A week in Alabama

      Left South Carolina for Bama on Thursday April 21 and returned the following Friday. Stopped by the ACC Tennis Tourney at Berry College on the way down and came back the next day from Collinsville. About three pm on the 21st got the news Clemson men had upset their opponent in first round but the women had lost. Saw Ms Duckworth but not certain she ever got to Schroeders on Broad Street.

     That evening went on over to Cracker Barrell in Guntersville to see a good six Furman friends who I had gotten word just two days earlier were in the vicinity playing several golf courses around. Steve Mayer daughter's lake house set them up joined by John Baker, Bob Carr, Larry Vanderbilt, Ralph Bryant of Furman and Conway SC, and Retta Tindall's husband Bic McCallister of NC State and Spartanburg originally from Graham NC. Steve's Brother was of the party and a lifelong Baptist friend from Decatur Ga, both friends of my Dad's Great friend from seminary, the Baptist legend Bill Self.

    Friday back at the Tourney almost passed out in the heat from dehydration. Shoulda been drinking some water. Missed some great matches early afternoon but caught a dramatic Clemson match against Louisville that heartbreakingly broke Louisville way about the time Clemson was in the thick of it in three singles matches. Clemson won the doubles point . Missed Ga Tech and Tar Heels on count of bad planning. Did catch a little of the UVA super netter that morning.

     During a slowdown overheard some women for UNC team I think it was talking about Hallmark channel favorites with their Coach. I had to share I discovered Andie MaCdowell in Gaffney when she was in first grade. The Coach said she was a natural beauty and great as the crazy momma in the recent Disney or Netflix series with her daughter. Coach promised to google the NPR Fresh Air interview of Macdowell from back in Feb.

     On Saturday went to Trade Day, somebody called my name and it was Lowell Barron himself, the second most powerful man in the state of Bama during the nineties. He and Auburn President Dr. Muse, great friend of Kate Campbell and Wayne Flynt have some political history but we didn't bring that up. Interesting chat about politics in Bama and the rise of the Trump Base. I think Lowell is gonna read Frye and Tucker's new book on the South and American politics. I'm gonna email him. Wish we coulda talked about my chat with Herman Kerley about five years ago, Herman's version of the story when 20 years ago Barron thought about running for US Senate.

     On Sunday I went to the Collinsville Historical Association at the Cricket Theatre and made an announcement, and had three of Jane Peek's great cupcakes. Paid two dollars on Rex Leath's 250 dollar ticket he game me a decade ago, a miscarriage of justice if there ever was one, a court fee system right out of a corrupt South America and Mark Wilson's Auburn Center for Civic Democracy has said as much.

    But always good to talk to Jill and Lori.

     Monday was a slow day, Tuesday went to the lyberry in Rainsville where they have always been nice to me and have something appropriating a professional staff, not wicked women with vendettas. Had lunch at Wendy's and then to Ft Payne Foodland. Such a pretty day I sat in the car looking at Arby's and the Beauty of Lookout mtn talking on the phone. Talked to Mot Mot Christy about the Dacusville Clock Chicken Liver Society and the ground rules.

     Weds I forget, may sat on the bench in front of the Pig and got home to find somebody had taken a couple items out of my house. Listened to the Braves on the Front porch on the Swing and heard the corpse bird in the distance.

    Thursday went to Bill Glenn for the second time and had a piece of catfish. Road to Ft Payne with my friend Andy Myers of UPS and had supper at the Cracker Barrell.  Correction did not got on Thursday but was there with Andy on Sunday. On Thursday after an event downtown was in a crunch when Andy had to dash to Foodland to get some coffee creamer for his wife 12 years younger though her office was just a half mile down the road and Andy and I had to go 8 miles out of the way through severe road construction on 59 and Sherrie was about to close Liberty Bank back in Collinsville any minute--Barbara Mackey retired three years ago, then Lillian so Sherrie is the closer now. Ms Mackey now volunteers most weekdays downtown in History Museum, which housed the old bank just ten years ago. Picture of Russ Beene in there now, near the front door..........Was there two days earlier and talked to a beautiful young Italian woman who found herself in NE Bama via New Jersey and Ft Lauderdale, maybe Naples. Told her about Joey Rigolotta and the Saints of Newark.

     Thursday night saw Collinsville varsity baseball versus Lauderdale County in the playoffs doubleheader. The three seventh graders and teammates were on top till the bottom of the seventh in the second game and lost in a heartbreaker. 9th grader Jameson Coker went the distance on the mound, Keaton DEEboard got on base four of five times at bat and the only senior Carson Dennis Dad was a friend of Cameron Brooks of Gaffney SC when they played football at Gardner Webb, alma mater of Ron Rash.

   My brother died April 3. Not many people in Bama knew him as he only visited on occasion and not much after our Dad died. I told everybody I loved him, he was a good soul, and it was a punch in the gut.