“A Doin’ Crime Fightin’ and A Spreadin’ Niceness
in Flat Rock and All ‘Bout Lawrence County…”

by Joe Potter

The Law, Po Po, Fuzz, Cop, Pig, Blue…

It was Monday comin’ on 9:30 in the mornin’ as I lined up my pickup for parkin’ alongside the Flat Rock General Store. It was a very hot, sultry, summer mornin’. I exited my truck and headed t’ward the front of The Store. As I moved up the steps and landed on the porch, I approached the full-flung wide-open, old double-front doors. Here I took to enterin’ as our Lawrence County "High Sheriff" Gene Mitchell was a departin’ and we howdied in passin’. Our Sheriff is a born-bred and growed-up native of C. C. Smith just near Two Steps Arrow southwest of Flat Rock. He has served law enforcement statewide in a passel of professional duty levels.

In my continuation, I maneuvered t’ward Slim settin’ in his old recliner b’hind the Store Counter. I questioned Slim as to the Sheriff’s visitin’ intentions and Slim offered that the Sheriff was "a doin’ crime fightin’ and showin’ niceness to the home folk." I offered a "Thank You" howdy at Slim and moved to the rear of the Store near the old pot-bellied heater gatherin’ area and settled on a sack of layin’ mash alongside Farlow.

There was a full nestin’ of Store regulars includin’ Essex, Ms Ida, the widow Cora, Farlow, Willerdean, "Truth", Estelle, Bro. S.R., J.R., "Hatch," Dustin, Kamron and Kole. Course, there was other community and area Flat Rock folk a carrin’ out store shoppin’ duties and obligations. The topical discussions were general and variable, and they were hard to absorb because of the one rattlie old window fan a runnin’ at total high throttle.

Bro. had the floor and was a passin’ out flyers ‘bout the comin’ close summer revival at the Baptist Church. As I hovered on the layin’ mash, I heard Farlow talk on politics, "Truth" on the comin’ of football season and the Widow Cora on the needfulness of some general-purpose rainfall. Additional, there was the closeness of Labor Day, the startin’ of school, etc. and so forth. Here Estelle stood, kissed "Truth" said a goodbye-howdy and offered she was a headin’ out for one of her by-appointment-only two hour cut & perms over at her beautifyin’ factory.

Soonly, Dustin took the floor and started talkin’ at Kamron and Kole ‘bout the "High Sheriff" and t’ward his help at crime fightin’ when he operated the Hatton Quick Stop. He also talked to them on law-abideness and just in general ‘bout bein’ good citizen folk. Here I recollected on the man and his two sons who were arrested and carried to jail after a little league baseball game for with what seemed no logical reason at all. The younger son discovered "Hey Daddy, this cell’s got a commode in it" and their daddy had to be bailed out by his special farmer friend who had consumed a few beverages while a fishin’ on the Tennessee River.

Here the gathered folk began to disperse for eatin’ purposes plus other duties & obligations. As I drove away in my pickup t’ward some farm chores, I recollected on some of my favorite "Flat Rock Police" as seen on black and white TV and even a few in color: Matt Dillon, Sergeant Preston and King, Joe Friday, The Lone Ranger, Roy Rogers, Jethro Gibbs of NCI, and Walker Texas Ranger; my list of favorite "Flat Rock Police" is too long to pencil down here in full. Always respect "The Flat Rock Police" and our "High Sheriff" Gene Mitchell, practice law-abideness and be safe. Now…

Joe Potter, Potter’s Mud Creek Farm is located at 5840 County Road 339 (County Line Road), Russellville, near "Our" Flat Rock, in Lawrence County; email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .