say I'm going to call Wilson, he goes. I'm going to call your father in 15 minutes. If you're not there, I'm going to come find you.

Speaker 3:

That's right.

Mr. Murfreesboro - Bill Wilson:

And so in those days it was completely different. If you got pulled over, they would talk to you I mean do not drink and drive, Right? So there's a combination of doctors, preachers, who've helped me along the way, but yeah, that's wonderful. Yeah, man.

Jim Cripps:

And just inspiring other people out there to be that word of hope or that helping hand when somebody is looking for that hand up to start their recovery process.

Mr. Murfreesboro - Bill Wilson:

Amen. There's been times in my life I didn't. I was unemployable, I couldn't get a job, couldn't fill out a application because I was shaking so bad but, and didn't have a driver's license, didn't have a vehicle, uh. So good things come after everything's burnt to the ground. The most fertile soil is when it's leveled. I mean, the nutrients and stuff come up. So it's not always bad. We're supposed to have some hard times, so we know what the good times are about and it gets us prepared later down the road of the bad things that will happen. We're not guaranteed tomorrow, right.

Jim Cripps:

Right, absolutely. It's about making the most of every day.

Mr. Murfreesboro - Bill Wilson:

I'm 58. I've had at least five dear friends this year die of just different reasons, but it makes me yearn more. I'm prepared to go, I'm ready, but I just don't want to go right now. That's right, we've got stuff to do, man.

Jim Cripps:

That's right, you've got people to help, I've got people to help. Amen, yes, sir. Well, so changing gears a little bit.

Mr. Murfreesboro - Bill Wilson:

This title of Mr Murfreesboro how did that come to be? Well, let me, I'm glad you asked. I'm glad you asked Jim. The fact is there was an original Mr Murfreesboro and people don't realize how important he was to Murfreesboro. Okay, okay, he was a gentleman by the name of Tommy Martin and he got the moniker of Mr Murfreesboro. He actually the city council ordained him. I've got one from Senator Shane Ray's from Mr Murfreesboro through the state, but he is the original Mr Murfreesboro.

Mr. Murfreesboro - Bill Wilson:

He was about 5' foot eight, weighed about 330 pounds. He was a robust man and he sold for mutual of new york money. He was the insurance guy, sold life insurance. Every time you met him in town, or if you met him out eating lunch or dinner, he'd go hey, I'm tomm Tommy Martin, just want you to know that. No one's told you. They love you, jesus loves you and I love you too. He was the type of guy, jim, if it was your birthday he'd either call you or he'd take a hand note, or if you had something happen in the newspaper, he'd have a secretary cut it out, laminate it and mail it to you. Oh, wow, it was about you.

Mr. Murfreesboro - Bill Wilson:

Yeah, but people don't realize that he helped recruit jobs to Murfreesboro. He helped recruit State Farm, which had a regional office there. We had GE. He helped recruit that Chromalux Nissan. That's thousands of jobs. Yeah, I'm not saying he brought him here but because of his wisdom and other businessmen, but that's one of the reasons he was called mr murphys bro. Now he and my grandfather, bill wilson, who was a sheriff and road superintendent, and all that he and mr martin, mr murphys, were good friends.

Mr. Murfreesboro - Bill Wilson:

Well, tommy martin has children, he has grandsons. His grandsons were good friends of mine, still are, and my younger brother, david, one of them's, dr bren martin, who's the head of the history department at mtsu okay, and then hunter mcfarland, who's a dear friend of mine. He's david's age and we all grew up together, respect each each other. We played together, hung out games, did everything together. And in 2015, I got to thinking and it was probably 2014, I was like I need to start a page called Mr Murfreesboro in kind of an honor of Tommy Martin, but to kind of carry on his belief system. Sure, so it didn't end with him.

Mr. Murfreesboro - Bill Wilson:

It all started like in March of 15. I took her. So let's go to lunch, I'm going to take you to lunch. So we go to lunch and we're talking. I mean, he's like a brother to us, like hey, man, I'm need to ask you something. It's like this I was like I'm not going about doing a Mr Murfreesboro page on Facebook, because I think a lot of people could learn from your grandfather and just call it Mr Murfreesboro. I was thinking Mr Murfreesboro 2. No, there's not Just Mr Murfreesboro. And my first post that had everything to do was Tommy Martin. But I said, well, how do you think that would go over? Do you think, tommy, he goes, man, I think that'd be great. So that's where it started. And then what's wild is, if I'm out in town, people are always coming up to me. Hey, mr Murfreesboro, people want their photo, they want my autograph and I'm like you, were you the older folks, like you know, you're not Mr, and I always tell them I said, tommy Martin is the original.

