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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.

Friday, March 23, 2018

Furman and White trash, Grit Lit and the Dan Norfleet stories

      Dan Norfleet was from Pascagoula Mississippi and is innocent to what may follow cause I knew him 40 years ago and his name just recently popped up. But I think he'll like this when it gets refined which it probably will not for at least ten days.

   I've been pinin to post this for a week now but havin trouble getting the car out of the front yard way before and after last Friday's fascinating afternoon at a nearby juco that happens to be about five miles from the church Dennis Covington made famous in Salvation on Sand Mtn; and the Sacred Harp singing of last September with some of the best food Ive attended in some time.

    Whatever is said, hats off to Joan Reeves of Flat Rock for about ten years bringing some of the best literary panels to the region. She hangs with the Mississippi and Nashville Book festivals Ive seen at my buddy's trailer some weekends on Cspan two and talked about here on my "illustrious "blog.

     Here is today' news. Fellow Furman grad George Singleton--I copied his story out of Oxford American couple years ago for my sister and Paces mom in Easley SC about Duco's-- AND they liked it. Been reading about him in the Furman alumni magazine and finally got to meet him, along with Wahalla SC's Mark Powell who went to Yale Divinity school and the Citadel and got to know Pat Conroy. Add that up and it's least a twofer if not nearing a trifecta.

      I'm getting near the Friday deadline across from the Masseuse place in downtown Ft. Payne Alabama where I had a memorable if brief chat with County Music megastar Randy Owen about three years ago. Told him I wasn't patronizing but I was surprised and fond of his transparency in his recent autobiography. Old Flame Feels So Right himself said: "Writin's Hard".

    So I got some things to say about the Grit Lit Anthology. Why was Padgett Powell flight of fancy from Woman Named Drown on screwin Yard Animals left out. And I think back in the 70s Robert Penn Warren was on to something when he said  at the cocktail session with his U Chicago friends at the end of A Place to Come To, incidentally cited by Furman President David Shi is his inaugural speech at Furman about 94, Why Don't One of you God Damned Sons a bitches say something about your Daddy.

      And there is the story of Steve Oney, the last man Furman great Marshall Frady reviewed in the NY Rev of Books, Oney's new collection a Man's life. Gregg Allman first meeting with Little Richard.

   Unforgettable.

   Later; come back for the full monty, no kiddin.


   PS 1 what one reviewer said Drown in 84:    

        ""People are hungry for new utterance,"" this wise little novel proclaims, and Powell feeds them well--a deep-fried bit of genius that's not for your average brie-eater.