Fifth anniversary of Return to South Carolina

On  January 18, a Sunday I was struck by a truch with wide mirrors on Hwy 68 between the Redlight downtown and I 59 about a mile out where I was going to Jacks to watch some of the football playoffs. I had left the China House and spoken to Jackie Myers in what turned out to be my last exchange with him.

    I was knocked in a ditch and taken the emergency room in Ft Payne. Checked out about two hours later. Had one bad bruise and soon related post concussion maladies. I grew concerned and over two weeks was in touch with my brother and sister.

     They came to get me on Saturday February 1 and it was a year and change before I returned to Collinsville, Alabama after a 33 year stay from Dec 15 1986 to the aforementioned Feb one 2020.

     I lived in Gaffney SC from January 1962 to middle of July 1978. Gaffney I consider home but I lived in Bama twice longer.

     In a better situation here though I miss the front porch and swing, and Lookout Mountain right out the front door, Sacred Heart Singings and just the general nonsense of small town life where my Mother's family goes back to the 1840s.

    I grew to be quite wel known in Collinsville almost as acquainted with the general populace as Thomas Barksdale who played football for both Bear Bryant and bobby Bowden. I even had a few conversations with Randy Owen of Alabama over the years, one good one at the Cracker Barrel.

    Of some notoriety as a substitute teacher there I brought to Town Brett Morgen who got a six minute standing ovation at Cannes Film Festival three years ago, Olympic hurdler Charles Foster, Essayist and novelist Sam Hodges who editted For the Love of Alabama, state archivist and author of the Bicentennial state history Ed Bridges and SCOTUS Justice Hugo Black grandson Stephen Black with a visit by the mother in law of Alberto Gonzalez, 43 Atty General.

      So I was a presence. Also on statewide television for thirty minutes July 22,1992. Brought an August panel of Baptist moderates including David Currie to town whereupon Donnie Myers inquired publicly "Why bring it here." Martha Barksdale was impressed this episode written up in U Tenn collection Exiles Lost Generation, Churchin in Alabama

    But I am back in Bama now, have access to the CatBus , near Furman my alma mater where I hope to see some tennis matches this spring.

    In two hours or less I can get to Bridges BBQ in Shelby NC and another route to Gaffney in an hour twenty with perfect driving.

     My name is on a brick at the History Museum in Gaffney where Central Elementary used to be and Tommy Brittain and myself disccovered Rosie Mac now Andie Macdowell as a beautiful young girl when she was in first grade