Jim Cripps:

Mr Murfreesboro, you've been given the nod to carry it on. That's right.

Mr. Murfreesboro - Bill Wilson:

I like to hear that. But yeah, I do recognize my elders and the people who came before me. I think, as a general, we need to do that, being that I'm a big history buff. I love history man. I don't know why, but I always have well, and you were.

Jim Cripps:

You were very involved in the uh historical society.

Mr. Murfreesboro - Bill Wilson:

There you go I sat on the board there for a few years and read to succeed teen to tots. That was a people don't realize. We have 2 500 homeless children in murfreesboro, rutherford County, and a homeless children. It's not their fault, they're homeless, right Right. And a lot of them don't live in garages or under bridges, a lot of them are at friends' houses. They couch surf, they'll stay here, they'll go to the Regal Inn, they go to the Knights Inn and they hotel to hotel. Very sad, very sad. I don't know who needs to fix that. I don't know if it's the government or churches or whatever, but I sat on that board for a while. But, um, historical society is. It's important to know your history so we can not repeat the bad stuff. But we need to respect our elders and people who came before us. And I think in today's society it's such a quick fix society. I mean, when I was in college we had cliff notes. Think about this. And now you're in college, you have your computer right here, your iPhone or you have.

Mr. Murfreesboro - Bill Wilson:

AI, you don't need. You know, I was a kid in college who paid somebody to take my math classes I probably should have failed it and got mad at him because he failed it, because he didn't go to my classes to.

Mr. Murfreesboro - Bill Wilson:

I was in the, I was drinking then, but anyway, I don't know, man, it's, it's. I would say there's good things about society today, and then there's things I wish we had more of the old, the old stuff well, I think we can all choose to do better, and I think that is one of those things that doesn't happen on accident.

Jim Cripps:

You have to make a conscious choice, and you know one of the ones that I would love like if anybody out there hears this I wish there was a way to turn manners on on alexa. So, if you think about it, anytime we ask Alexa for something, it's almost like we're demanding Right, please, alexa, yeah. Thank you or just thank you. I tell Alexa thank you every time I ask something and it's funny, it's a female's voice too.

Mr. Murfreesboro - Bill Wilson:

You know that, don't you Right?

Jim Cripps:

Well, and what I do is I'll say A-L-E-X-A, thank you, and she'll respond. But imagine, because you've got kids now that have been raised with Alexa this whole time, exactly, and they are learning from Alexa that you don't say thank you and you don't say please, and all these things and if we just turned that on, if we just enabled that skill Basics. Yeah, you know I use AI quite a bit because I look at it as a tool.

Mr. Murfreesboro - Bill Wilson:

How do you do that? Explain that your AI? What do you use it for?

Jim Cripps:

Well, most of it's just language models, in that you know chat, gpt and I think the Google one is Gemini and now Meta has one, and I truly believe that I get better output when I tell chat GPT good morning and I say thank you and all those things and it could be just. It makes me feel better.

Jim Cripps:

I don't know, but you know, manners are important, Amen. And we're just this society that we're in today. It's me, me, me, me, Me, me, me me. And there's almost no value put on them, except to those who do value them. And I think if we all just drew a line in the sand and said, starting today, manners are important.

Mr. Murfreesboro - Bill Wilson:

Amen, because when I was growing up, it was yes, sir, no, sir, no, ma'am, yes, ma'am. Thank you, yep, thank you. Just simple stuff, absolutely. It's taken for granted. Because of what you've got in your hand, I'm going to get mine. I mean mine now, now, Yep, and part of that is the I don't know, it's just having to have, I guess.

Jim Cripps:

Having to have, I guess having to have. Well, we, we start to expect less, and we expect less, and we expect less. And so, uh, this one is slightly controversial, we're not really quite to that one, but I won't do self-checkout. It just will not happen. You won't go through self-checkout, I will not do it, and it's because the minimum I am willing to accept is that you paid somebody to take my money from me I get it.

