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It was Saturday
movin’ toward near four p.m. when I entered The Flat Rock General
Store. Essex offered up a personal "howdy" as I passed toward
the rear of The Store and settled on a nail keg for restin’ purposes.
At this same
instant, Ms. Ida and the widow Cora appeared from past the end of The
Store counter and with almost ajoined twinness offered I should take off
my hat and stay for a while. For them it was a polite mannered way of
sayin’ I was inside and I should be a holdin’ my hat, not a wearin’
it. Old school ladies requestin’ respect for bein’ located inside a
premise-type buildin’.
Actual, I was
full-tuckered from helpin’ Slim and Farlow with haulin’ and barnin’
near four loads of winter horse hay. It was a near full effort from all
The Store regulars includin’ "Truth," Bro., S.R., J.R.,
"Hatch," Heath, Dustin and the music man himself, Mr. Harley
Hood. Course Slim was head driver, Willerdean assistant driver, Estelle
in charge of restin’ breaks and my Daddy "Pop" C.C. was
ridin’ around on his Gator offerin’ loadin’, stackin’ and
unloadin’ advice.
Before I could
settle my hat on the wall hanger and move toward a talkin’ visit with
the three ladies present, the full ledger of hay haulers and assistants
showed up personally. Slim, Bro., S.R. and Farlow seemed to carry
tuckeredness to a higher level past even me.
About this point,
Harley Hood offered up he, himself bein’ near full-tuckered, had to
move toward home for a quick "shower bath" full body cleanin’.
Then, it bein’ Saturday, he’d head off for a full late night music
gig for Harley Hood and friends.
Essex hurriedly
noted the full gatherin’ of hay haulers present might require more
than a quick "shower bath" for a full "body cleanin’."
Rather, in her words, there’d be need for a full "tub washin’."
Slim hurriedly
noted back to Essex she knew precisely how long it had been since he was
down for a full "tub-washin." "Shower baths" were
his full body cleanin’ of choice since ’98 when he got down for a
"tub- washin" and she had to call 911 Hatton Voluntary Fire
Dept. for personal removal assistance.
"Truth"
noted, with a full grin toward Estelle, a "tub washin’" was
fine with him, but the full body cleanin’ would require some special
back washin’ assistance. He grinned and further commented it would not
come personally from the Hatton Voluntary Fire Dept. Rather from his
companion, and the still true love of his life, Estelle herself.
Willerdean
commented the full winter horse hay count total for today was 485 bales.
At this point, she took Farlow by the hand and headed toward the old
double front doors. She further commented that all the hay haulers
itchin’, scratchin’, sneezin’ and coughin’ were in need of a
personal "tub washin’" or full body cleanin’.
S.R. noted it was
Saturday night and the first of the month, so it was "tub washin’"
night. Ms. Ida and the widow Cora laughed almost with a second twinness.
However, I don’t think "Hatch" and J.R. got the gist of S.R.’s
comment.
As I headed out
for a Saturday night "tub washin’," I recollected about
growin’ up as a hay hauler. After a full day’s haulin’, my Daddy
"Pop" C.C. would load us up on the ’55 Dodge pick-up and
carried us up to the Hatton rock crusher for a good swim and water
soakin’. That’s ‘cause there weren’t no place for a "tub
washin’" ceptin the number six solar-heated wash tub in the back
yard. That was usual held special for Saturday night. I didn’t get
plum to my pick-up before Ms. Ida come hollerin’ after me with my hat
in hand. Seems my politeness caused my hat to be left hangin’ in The
Store.
Folks, mind
yourself that somebody personally cleans the soap ring good followin’
the Saturday night hay haulin’ "tub washins’"… |
