Part - 19B.1. - Special Days

RAISIN'

19b.1. SPECIAL DAYS IN MY LIFE

There have been several days that have been VERY special in my life. One was on that night in June, 1956, when my former roommate at LSTC, Bill Sullivan, talked me into going out to Eight Mile to go to church and meet his cousin instead of going to see "Picnic" at the Roxy Theater.

We were a little late, so when we opened the side door about mid-way of the auditorium, there sat two girls. Bill told me to go in and sit by the one farthest away. I did, then he introduced me, in a whisper, to his cousin, JoAnne Hendrix and her friend Charlie Flowers.

I didn't know until later that when I was standing in the door, JoAnne told Charlie, "See that guy at the door? I'm gonna marry him some day!" She had never seen me, nor could she see Bill at that time.

After church, we talked the girls into riding around some and to "get a coke." Bill was driving his brother, Cecil's car. It was a used up yellow cab, 1951 Chevy. The king pins and bushings in the front end were totally worn out. This caused the front end to "shimmy" real bad if you got above about thirty miles per hour, and you could hardly keep it in the road until you slowed down enough to stop bouncing.

We started out with Bill driving and JoAnne and I in the back seat. Then we switched a time or two with us in the front. What a night? But, to my chagrin, I didn't get any "sugar" that night. JoAnne was "stingy" with it. So, I decided I'd have to go back later and see couldn't I rectify that situation.

Well, Sho' nuf, I did get some "smoochie sugar" the next time. You know what? I still haven't gotten enough of that sugar, so I'm still working on getting more every chance I get!

Another special day came fifteen months after the other one when this old "green," "scared" country boy stood nervously at the front of Myers Memorial Baptist Church, on the Monday evening of September 16, 1957, watching my Bride walking down the aisle to me. Even though she was stepping on her gown because a hoop was unsnapped in her skirt. She made it in on Sonny's arm and out on mine.

Part - 19 - Me & Family - 19a Growing Up

RAISIN'

19. ME and Family

19a. GROWING UP

As I was growing up, during warm weather, my most frequent dress code consisted of a pair of short pants and a baseball cap that was set slightly to the right side of my head, bill-forward. I would usually sunburn and peel a few times during the summer, but I didn't seem to know it was bad for me. I had freckles on my nose and back.

I usually made a game out of most any thing I did. I would precisely load my wagon with up to about fifty sticks of stove wood, then try to follow a certain "road" from the wood shed to the back steps and try not to turn it over while crossing the roots of the huge oak tree by the woodshed, or by the wheels digging in too deep in the sand as I passed between the umbrella chinaberry tree and the water tank.

I would walk certain routes, containing so many steps while feeding the hogs, or chickens, or gathering eggs from various places in the barn or chicken house. See how many eggs I could get into the outside and inside pockets of the old "Ike" jacket without breaking them or dropping and breaking any. Ugh! What a mess when I'd break one or more in a coat pocket!

I would ride the bicycle over certain routes from back to side yards, across the cattle gap, through the driveway sand bed, by the persimmon tree to the top to "the hill", then turn around and run a different route back.

Before I was big enough to ride the girls' model, 26-inch bicycle, I would push it for miles at a time, around the yard and up the top of the hill.

When I was about 10-years-old, Daddy bought me a basketball goal from a store in Selma. We put it up on a 4-foot by 6-foot backboard at the south end of the croquet court. That section of the back yard never had any grass on it, and it was kept perfectly level. The level ground made for a great basketball court.

I practiced shooting goals of all types, from all angles and distances. Again, I would play games between "Me" and "Myself", or "Jim" and "I". There were games like "Mule," where a person would shoot a certain style shot from a specific place. If he made the goal, the next player would have to make a similar shot from the same place. If the second player missed, he got a "M" or "U", etc. When a player had gotten a M, U, L, and E, he had one shot from the half-court line to erase his MULE. Playing in the back yard allowed me to shoot very high shots.

The Fruitdale High School’s gym was their auditorium, as was Millry's, and Chatom's, but it was so small, the free throw line was the back court centerline. Also, the ceiling was lower than others were. Once, while shooting a free shot, I hit the ceiling with the ball.