Mr. Murfreesboro - Bill Wilson:

I get it. You're not in a big enough rush, most people. Now why do you go to self-checkout? Right, they're in a rush. Well, and what about? It's 15 hours and you've got 32?

Jim Cripps:

do you try to talk to him and say, hey, you know, I I have, uh, I've tried to be reasonable. I will say I've left my entire buggy places before, uh, which is full of stuff, full of stuff, yeah, and one of them I had. I had a young man came up and said can I help you? And I said I just need to check out and he said self-checkout's open and I said I don't use self-checkout. He just kind of stared at me, like you, you're a idiot.

Jim Cripps:

So you know, in negotiation the first one to speak loses. So he says well, self-checkout's open. I said yeah, we've established that. I said I don't use self-checkout. Can you check me out? And he goes well, I'm not a cashier. I said great, here's the premise. I'm not trying to be difficult, it just is what it is. The minimum I'm willing to accept is that somebody check me out period. So I don't care if it's you or somebody else or customer service. He goes oh no, customer service can't do it. I said well, it won't be me. So somebody's either going to get paid to check me out you just gonna get paid to check me out, you sit in line or somebody's gonna get paid to put it up. One of the two either way, it ain't me. That's brilliant. And he just said I don't think there's anything I do here and there's so many people running around they, there's enough people right, absolutely.

Jim Cripps:

But he made a choice. He made a choice that there was nothing he could do, and I said, well, there's nothing else I can do except what do you?

Mr. Murfreesboro - Bill Wilson:

I don't know if we can talk about this. Do you shop at kroger? Do you shop at publix, and why?

Jim Cripps:

a little bit of all of them. Um, you know, honestly, this is really selfish and and minuscule, but I like shopping at publix because they carry the brand of cottage cheese that I like I like publix because the aisles are wider and they actually care that's true, I went in there.

Mr. Murfreesboro - Bill Wilson:

We have, uh, meredith, and I, my partner, my girlfriend, my better half, shout out to meredith um, she's the one making you look good. Right, that's right, that's right, meredith thomas, by the way, great two-time champion golfer state champion uh played at memphis too. Hey, um you go. We have a new dog. His name is bronze he's a, he's a white labrador.

Mr. Murfreesboro - Bill Wilson:

Okay, we had miller. She and I've been together 11 years. Miller was going to be 16 in february. He died in december. In july she found one that she really wanted. If you ever go look at a dog or a pet and it's more than an hour away, you're going to take that dog. It was in liveston.

Mr. Murfreesboro - Bill Wilson:

We got this cute little dog and there's a reason these people are getting rid of the dog. They don't tell you. Seven months old, 60 pounds, just a beautiful dog. Well, you know, puppies got all this energy and I've got bruises on me. You know I was like meredith. They're gonna, we're gonna be out at damas's or somewhere and they're gonna arrest you for child I mean for elder abuse, not child abuse. But uh, we've gotten them fixed all that. But he eats a special type of food, some rachel ray something, puppy food. Yeah, publics, I go down there's like I was. I was going to play. Y'all have got every Rachel Ray, but puppy. They were kind enough, they actually cared. They went and called special order 8-pound, 10-pound, whatever, it wasn't even a 20-pound. And a week goes by, I get a call from Publix. Mr Wilson, they called me like three. I'm like I've already got you know.

Speaker 3:

Yeah.

Mr. Murfreesboro - Bill Wilson:

But they stayed on me. But they were doing two things. They were being what they told me they'd do.

Speaker 3:

Yeah.

Mr. Murfreesboro - Bill Wilson:

And I said go ahead and do that Now, natural things. They're not going to order that food, that dog food. They did and they stayed on me, me and I went down and got it.

Jim Cripps:

So they to me that means they care, that's right you know I love that story and I'll give a shout out of my own. So um the hg hills and I don't have a lot of experience with all the hg nashville this is actually in pleasant view, where I live.

Jim Cripps:

Okay, I will say big shout out to jason apple and his team. They are fantastic. They do the same thing. If there's something that you're missing, that they used to carry, or whatever, if they have it within their power, they will make it happen. And that's really what small town feel, that's what, mr Murfreesboro, that's what all the nostalgia that you try to create or to remind people of it's still there. It's still there. You just have to choose to care enough.

