When the memories sweep him back, he is a little boy holding his father's hand in the midway at the Georgia State Fair.

The Georgia State Fair has been a signature in Grier's book of life for most of his 94 years.

This past Monday, he camped on a downtown street corner, hawking advance tickets. After selling tickets for four hours, he then went to the fairgrounds at Central City Park to start taking up some of those same tickets he had sold a few hours earlier.

Grier doesn't look 94 or feel 94. But when people find out he is 94, they do wonder why he isn't relaxing at home in his rocking chair.

"I guess the fair is just in my blood," he said. "I do think this will be my last year selling tickets. Of course, I said that last year, too."

Grier is the oldest member of the Exchange Club of Macon, an organization he joined in 1951. The Exchange Club has annually put in about 7,000 volunteer man-hours operating the fair every year since 1942 and has sent $1.3 million of its proceeds from fair week to local charities.

He has been recognized as the club's top ticket-seller several times. One year, he sold $10,000 worth of tickets in advance. "I also sold $300 worth of tickets to the same man," Grier said. "He kept coming back across the street and buying more."

If it's not the fair, you can be sure Grier is going to be busy doing something. Sarah, his wife of 62 years, died in 2002. He still drives, cuts his grass, cooks his meals, does the laundry and walks every morning.

He works twice a week at Macon Outreach, a ministry of Mulberry Street United Methodist Church that offers food and clothing to people in need. He was one of 72 volunteers at the clothing closet to help pack and ship about three tons of clothing to victims of Hurricane Katrina.

That's not all. Three weeks ago, he gave another pint of his A-positive blood to the Red Cross. He has been giving blood since 1980, and was awarded his 4-gallon pin.

Some folks may remember Grier from his long association with the Jos. N. Neel Co., one of downtown's most famous department stores that closed in 1993. He worked at the Cherry Street store for exactly 50 years, from sweeping the floor in 1932 to retiring as a vice president in 1982. He managed the boys' department and outfitted thousands of Macon youngsters in Boy Scout uniforms.

Recently, there has been a lot of interest in the ongoing renovation of the historic Capitol Theatre on Second Street. Well, let the record show in 1933, Grier was one of four men and four women who modeled bathing suits for Neel's in a fashion show at the Capitol.

I can't imagine a Georgia State Fair without Grier. Being part of it has kept him young. Even at 94.

"Attitude has a lot to do with everything," he said. "A good attitude goes a long way."