Down South

It was the early spring of 1958 when I was first smitten by her. I found her to be everything others claimed 'The Beautiful.'  I'm talking about southern Alabama. That spring of '58, I was a freshman baseball pitcher for the Illinois State University 'Redbirds' who were on a southern junket playing military base teams in both Alabama and Louisiana along with a few colleges.

The tall splendid Pines across rolling hills and Spanish Moss trees defining the Bayou marshes seem to beg the observer to pause and enjoy the stillness. I remembered with great appreciation the warm breeze across 'red-clay' baseball fields, a welcome change from the bitter March winds whipping across Lake Bloomington, Illinois. Play Ball!

I've returned frequently to southern Alabama on vacation trips to various parts of the South.
I often recall an incident during that Freshman year baseball trip. The team motor coach was taking a detour through a Black rural poverty area. As the bus moved slowly through side roads, I saw several young Black children, ages 6-thru-9, running alongside the bus waving at the players inside. It was at that moment I heard a teammate say, "Ain't those little Black kids cute: it's a shame they grow up." I turned to see who said it and spoke, "You can't possibly mean that?" He responded, "I sure do, Roustio." I was glad he was a senior because I found it difficult 'pulling' for his success.

South Alabamans are a different cut of folks. I saw one automobile billboard display, which advertised a free shotgun with a purchase of any pick--up truck. Also in Southern Alabama you can get a set of dentures for $299.00 and a divorce for $199.00. Hot dammit!

Rumors of roadways 'black-ice' or temperatures below freezing becomes a slam-dunk>>>No School.
I noticed rest stops with signs prohibiting guns inside the 'Welcome Centers' but many restaurants allow guns at table but not smoking. Another trait of the Deep South is the plethora of snake oil salesmen on television pretending to be men of God. These false-prophets are shameless. I'm somewhat sure that should I live in the South, I'd likely attend a Black Church. A church near a bayou.