Mr. Murfreesboro - Bill Wilson:

Right it, it's still there. It's still there. You just have to choose to care enough, right, it's not real hard, it's not, but that's amazing. I've never heard about the self-check.

Jim Cripps:

I'm going to use that.

Jim Cripps:

Well, you know, I don't know if you know this about me or not, but I used to run a retail company and I had about 500 employees and my mission every month even though most vice presidents would not do this, it was my job I went out and I trained every single person in the company every single month, and we'd do groups of about 20 people, and so there was never any question as to what we were going to do, how we were going to do it and what their role was in making sure that it happened. Wow, and I used that scenario over and over and over, and of course, they're all way younger than me, but they thought it was was in making sure that it happened. Wow, and I used that scenario over and over and over, and of course, they're all way younger than me, but they thought it was hilarious that Jim wouldn't use self-checkout. And it was. It was just the fact that if you cared enough, then you'd take care of people, and and just pointing to a self-checkout to me is not taking care of people.

Mr. Murfreesboro - Bill Wilson:

It's a slap in the face, yeah, kinda, if you think about it, cause they're getting paid.

Jim Cripps:

It's a slap in the face, yeah, kind of, if you think about it, because they're getting paid, you're doing their job, that's right. Well, you know and here's the thing I think, back when I was a kid and most full service stations were gone, but we had one full service station still left in town and my mom would use the full service every once in a while when she needed to get gas on a Sunday. Well, why would she do that? She would do that because she didn't want to smell like gas, right, or?

Mr. Murfreesboro - Bill Wilson:

get her church clothes dirty.

Speaker 3:

You know you didn't want to do that.

Jim Cripps:

So she'd pull up. The tenant knew her by name Kids acting up. Oh yeah, how are you doing this morning, ms Cripps? You know that kind of stuff and that is lost. And I really do think and this is a message to everybody out there that type of customer care, that type of customer experience is lost today and if you bring it back, if you choose to teach your team and to bring that customer experience back where you care, you will spread like wildfire and you will be a force to be reckoned with in the marketplace.

Mr. Murfreesboro - Bill Wilson:

I totally agree. And you think about a force to be reckoned with in the marketplace I totally agree. And you think about a convenience store. Why is it called a convenience store?

Jim Cripps:

that's right but these days it's kind of the opposite of convenience, you go in.

Mr. Murfreesboro - Bill Wilson:

Well, I too, like you, I'd like it's a little bit more money. If you go to a full serve, it was about 20 cents more a gallon, yeah, maybe a little less, but you go, you're sitting in your, it's convenient. It's pouring down rain, um, that's, and you expect that type of service. Now you go to the convenient, you think, well, this is going to be convenient, it's not.

Jim Cripps:

They got self checkout inconvenient in a circle k and here's the thing I'm not mad at anybody that wants to check their own groceries out, or whatever Some people want to. Great, I want you to have that option. Sure, I also want to have the option of choosing that someone else will do that job.

Mr. Murfreesboro - Bill Wilson:

Right, and that's what they're getting paid for. That's right. But you go to a self-checkout at a Circle K or whatever and you want to get $20 back. Or you go to check out, oh no, we just take cards here. Oh yeah, that's one thing, public I mean. There's four in Murfreesboro, the one I go to. If you go to a self-checkout, there's no cash, it's all cards. You get my mother, who is 90. Thank God she's still with us. That's right. I have three siblings. We take turns taking care of her. She has a routine Every Friday at 11 o'clock she gets her hair done. What's her name? Carolyn, carolyn.

Speaker 3:

Yeah.

Mr. Murfreesboro - Bill Wilson:

I take her to the grocery store and she does not like going to self-checkout. She will not. She always gets her $20 out.

Jim Cripps:

Well, kind of in that same vein is. You know, one of the segments of our show is we. It's a segment called Things we Think but Do Not Say, and they can be a little controversial sometimes. What do you think is one of those?

Mr. Murfreesboro - Bill Wilson:

It's going to sound, why don't people just get along? Um, that that makes you think of what rodney king, when you know why can't, why can't we just all get along? Yeah, I just think people, I think for the most part and I'm not trying to come off any political way or anything, and I've already been talking about people already have the same basic wants and needs right, food, shelter, someone to love them, them to love somebody else. Um, I just don't understand why people, why people don't don't see that. I know that's maybe not an answer you're wanting, but no, no, I agree with you wholeheartedly it.