Chatom's gym had open steel trusses all the way across the top, forming sort of an arch shaped roof. Once, I shot from the left side of the court, near the centerline. My ball went over the bottom truss without touching the truss and was "all net!" That would have been a good 3-pointer now a day.

I went out for football in the eighth and ninth grades, but only weighed about 75 pounds. While in the tenth grade, in Augusta, GA, I played in the band and did so through high school and two years at college.

I played baseball in my Junior and Senior years in high school. I pitched and played first base. I guess I liked those positions because that's the ones Joe had played. He also played second base at times.

I have played golf on an "Off and on" basis. For a few years, I played most every Saturday morning with Uncle Will, Uncle George, and three other fellows. (I was the sixth man.) Our tee time was at 7:07 AM each Saturday, year round.

Later, I was involved in so many other things; I didn't have time for golf. Then, I got back into playing in Tennessee as Rust had a 9-hole, weekly league. I played quite a bit while working in Lake Charles, LA. While I was there, I irritated my left shoulder while swimming. I had an impingement in my shoulder joint, which would not allow me to swing freely.

Later, I developed Tarsal tunnel syndrome in my right foot, which would not allow me to pivot on that foot when I swung the clubs. About the time I learned to hit the ball without pivoting, I developed a bad case of bursitis in my right shoulder.

After I retired, Edd Williams and I played fairly regularly at the Chatom and Citronelle courses, but since Edd moved to Georgia a couple of years ago I haven’t played but a couple of times. One of the problems now-a-day is that I have Neuropathy in my legs and feet that gives me problems when I walk too much.

Part - 17 & 18 - sonny & Bobby

RAISIN'


17. SONNY AND FAMILY

William Shelton (Sonny) worked at M & M Wholesale Florist since shortly after he graduated from Vigor High School. At one time, the name and ownership changed, but he stayed on. Finally, he purchased the business and returned the name back to M & M.

Due to strong competition in the Mobile from other Wholesale Florists, and to large distributors delivering directly into large grocery stores, Sonny's venture with M & M failed. He spent a while working with one of the Large Distributors from Birmingham, but that didn't pay off.

He tried working with a company selling security systems for houses and businesses. That venture did not work out.

He married Carolyn Jane Cowart from Whistler, AL. Carolyn worked for IBM, then for a Credit business for a long time, and then she went into the retail floral business by purchasing The Flower Shop on Airport Blvd. She later moved the business to Spring Hill Avenue Extension. Again, due to the intense competition in that type business, she closed the Flower Shop in June 1998. She is now working for a florist in Saraland.

Carolyn and I have to "stick together" as we're the "outlaws" of the Hendrix Clan!

Sonny and Carolyn have three boys. Paul, the oldest, served a hitch in the Army, worked part and full time at Food World Stores, worked a while in construction, and is now working at the University of South Alabama. He hasn't chosen to engage in matrimony. His favorite pastime is working with Boy Scouts.

Scott went to Computer School, worked in Atlanta for several years, and returned to Mobile to manage Greer’s Grocery Stores' computer system. For some time now he has been working at Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola as head of their computer department.

Scott and his wife, Teresa, have three beautiful girls, Erin, Megan and Emily and a boy, Shelton.

Scott had a severe weight problem for several years. He had Stomach stapling surgery, adhered to a VERY strict diet and has lost well over half his former weight.

Thad, the baby boy graduated from South Alabama in Engineering and is now working for a local engineering firm.

He started out wanting to study Architecture, but has changed his major. He and I have always been "Auburn Buddies." Once, when he was young, they visited us in Oak Ridge. He was a big Auburn fan, so I started calling him "Weagle!" (A fast way of saying War Eagle!) He worked long and hard, and finally got to be an official "Weagle Eagle".... He became an Eagle Scout. He still works with the Scouts.

Although he would have preferred to go to Auburn, he decided to complete his engineering degree at South. He was married to Miranda Grass and they had a beautiful daughter, Helen. Since the split with Miranda he now lives with Paul .

18 BOBBY

Robert Lewis (Bobby), Jo Anne's youngest brother has worked in the Television business for his entire career. He worked for some time at WKRG TV in Mobile. Later, he worked for two or three different TV repair shops in the Mobile area until he went into business for himself. He remained single.

His health has been bad in recent years and he is on disability. He lived with Lou until her death. They were really good for each other. He loves to fish, and has done quite a bit of it over the years.

