The distance between a friend and a stranger is only a smile apart, and age should be of no consequence. Two area residents prove that point with their story of how, together, they wrote a story.
Jim Corley, 80, of Sweet Home, and Ezekiel Wixson, 10, of Lebanon, met in 2022 while they were “booth buddies” at a Christmas bazaar.
Ezekiel’s mother, Heidi, was selling her wares while her son had his own little setup of dried herbs, greeting cards, origami and bookmarks. Next to them, Corley was selling one of his books, “Harley the Redneck Shepherd,” a short, humorous story about the birth of Jesus.
After getting to know each other, Corley gave Ezekiel a copy of his book and “we became friends,” Ezekiel said.

And as often happens with friends, Ezekiel invited Corley to watch him perform in a Christmas play at his grandfather’s church. Corley accepted the invitation. A year later, the scenario repeated itself. The two, by chance, became booth neighbors at a different Christmas bazaar and, again, Corley accepted an invitation to watch Ezekiel perform in a Christmas play.
That following summer, Ezekiel gifted Corley with a Scribner pen, which he used to sign his book for the young boy. The octogenarian then learned that Ezekiel was spending the summer reading a lot of books.
Heidi Wixson explained that Ezekiel had a hard time reading during his first through third grades, which he attended through Oregon Connections Academy, an online home-school program, but his third/fourth grade teacher, Carrie Gamache, worked with him a lot.
“I really think that teacher played a huge role in his academic success,” she said. “He’s worked really hard to now be able to read, but also really enjoys reading.”
Ezekiel added, “Yeah, I really like reading,” noting that the Sugar Creek Gang series is one of his favorite adventure mysteries to read.
Upon hearing how much reading the young boy was doing, Corley asked when he was going to start writing his own books, and suggested that they could write something together. Immediately Ezekiel knew what it should be about: another “Harley the Redneck Shepherd” story called “Harley and the Not so Very Wise Wise Men.”
While Corley essentially wrote the story (and shortened the title), it was the precocious boy who offered up the premise of the book, reviewed it and offered suggestions, and wrote the last paragraph himself.
“It was fun,” Ezekiel said of the experience.

Between writing, reviewing and editing, it took only a couple months to complete the 20-page story, self-published through Amazon. As Corley explained about the process, he pulled out $5 and tossed it on the table toward Ezekiel.
“We’re sharing the royalties 50-50,” Corley said.
It was Ezekiel’s first payment for the first few books that had sold on Amazon, including one purchased by Gamache.
The book, “Harley and the Melvins Meet the Wise Guys,” follows Harley and his brothers, Melvin and Melvin, as they meet three wise men who came to visit Jesus on his first birthday, and learn about the true spirit of giving.
“There’s some humor in it, there’s some of the biblical story,” Corley said.
When asked what age group the book would be suitable for, the pair had to take a minute to think about it.
“Little, little kids might think it’s boring at first because it doesn’t get as exciting and funny as quick,” Ezekiel said. “When I tried to read it, my little brother (5 years old), he sorta got bored.”
In the end, Corley decided the story is probably good for all ages over 8 years old.
When asked whether Ezekiel had more stories he wanted to write, the answer was affirmative.
“Me and Mr. Corley are actually collaborating on that.”
It will be another Harley book, but coming from the perspective of the Melvins. Ezekiel provided a sneak peek that the brothers think Harley is too controlling, and hinted that the idea might come from Ezekiel’s own personal experience with four brothers.
As a fifth-grader who’s already created products to sell and now has his first co-authored book complete, it seemed like a good time to ask what he wants to be when he grows up, but, alas, he doesn’t know yet. Corley joked he will be a wise guy.
“He has an entrepreneurial bent and he’s very creative,” Corley said. “So if his career isn’t being a content creator, I can imagine him being a business whiz, easily.”