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Born May 18, 1953; got saved at Truett Memorial BC in Hayesville, NC 1959. On rigged ballot which I did not rig got Most Intellectual class of 71, Gaffney High School. Furman Grad, Sociology major but it was little tougher than Auburn football players had Had three dates with beautiful women the summer of 1978. Did not marry any of em. Never married anybody cause what was available was undesirable and what was desirable was unaffordable. Unlucky in love as they say and even still it is sometimes heartbreaking. Had a Pakistani Jr. Davis Cupper on the Ropes the summer of 84, City Courts, Rome Georgia I've a baby sitter, watched peoples homes while they were away on Vacation. Freelance writer, local consultant, screenwriter, and the best damn substitute teacher of Floyd County Georgia in mid 80's according to an anonymous kid passed me on main street a few years later when I went back to get a sandwich at Schroeders. Had some good moments in Collinsville as well. Ask Casey Mattox at www.clsnet.org if he will be honest about it. I try my best to make it to Bridges BBQ in Shelby NC at least four times a year.

Monday, May 23, 2011

May 21, End of the World

Where were you when the world ended?

I was at Bill Glenn's Mtn Top Grill in a room full of celebrities, including Miss Alabama Basketball 94 or so, and a fellow who was one of Famed NCAA Football Coach Bobby Bowden's early students. I was sitting at a table with an up and coming screenwriter, a friend who escorted six years in a row for his Homeooming--he had a lot of pretty cousins--and of course myself, the once promising young man of the 80's; the decade in which I became no longer.
Little intrigue there as I was coming in....the short story writer Edna something on Dianne Rehm characterized it well about the 45 minute this morning.
Of course the world is gonna end for all of us sooner or later, on this earth. Fellow from no less than Notre Dame was talking about it Saturday on NPR.
Our new friend Sara was txting in kinda ready it seemed but not sure. Bo was just across the way if we needed him; and we past him on the billboard to get to the food--ribs, best potato soup in North Alabama, and a salad bar that got kudos from a former North Alabama Girl Scout Woman of the year. I saw her at the bar with my own eyes; a Witness.
One Revenant and I thought it was gonna be a rolling lift off with folks in New Zealand elevating and then around the world where folks in Rome Georgia woulda started up an hour earlier than us here in Alabama. The restaurant was on top of a mtn and we look over toward Georgia but didn't see any evidence of Folks in the Air.
On Friday I had read a great story by my friend Ron Rash in the May 23 New Yorker. Very Proud of him. Same day got good note from Tommy Jones of Gaffney; we have the same Birthday, and in 1967 spent two weeks in Camp Ney A Ti down from Scottsboro, little up from where Raymond Weaver now resides. Mike Francis and Cleve Hamrick went with us by Jeff Pettit was left Behind.
Mike Worked on Star Wars out in Houston before long career with Civil Service in Upper Virginia. I think Cleve is still around Gaffney; Far as I know all still in this world.
Jerry Vines said Jesus is coming again in a literal body descending in a literal sky, literal all the way.
Who's to day Vines is wrong.
In the meantime I lean toward Fleming Rutledge understanding of it, and what Notre Dame's Mark Noll said about the fundamentalist juggernaut that ABraham Lincoln, Whitman and Emily Dickinson stood against during the Civil War.

P.S. On Saturday night in the grace time Jesus had given us remaining on the earth caught the DVD Feature of Screenwriter C. Gaby Mitchell of Alabama Roots on Get Low. I commend it to you, and Dianne Rehm's hour with Edna Obrien today on NPR.

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Random Thoughts on my 58th

As of 11:55 am EST, born in Newport Tennessee, 1953 not long after the fictional Rudy Newton talked about Charles Darwin in Ironweed.
Chuck Warnock has fine piece about Gerald Ford on my birthday at ethicsdaily.com. I have recommended it to a friend who often goes to President Carter's SS Class in Plains, and may send the link to a daughter of Watergate, as well as the author Linda Grant whose novel of our time I hope to read later in the summer. I've had an email exchange with her.
My friend Ron Rash is published in current issue of New Yorker. Hope some of you will see that.
At age 58 it doesn't look like I will get to take the train ride out west I always hoped for, nor see the US Open Tennis Championship Round of 16 in NYC. But Rahul went to Wimbledon and Cousin Neil saw the Australian Open so I just missed both by a friend and a cousin if you want to calculus it that way.
Momma never got to Maine, but she did have some great friends in Baltimore and Euharlee; and some grand children's musical productions at Alice Bell and Providence. And she played the Alabama Jubilee to ecstasy several Saturday afternoons. You could hear her three miles away at Sadie Kiser's house on the Union Hwy if you listened close enough.
Daddy never met Yaz in person, but I did send word through the PR fellow for Vanderbilt Baseball to tell his Grandson my Dad was a fan; and also got word to David Halberstam.
Had a good start out of the blocks at Gaffney High. Last week had some disappointments, but along the way I read Marilynne Robinson, Cormac McCarthy, Fleming Rutledge and some others to make sense of it; and Alice McDermott and Charming Billy.
Asked Billy Bob a question in person couple years ago, and found the poet mary Oliver; couple whose poems are on this blog.
Dee Edwards, the Methodist Preacher was great friend in 92 and there have been many others.
Feb 24, 2006 was a disaster and I may write about it yet.
So to Tommy Jones, and Reggie Jackson and Pope John Paul the Beatified, and Jane Esselmeyer of Gaffney, even a lyberry trustee who voted wrong: Happy Birthday.

Friday, May 13, 2011

Mattie Ross, Duke and World's Olasky

Marvin Olasky interviews Stanley Fish, the NY Times columnist and former Duke English Proff, in current issue of World Magazine. Interesting interview. Sooner or later Olaskly must explain himself in regard Charles Pickering, Alliance Defense Fund, the Tea Parties, SBC and Cleon Skousen.
But until then most fascinating interview.
Fish said two of the best sentences he had come across in book and film in the last few years were from True Grit.
In the book Mattie Says: "I love the Presbyterian Church and my bank." In the movie she writes her Mother before embarking on the adventure to avenge the murder of her Father: "I'm in the hands of The Author of All things, and I have a fine horse."

I commend the delightful interview to you, but not the ideology of World Magazine.

Monday, May 09, 2011

George Wallace and the Alabama Tornadoes

Just a few random thoughts before time passes too quickly on the devastating tornadoes of April 27 in Aalbama

I was sitting in Jacks in Collinsville Alabama watchin reports of the Birther announcement talking to a local edcuator and pol about memories of George Wallace; good anecdote from Crossville, alabama re the 66 gube race when the power went out. Had no idea at the moment how things were develooping about that time for Rainsville, 15 miles to the north.
Was just feeling stupid for not having charged my cell phone for the day.
Two days later had conversation in Attalla_-Etowah Co had power throughout--with writer for Washington Post who had stellar story in that Sunday's paper.
Lost a friend from the Dekalb County library, Marcella.

Heard lots of stories from Rainsville and Guntersville. Looks like the showcase Lodge of the State Park System in Marshall County is out for two years.

Lots more but wanted to share these to make a marker, a memorial.