He lives in Mobile. He has recently spent about two months in the hospital after heart by-pass surgery and following complications. He remains in poor health from the heart problems as well as breathing problems.

Part - 16 - Mr Hendrix & Lou

RAISIN'

16. MR. HENDRIX AND LOU

JoAnne's Father, Shelton Chesley Hendrix, passed away on December 21, 1956. He was a plumber and had his own plumbing business in the Eight Mile area. Mr. Willie Hanson from Eight Mile worked with him. He had spelled his last name Hendricks until a time when he worked for the State and they spelled it Hendrix. He just kept the "IX" spelling. One or two of his siblings, also, used "IX."

He had worked for several of the Plumbing and Piping companies in the Mobile area before going into business.

He loved gardening and working with plants and shrubs in their yard. He always kept the place looking like it was professionally manicured.

He was heavily involved in the political scene in the County as well as State politics. He was on the Alabama Democratic Executive Committee and a strong supporter of Big Jim Folsom. During his lifetime, Democrats were "THE" party in Alabama, and he was one of their strongest supporters.

I never met him but once, that being one Sunday morning when I went by to go to church with JoAnne. She wasn't ready to go yet, so she introduced me to her Dad. He was reading the paper and offered me the Comics. He and I struck up a pretty good conversation about where I was from, etc. I guess I talked ok to suit him as JoAnne said that she thought he liked me pretty well, not like some other boyfriends.

JoAnne said that her Dad was her official "reading coach" when she was in grammar school. She had some trouble getting started in reading and he would say, "Come on Gal, let's read." He would read with her until she knew what she was reading.

After we were married, I called Mrs. Hendrix: "Mrs. Hendrix", "Maw-in-law", and a couple of other names. Then, since her middle name was Lucille, I began calling her "Lou". It stuck! So, all her grand children called her "Lou", and by the time she had great grand children she figured that she was old enough to be called her "Granny Lou."

Lou worked at Brookley Air Force Base in Mobile, in the Supply Division until the time the government closed Brookley. She was transferred to Robbins Air Force Base in Warner Robbins, GA, where she worked until she retired in 1977. She was medically retired as an Editor and Writer of Technical Publications.

She moved back to Mobile and bought a house near Bates Field, the Mobile Area Airport. In fact, planes flew over her place on landings and take-offs.

Bobby, JoAnne's brother moved in with her a number of years later, and they were very good for each other in numerous ways.

During her later 70's Lou's health began to fail. She had a rare form of Leukemia for about 16 years that would cause some good, some bad days, but was not the fatal type of Leukemia. In 1997, she began having several hospitalizations for several different ailments. She went through chemotherapy treatments for Lymphoma for a couple of treatment series. The treatments finally failed to be effective, and she passed away on August 1, 1998.

Lou loved to play table games. She liked to play several different card games, but her very favorite game was Yahtzee. If she didn't have anyone to play with, she'd spend lots of time playing it alone.

Part - 15g & h - Will & George

On Will's Wagon

George called this one "Speckle Bird"





RAISIN'

15g. WILL WHITE

Will White didn't work much outside his little "pea patch" farm. He'd do some Cotton Choppin' and Cotton Pickin' for others in the Summer and Fall.

Mostly, Will hunted....Fox, 'Coon and 'Possum. Many is the time that I've followed him through the woods, fox or 'coon hunting by the light of a "lightered knot" torch. I couldn't see anything but the light and immediate surroundings, but Will knew where he was going. He'd even see the one eye that a 'coon would show by the light of the torch.

He and his family used the game as a large part of their staple for meals. If Will had ever heard you talk or heard a dog bark, he could imitate you.

He had very large, swollen glands at his neck and swollen lips, caused by a form of VD. He had only a few scattered teeth that would show when he'd tell a big tale and laugh. Everybody took a liking to Will with his easy manner and gift for telling a tall tale.

15h. GEORGE PACE

George started working for Daddy and Mother in about 1979 or 1980, when they needed help in feeding the cows. His wife, Annie Laurie, who once worked as a cook at the Healing Springs Hotel, began to cook for Mother from time to time.

George once suffered a stroke and had a weak left leg requiring him to use a cane in walking. This didn't hinder him from doing his job. Annie Laurie died a number of years go, but George came for a number of years after that.

