"Dollars worth a gas, cuple pounds a balony, 2 cans a pork'un'beens and a dimes worth a ice. Got 12 pop bottles here to return." The old dude, all bent over with age, would head for the door to pump the gasoline into the old Model A Ford. We kinda referred to'm as a turtle. He DID resemble one somewhat bein so slow and all. He'd come back in and slowly start slicin the Blue Bell boloney and stackin it on the scales. That done he'd lean over the counter and do all his cifer'n on the paper grocery bag. All the cifer'n done we'd pay the remainder, get the "dimes worth a ice, -"don't forgit tha pop bottles Henry" and head for home.

We'd make a left turn just south of the store and drive east on the old Maysville to Mt. Carmel stage coach trail. It was about 2 miles west of our old homeplace and not much improved since the days it was used as a stagecoach trail. Ruts, gullys and of course, no gravel! In wet weather it was always a challange to see if'n we could navigate it in the Model A Ford. Brakes? What was that? Ya'll NEVER had brakes on the A Models!!

It wasn't really that dependable but we always had tools we hauled around in it. Needed'm most every time we drove it. Wintertime was always fun. Didn't have any heater until we finally located the "honeycomb" exhaust manifold and the little "piggyback" heater that set on top. A very minimum amount of heat would kinda filter into the passanger compartment and keep it from totally freezin the passangers [me'n ole jeep] to death!

Time has made a change in almost every area of my life since those long ago days. The old store building is still standing, the little ice house is all but rotted down and that wooden "Sunbeam" breadbox is STILL located on the front porch of the store---just like it was over 40 years ago. [I drive past it every once inawhile on my way to ole Jeeps house.] The store building is now a shop for the present owner to tinker with his Harley Davidson motorcycles in. The orginal owners are long since dead, the Model A Fords, .32 gasolline, Blue Bell boloney and "dimes worth a ice" are just a memeory too. "Pop Bottles? What in the world are they? Ya'll mean the stores would pay for'm empty?" Time marches onward. "Let's see--Lil Dumplin'll be home Friday. REckon she'd wanna go have a "look see" to the Amish in Indiana? Well, it's kinda like it was here 40 years ago--over there."

Waitin for the big HOMECOMING with Jesus Christ and all our family, friends and relation that have "gone on before and died in the faith". Ole hoot. Matt.24;44

-- hoot (hoot@pcinetwork.com), July 19, 2001