It
was near noon when I walked through the old double front doors of The
Flat Rock General Store on Wednesday. I had not seen the folks down at
The Store in goin’ on two weeks.
There
seemed to be this odd carrin’ on about The Store on this Wednesday,
all the regulars were present includin’ Slim, Essex, Ms. Ida, the
Widow Cora, Farlow, Willerdean, "Truth" and Estelle, Bro.,
S.R., J.R., "Hatch," Harley Hood, my Daddy "pop"
C.C., Heath and Dustin plus a few other local and area Flat Rock folk.
Like I said there was an odd carrin’ on about The Store. The men were
all cleaned up and rather somber, most were settin’ around rather
listless; on the other hand, all the women were dressed in Mossy Oak
camo and most held near full smiles or grins.
I had
experienced this situation in years past and I was fully aware of the
reason for all the odd carrin’ ons. It was the end of huntin’ season
and The Flat Rock women were celebratin’ in dress, with refreshments
and, I would expect, some huntin’ tales. Estelle commented somethin’
about the time and havin’ to be down at the hair factory for an
appointment perm at 2:00 o’clock. She was sippin’ some warm spiced
cider as she offered her tale about "Truth," the true
sportsman and love of her life.
Seems in
his earlier huntin’ years as they traveled south well after dark to
some leased deer land, there was this monster buck in the pick-up
headlights as they crossed the railroad. Estelle didn’t offer complete
details but she did say with a big smile as she kissed "Truth"
and headed out the old double front doors of The Store, "There was
a deer decoy, game wardens (conservation officers), lots of lights, a
lost deer rifle and heavy fines—lesson learned."
Essex
could hardly wait to relate her tale of Slim’s encounter with the
shootin’ house. Seems there was a new deer land lease and he decided
to walk in early without directions from those that were familiar with
the property. Well—Mister Go-it-on-my-own actually wound up on the
property next door to the leased land well before daylight and the
shootin’ house was yes—can you say privy/John outhouse.
Willerdean
was next and spoke of doing some serious nursing after Farlow’s first
experience with a climbing tree stand. She mentioned somethin’ about
holdin’ on tight and ridin’ a thirty-foot pine to the ground.
There
were several other huntin’ tales offered up by the other Flat Rock
women like—encounterin’ the bull on the cowpath before daylight with
a bow; extreme cold, being well layered and the sudden stomach virus;
and would you believe there’s the one about climbing the treestand at
five a.m. with the deer rifle only to find you’re wearing the bird
huntin’ coat with nothin’ but twelve gauge shotgun shells in the
pockets and, yep, you’re about three miles from the deer camp.
Needless
to say, it was an interesting afternoon down at The Store for all the
Flat Rock folk and true there’s no more huntin’ till roundbout
October. Now "let me tell mine…."
REMEMBER
YOUR HERITAGE!!!
ALWAYS THINK GOOD MEMORIES!!!
Joe
Potter is a former vocational agriculture teacher, FFA advisor and
retired county agent (Colbert County).
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