He was so regular in coming each morning during feeding time that "you could set your clock by the time he’d get here!" He loved "Our Cows" and loved to just stand by and watch them eat. It's about the only thing he had left that he felt a part of, and he looked forward to coming each day. He is about 89 now.

He would come three days a week during summers to put out feed for the calves in the "creep pen" and to check everything out around the place. When he came, he looked all around the place to note that everything seems to be in place. If he noted anything unusual, he calls "Miss Sivvy" to let her know or call me.

Each day when he came to feed, he ran any cows that are in the lot out and shut the gate. Most mornings, if it wasn’t raining, all the cows are waiting for him outside the open gate.

After he put the "pelicans" (pellets) in the troughs for the cows and the all-grain feed in the calf pen, he’d let the cows back in the lot. As they are coming in, he’d count them to be sure each one is there. Once, there were only fifteen total cows and calves. One morning he called Sylvia and said, "Tell Mister Jim that I couldn't count but sixteen this mornin'!" That was mine and his way of letting the other know that we have a new calf.

George and Smokey, the black and tan hound that Willie gave Mother a number of years ago, were a couple of clowns when they get together. Smokey stayed at Tom's house after Mother and Claire died. He'd come over some mornings. George would ask him to give him a foot. Smokey will turn his tail to him and kinda "whip" him with his tail looking like he'd grinning back at him. Finally, he'll turn round and shake with him. George would rub his head and ears. While George is rubbing, Smokey will stop his tail from wagging. If he stopped rubbing, Smokey's tail would really begin to wag, kinda saying, "Don't stop, it feels real good!"

Of course, when Foxy Lady came here he taught her to shake hands and I’d keep a brush out under the carport behind the garage so George could brush her.

He would always love it when any of the Grands would be here and go out and “help" him feed.” He’d get tickled at them with some of the questions they’d ask him. All along, he’d ask me about them and tell me that he liked to see um when they’d be here.

He loved to tell me “what the cows was sayin’ or what the calvies were saying! One morning, he called me in Mobile and said, “Mista Jim, I just had ta call ya to tell ya about a funny thing this mornin’” He said, “I was standin’ by the big gate at the end of th barn and all six of them little calvies said ‘J Ra’s (Tom’s Dog) been teasin us, les tease him, so they took him out acrost th paster to the road. JR would run from them and would go YOWLP! Then they brought him back. Then they said, ‘Les take him out one mo time!” He said, “Mista Jim, I had to hold on to th gate I wuz laughin’ so hard!” That was just one of Georges famous tales he’d tell.

During the month of February of that year, I came up about the first part of the month and knew that I wouldn’t be back again for the rest of the month, so I went ahead and paid him for the whole month while I was here. About a week later, he called me and told me that he just couldn’t do it any more ‘cause he’d have to take one step with the feed bucket, then drag his other leg up to take another step because his bad leg was hurting so bad. He was trying to work out the time he’d been paid for. He told me that he’d pay me back for the money he owed me. Of course, I wouldn’t let that happen. So I had to do some of the feeding myself and get Willie to help me out some.

Soon after that time, George had to have that leg amputated. He had to spend some time in a nursing home in Citronelle. When he got out, he was able to get one of the efficiency apartments in Millry. I saw him a few weeks ago and he said that his left arm is pretty much totally useless now, but he can still fix him something to eat and take care of himself and, if necessary, he can still drive his car.

I don't even like to think about not having George around when they are too old to come around the place.

Part - 15 e & f - Leatha & Willie

RAISIN'

15e. LEATHA LAND

Leatha, Tommy's brother, never worked for Daddy much during the time we were growing up, but he, Tommy and Daddy completely "opened up" the place after Daddy retired and came back home permanently.

Daddy bought the 1964 Ford 2000 tractor, a bush hog and a chain saw. And the three of them turned the place into as beautiful a place as there is anywhere around. Leatha always called Joe and me "Captin'!"

15f. WILLIE TAYLOR

Willie, Leatha's step son, would work some at different times over the years, but came to be our real "Stand by" after the time that Daddy, Tommy and Leatha died.

He first helped Joe to really trim up (Maybe "Skin up") all the trees around the house for Mother. He'd also do odd jobs for Mother around the place.