Jim Cripps:

It takes just a moment of reflection, kind of stepping out of your own situation and saying, not only do what do I need, what does everybody else need, right, and I've tried to tell people it's not all about me, it's not about me.

Mr. Murfreesboro - Bill Wilson:

It's about serving others, fit myself to be of maximum service to God and to others. That's right and that's what it is to me. I don't understand why and I'm not perfect by all means I feel miserably most days. Most days, I try not to. There's four things. Well, there's a term called halt. I don't get too hungry, too angry, too lonely too, or too tired. If I'm hungry, I'll eat something. If I'm angry, I'll chill out. If I'm lonely, I'll call somebody. If I'm tired, I'll take a nap.

Speaker 3:

There, you go.

Jim Cripps:

Have you ever done a cold plunge?

Mr. Murfreesboro - Bill Wilson:

I have not, but I think I've seen it you should totally do it.

Jim Cripps:

It's 100% selfish. I do it selfishly.

Mr. Murfreesboro - Bill Wilson:

How many times do you?

Jim Cripps:

do it. I usually do it once or twice a week.

Mr. Murfreesboro - Bill Wilson:

What do you?

Jim Cripps:

do, do you go out?

Mr. Murfreesboro - Bill Wilson:

here to the Cumberland.

Jim Cripps:

No, actually a lot of these places. So big shout out to Libertas Cryo in Clarksville, in Sango. It's a couple of former special forces guys oh cool that used it basically to maintain their bodies as they got older, and so when they retired they opened their own place. It's called Libertas Cryo, but you know me personally, I prefer about 43 to 40 degrees. How long do?

Mr. Murfreesboro - Bill Wilson:

you want 10 minutes.

Jim Cripps:

You go in.

Mr. Murfreesboro - Bill Wilson:

You got your towel, you just.

Jim Cripps:

Your commando? Well, most use trunks you know because a lot of times I'll do a video while I'm doing it Right. And you know, because a lot of times I'll do a video while I'm doing it right, and uh, you know that nobody needs to see all that. And you know, uh, anywhere from 40 degrees up to about 52 degrees is kind of the norm, but you know. So it's a swimming pool. I mean what it's a? It looks like an oversized bathtub, but it's kept it at whatever temperature. That is can you put extra?

Mr. Murfreesboro - Bill Wilson:

ice in there they can.

Jim Cripps:

Sometimes, if I come in, I want to do something extra cold.

Mr. Murfreesboro - Bill Wilson:

You know, if they don't have one, it's you know down around four submerge yourself to the neck, or do you go all the way to the neck to the neck, and what does?

Jim Cripps:

that do Opens up, reset your dopamine receptors and and literally it's almost like you can't for hours as your body is warming up. Dude, I've got to try this. It's fantastic you ever get up to Clarksville.

Mr. Murfreesboro - Bill Wilson:

I'm going to.

Jim Cripps:

Come on, we'll go All right, but big shout out to Steve and Jeff up there. They do a fantastic job and they are all about educating people. They do a bunch of other stuff too Salt therapy, sauna compression.

Mr. Murfreesboro - Bill Wilson:

Yeah, I could see them doing a live video on this.

Jim Cripps:

Oh, we'll have to do it Absolutely. If you could change one thing about Murfreesboro and it's not how everybody interacts with each other, because we've talked about how we wish that everybody would take a little more grace with each other and get along Right. But if there was something you could tweak about Murfreesboro that you think would make things better, what would it be?

Mr. Murfreesboro - Bill Wilson:

Well, it's simple. Oh Fort Parkway.

Jim Cripps:

Okay.

Mr. Murfreesboro - Bill Wilson:

I love it well, the the roads, everybody. There's friends of mine who have other websites or other social media and they're always, uh, bursting bubbles. There's one called dear murfreesboro on instagram. They're really good and they bust people's chops, even the mayor, I mean they. It's humor, yeah, but it's what you just asked me, what you're thinking. These people bring it out of things that we're thinking. Who designed the side road going down O'Fort Parkway? It's a madhouse. And then the bridge over Broad finally got done, but the biggest problem in Murfreesboro it used to be. It took 30 minutes. It's quicker to get from Murfreesboro to Nashville than it is to get across Murfreesboro at 3 o'clock.

