National Niceness Day… The Gettin’ And Givin’ T’ward Treatin’ All People Proper…

By Joe Potter

It was Wednesday of half-past two in the mid-afternoon when I walked through the flung-total-wide-open old double-front doors of The Flat Rock General Store. The Store windows were all pushed full-high open, septin’ for the one that carried the rattlie old box fan pullin’ cool wind at high throttle. There was a crowd of folk a gatherin’ seekin’ mid-evenin’ shade and for coolin’ purposes. Most near all The Store regulars was acumilatin’ includin’ Slim, Essex, Ms. Ida, the widow Cora, my Daddy "Pop" C.C., Farlow, Willerdean, "Truth," Estelle, Bro., S.R., J.R., "Hatch," Heath, Dustin and the night owl, Mr. Music Man himself, Harley Hood. Several other community and area Flat Rock folk had landed and was a nestin’ ‘bout The Store also.

Farlow had the floor and was a carryin’ on some heavy discussion t’ward all those gathered ‘bout the ought ten Alabama Governor’s race candidates, and so noted he was a optin’ on a enterin’ the race himself—a offerin’ his enterin’ would be for the normal, everday, average "Joe." Willerdean held a full-mouth grin and was a shakin’ her head as looks of wonderment were passed ‘twix all the gathered folk.

Here Estelle darted front and center as she said a "goodbye-howdy" and offered she had one of them Wednesday evenin’ four-hour cut-and-perm sessions penciled in for her hair factory.

Ms. Ida took the floor at this point. She offered that she’d carry hope t’ward all runnin’ candidates both elephant and donkey alike. Her hope bein’ they’d concentrate on proper personal individual vote-gettin’ other than spendin’ three to five million dollars each t’ward P.R. media vote gettin’ in these here hard-core troublin’ economical times.

At this point, the gathered folk come on discussin’ the passin’ of the Independence Day celebratin’ and the soon comin’ of September’s Labor Day holiday celebratin’.

Here Slim stood straight up from his place in his old recliner b’hind the counter. He noted on the back wall behind the old potbellied heater, on white butcher paper in red marker, there was the title "August Holiday." His point was all months exceptin’ August carried one or more recognizable, useable holidays. He here was a prescribin’ and declarin’ August be called "National Niceness Day," directed at changin’ all USA-folks’ attitude ‘bout bein’, gettin’, givin’ and treatin’ all folk with niceness. Course spannin’ two weeks of Flat Rock folk a offerin’ their thinkin’ ‘bout possible "August Holiday" names, the wall carried several offerins’ to many to pencil down full at this writin’. A few thinkins’ for the "August Holiday" were: food day, homemade ice cream day, music day, restin’ day, lemonade day, happy day, church day, etc., etc., and so on. Course there were other all-in-fun offerins’ like — summer huntin’ day, free gas day, payday, "Truth" and Estelle day, mow a friend’s yard day, hay haulin’ day and, final, "vote out a politician day."

Havin’ "National Niceness Day" declared the "August Holiday" by Slim, himself, Ms. Ida declared to Farlow and all those gathered that they should head out and proper promote The Flat Rock General Store’s "National Niceness Day" ‘bout Flat Rock, Lawrence County, Alabama and the total area of U.S.A., futher notin’ to Farlow, if he took on this duty, she just might vote for him as our new Alabama Governor!

REMEMBER YOUR HERITAGE!!!
ALWAYS, THINK GOOD MEMORIES!!!

Joe Potter is a former vocational agriculture teacher, FFA advisor and retired county agent (Colbert County).