He cut pulpwood and firewood, built and repaired fences (Lot and pasture), bush hogged, trimmed shrubbery, mowed the yard, helped with hay, cut wood, trimmed fence rows, painted fences, etc. and did just about anything we have needed for him to do for a number of years.

I really depended on him to watch out for things around the place, especially since I was working out of town quite a bit and while we were in Mobile. Even though he'd had bypass surgery, he was still very strong and active.

He was so dependable at so many things. I just didn’t worry about things when we were away. He’d always take care of feeding Lady when we’d be away. All I had to do was to tell him when we were leaving and when we’d be back and we’d know that she was taken care of.

I used to tease him about the tires on his old truck being so slick that I could see the air in them. Also, if I came up and went out to the shop, I’d see a few tools missing and I’d ask him what he was building with my saw, or whatever I knew he had. He’d just laugh and tell me what he was working on. I had no worry about the tools being returned when he was finished with them.

A few times he’d come by when I was here with his tape player going loud. He’d be listening to “Amazing Grace” or some other songs that he’d heard Mother playing on the piano and he’d say, “I want you to hear this one. I sho Miss Nora would like to hear it!” Lots of time Mother would go in and play the piano some while he’d be working in the yards because she knew how much he appreciated them.

If we went on a long trip, I’d usually bring him back something from where we were. Once I brought him a bright red, flat cap just before Easter from Paris. He said, “I ain’t gonna wear this ‘til Easter Sunday.”

As his health began to go down, he spent most of his days down at Don’s Service Station watching out for, as he called them Rogues, from stealing things from Don while he’d be out working on tires, etc.

One day, I’d been at the hardware store and told Fred that I was going to go see if Don had time to find a very slow leak in one of my truck tires. When I got over there, I saw that Don had a vehicle on a jack so I didn’t stop. Had I stopped, I’d have found Willie dead in his truck. I saw one of his 36 chillun, Big Sam there as I passed and he found Willie dead.

Of course, Joe, Eleanor, JoAnne and I all had to be present on the front row at his 2 ½ hour funeral. Joe and I had to speak at the funeral also. I surely do miss Willie with his bright smile with the gold tooth shining!

Part - 15c & d - Farm Hands - Dennis & Tommy

RAISIN'

15c. DENNIS TURNER

Dennis was a large, tall man that really didn't know his strength. He wasn't a "speed ball", but he worked steadily. Tommy was smaller, very strong, and worked faster than Dennis was. The odd thing was that, for example, if both were splitting wood, Dennis would wind up with the largest pile at the end of a day!?!

As noted above, Dennis had a large family that would work on the farm on an "as needed" basis, plowing, hoeing, picking cotton, pulling corn, cutting wood, etc.

I think he and Ludie had 3 girls and 3 boys. I never really knew Geneva, Francis and Nancy. Nancy was my age. She really wasn’t old enough to do much work while we were farming so she kinda hung by her mama’s coattails as she was so shy.

The boys were Bud, Clifford and Nelson (Nelse). They did work on the place. Once Clifford and Nelse had cut 4 pieced of a sweet gum tree that was about 8 inches in diameter and about 2 inches thick. Then they went in the old blacksmith shop and drilled a hole in the center of each circle. I asked them what they were making. Nelse told me that they were making some “sweels” (wheels) for their wagon.

Once Nelse has an old 47 Ford sedan. It had 5 radio antennae on it. Ford put one in the center just above the windshield and Nelse put one on each side at the front and back of the car. Each had a ‘coon tail on it. The funny part was that he didn’t even have a radio in the old car!!!

15d. TOMMY LAND

Tommy Land was the other one that worked the farm while I was coming up. At the time the house burned, he and his wife, Florence (We called her "Tommy's Florence" to differentiate from Andrew Turner's wife "Andrew's Florence."), lived in the old log house under the hill. They later moved over in the "New Hope Quarters."

There were no two neater people that I ever knew. They and their house were always just as "neat as a pin." Tommy would do his own sewing and patching on his overalls, etc. In later years as he got older, he got a little too familiar to the old “bottle” and his health wasn’t good after that.

Florence lived until she was up into her 90’s and looked just about the same as she always did, tall and slim. She seemed to be in good health even into her nineties. Sylvia would go by pretty regularly and check on her all along.

Up to the end, Tommy and Florence’s house was so neat you could eat off the floor.