Mr. Murfreesboro - Bill Wilson:

Oh, it's awful man. So that would be. One thing is somehow get that worked out. People, and it grates on your nerves. Just think about if it's early in the morning or if it's 5 o'clock. People have had a hard day at work or they're tired, they're getting ready to go to school or go to work. People are already on the edge. I mean, you know whether you're watching the stock market or if you're watching the news, depending on what brand you watch, what channel because we're all full of information, man. That's all where people are seeking is information. Well, this is right, just this one way. No, no, you can be as far left as far right, and I think it's somewhere right down the middle. When somebody's arguing, there's three things there's what he says, what she says, and then there's the truth somewhere in the middle, and that's what we're all seeking is the truth. The truth is, if we had a better and I'm not knocking the uh road superintendent, any of that I think you have to plan better, man.

Mr. Murfreesboro - Bill Wilson:

You've got to plan 20 years out.

Jim Cripps:

Well, I think sometimes, whether we're talking about the road superintendent, whether we're talking about the government in general, whether we're talking about just you and I, a lot of times we get so granular into this thing over here that doesn't matter Right, or matters to so few people that we miss the big things that we could be, doing that would make real impact.

Mr. Murfreesboro - Bill Wilson:

Amen, man, it's really. It's not you or me, it's us, that's right. This planet, whether you're, whatever you are, man, whatever we get one shot, that's right. Make it good while you're here. I know there's something greater than this. It's called heaven to me. That's right and I'm a believer in whatever you believe. I'm not going to argue with oh, you've got to do this or do that. If I could leave somebody with one sentence we can agree to disagree agreeably.

Speaker 3:

Absolutely.

Mr. Murfreesboro - Bill Wilson:

And not attack each other. Yep, a lot of it's pride and ego. Well, you know my great-grandfather. A lot of it's our preconceived things that have been an idea from my great-grandfather. It comes down through here and not everything is fact.

Jim Cripps:

Well, I think it's interesting. There is the truth, but there's not always. Not everything is fact. Well, I think it's interesting. There is the truth, but there's not always fact, that's right. Well, I think it's interesting, though, that some people will will really hone in on this thing that is divisive and and want to hold in on it like they got a death grip on it. But then we'll let go of manners and and caring about people you know.

Mr. Murfreesboro - Bill Wilson:

Just it should be easy should be easy, it should be like normal. Normal growing up like you know, I'm a lot older than you I was like, yes, sir, no sir, uh, when you know, we ate dinner together. We went to church.

Jim Cripps:

Now, not everybody is like that, that's right and that's okay too that's the thing the world's big enough the world's big enough and um, we should all find I know what. Everybody thinking my way. Well, it should be our mission to try to find common ground, not the things that drive us apart.

Mr. Murfreesboro - Bill Wilson:

Right, exactly the difference. There's a lot more that brings us that we're more alike than we are different. I don't care who it is, how much money you got. I got friends who are Harvard grads. I got friends who are homeless. I've got friends and there's that much difference in the makeup of their bodies, the DNA is the DNA.

Jim Cripps:

That's right. Everybody here, everybody that listens to this podcast, I think at their core they're trying to find one little nugget that they can plug in, that can make impact in their life. And we've talked about manners, we've talked about helping others and those types of things, and I hope that those are it. But what would you say is another thing that you believe at your core and that you hope that somebody would take away from this.

Mr. Murfreesboro - Bill Wilson:

Well, I can't just say one work, work hard, play hard, tell the truth yeah, it's stuff like you've been talking about is, uh, be willing to do if you're the boss. Be willing to do what your employees are willing to do. That's right. I mean, just be authentic.

Speaker 3:

Yeah.

Mr. Murfreesboro - Bill Wilson:

Be authentic of who you are. Don't try to be this person or that person. Be you, yeah, and I think, until you find who you really are. I think God wants us all to be happy, joyous and free. Not every day is going to be like that.

Jim Cripps:

Well, and Bill, I think you set a great example of that because, like I said before, I called a couple people and said tell me a little more about Bill, and I truly believe that you just summed up what they told me about you. Now, obviously, they told me about what they thought Mr Murfreesboro was about, some of the things that you've done in the past and that you're open about. You know being willing to talk about recovery and how important it is.

Jim Cripps:

And I think that just absolutely gives you this, this truth about you that is authentic in nature and so many other people either aren't willing or don't have the confidence to be or to share, and I think that's a great piece of advice. God is good all the time.

Mr. Murfreesboro - Bill Wilson:

Just be patient or don't have the confidence to be or to share, and I think that's a great piece of advice. God is good all the time. Just be patient. This is nothing unique. This too shall pass. If you're having bad times right now, it may get worse, but eventually it's going to get better. And if you're having a great time and things you know, the bank accounts a million, you're this. That this too shall pass. That's right. You got to be able to ride the wave, wherever that wave is. Yeah, and I just love people. You know the golden rule do unto others as you have them, do unto you and to me. I've got to be God-like.

Speaker 3:

Yeah.

Mr. Murfreesboro - Bill Wilson:

Not only in here but out there. It's easy when you're in your confines of your home, where you live, but you will be tested. But when you go to walmart, the guy pulls out in front of you and you want to go. You can't choke them, you just wave. Hey, how you doing you? My grandfather, wilson, used to say kill people with kindness. Now some people take that oh, you're gonna kill. No, I don't kill anybody, I just want to be kind. Yeah, it's hard to be mad at somebody when they're kind to you. That's right, right, that's right?

Jim Cripps:

Well, this next section is where we have a little bit of fun. Okay, here we go. Something about bowling.

Mr. Murfreesboro - Bill Wilson:

I couldn't tell you A little bit about bowling.

Jim Cripps:

So, charitable heart, you've been involved with several charities, so imagine you were putting together a charity bowling team and the whole goal of this bowling team is to generate excitement, get people to watch it and donate money. It's yourself, four other players that you get to choose from any time in history celebrity, somebody you know, it doesn't, does not matter if they're on this planet or ever walked on this planet, then they can be on your team and you've got to pick the commentator.

Mr. Murfreesboro - Bill Wilson:

Who are they? I'm going to well, my partner, meredith Thomas just because I love her and trust her and she's a great, she's competitive and one of my favorite and it may not be Christopher Columbus who founded- America. And I don't know if we can say, of course I would say, I probably would say I would say Jesus, but I'd have him, he'd be the captain.

Speaker 3:

All right, who am I Rightfully?

Mr. Murfreesboro - Bill Wilson:

so, rightfully so. So, and then?

Speaker 3:

who is Need one more?

Mr. Murfreesboro - Bill Wilson:

Need one more, jerry Lewis.

Jim Cripps:

That's a good one. Nobody said that one before one more jerry lewis.

Mr. Murfreesboro - Bill Wilson:

That's a good one. Nobody said that one before. I just love jerry lewis, lady. That's right. He helped a lot of people to the uh, uh, mda yeah the telethon yes, jerry lewis, I love the uh and dean martin, dean, martin, the brat pack, all that, but jerry lewis was. He lived to be 90 something, but I think that's four and okay, then who's going to commentate? I probably have Howard Cosell, okay, just because you never know what he's going to say.

Jim Cripps:

Yep, all right, best book you ever read.

Mr. Murfreesboro - Bill Wilson:

Besides the Bible, the Insanity of God. I don't know who wrote it, but it makes us take a look, as a civilization, how much we're more alike than different, and there is something bigger than us. That's right, there's got to be. Yeah, I have friends. I've had friends who are atheists, agnostics. Hey, believe what you want to believe, but I've also been on deathbed of some of them. Who will call the preacher to cover all the bases. Yeah, if that makes sense.

Jim Cripps:

Yep, no, I got you. How do you want to be remembered?

Mr. Murfreesboro - Bill Wilson:

Just as a kind, loving person who tried to put other people first. I'm not bragging or anything, but my friends would tell you if you called me at three in the morning, I'm there, dude. That's the type of person I want to be remembered and spoke the truth, even though I'm a salesman. I've been a salesman all my life and I've done well with that. But I think people remember how you treat them. They don't care what you say.

Jim Cripps:

It's what you do.

Mr. Murfreesboro - Bill Wilson:

It's what you do. You know, it's kind of like in sales I'm only as good as my last closing and how people want me to work with me or to be around me. Not about being popular, it's about being the right guy, being the right guy and being at peace. I mean, I'm okay, I'm the same person at 3 in the morning and I am at 3 in the afternoon. Yeah, consistent, consistent. I'm okay, I'm the same person at three in the morning. I am at three in the afternoon. Yeah, consistent, consistent. You know, I'm clear, my mind's clear.

Jim Cripps:

Um, and that's been, for it has been it has.

Mr. Murfreesboro - Bill Wilson:

Well, you know, almost almost I take my meds. I sometimes have to. You know I have to take meds. I think it's important to follow directions, whether it's your doctor, if it's your spouse, your attorney. You know I'm here and I have to have people handle me. I have to have people left to my own devices. You need good people in your life.

Mr. Murfreesboro - Bill Wilson:

I'm like the wayward sheep, I'm like the wayward son or the prodigal son. I've been compared to that, but I'm like that cartoon character. You remember was it Looney Tunes? Where there's a bunch of sheep in the pasture and then you have Wile E Coyote who has his he's got a suit. He's got a suit. See you later, sam, I don't want to be remembered as that wolf. I'm the shepherd. There you go, I love it. That's the way I am. I want to lead people to the Lord.

Jim Cripps:

What are you excited about?

Mr. Murfreesboro - Bill Wilson:

Man, I'm excited. I could see a fly landing on me. I probably have HDD or a hyper. My nickname at school was Spaz. If you had a nickname that, I thought that was cool. When I was in elementary school I was real skinny. They called me Toothpick and then I transferred into Spaz. I've been called Hollywood. I've been called you name it, I've been called it. What was the question again, what gets you excited? A good football game.

Mr. Murfreesboro - Bill Wilson:

I mean Meredith, there you go. The Lord really does. I mean seeing what he has done in my life and what he does through other people, man, what people don't realize. I don't care if you're broke or if you're wealthy. The Lord lives inside of us, the Holy Spirit. We all have it. It's just up to us to find it. That's right?

Jim Cripps:

Well, Bill, let's just say somebody wants to get a hold of Mr Murfreesboro, wants to do business. Maybe they've got a real estate need or something like that. How do they get in touch?

Mr. Murfreesboro - Bill Wilson:

with you. You can go to my page Mr Murfreesboro on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok page, the Mr Murfreesboro on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and then you can get in touch with me at 615-406-5872. Or you can email me at mrmurfreesboroTN at gmailcom. That's mrmurfreesboroTN at gmailcom, and sooner or later I'm going to open up. I'm probably going to start another radio show, probably in January.

Speaker 3:

All right, looking forward to it.

Mr. Murfreesboro - Bill Wilson:

Yeah, man, I've got a little podcast going right now, mr Murphysburt and the Mortgage Lady, which we're going to do. Another episode coming up, probably next week. Okay, you can follow me on that. Follow me at YouTube. Okay, you can follow me on that. Follow me at.

Jim Cripps:

YouTube. How do they find you on?

Mr. Murfreesboro - Bill Wilson:

Mr Murfreesboro on YouTube. Okay, then follow me at the Murfreesboro Pulse, at Murfreesboro, the Mr Murfreesboro Minute or Mr Murfreesboro Makers, where I do stories about different things Murfreesboro people, history lessons, stuff like that. I love it and it's online. I love it and it's online. I love it. Do a great job at Bracken Mayo, does a great job at the Murfreesboro pulse. But, man, I really appreciate you having me.

Jim Cripps:

Absolutely Well. Thanks for coming out, I appreciate you and everybody out there. I hope you took some words of wisdom, a little nugget to make your life better, from our number one guest over here, mr Murfreesboro himself, bill Wilson. Bill, thank you for coming out. Thank you and join us next time. But, bill, thanks for sharing your wisdom on faith, family friendship and the importance of recovery Until next time. Everybody Charge Forward.

Speaker 3:

Team thanks so much for joining us for this episode of the Charge Forward podcast. Look forward to other amazing guests and until next time I'm your host, Jim Cripps. Special thanks, as always, to Nick Heider and the creative team at hit lab studios here in Nashville, Tennessee. Special thanks to our sponsors, since custom development and charge forward solutions.

Jim Cripps:

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