Tales of the South

[DBOldford]

Twas the night before Christmas and Walton County was a "dry" county, thanks to the efforts of the church ladies. The only place one could get a legal mixed drink in those days was the DeFuniak Country Club, located in a (then) remote area out on U.S. Highway 90 West. Everyone was primed for their holiday toddies and revelry, which would extend into the New Year. Early in the evening on Christmas Eve, a golf cart in the storage room adjacent to the country club threw a spark and a small fire broke out. The fire soon spread to the country club and the DeFuniak Springs Volunteer Fire Department was called. They connected the engine hose to the fire hydrant and began pumping away, but the hydrant soon ran dry. So the intrepid firefighters pulled the hose down the access road and across the railroad tracks, connecting to a workable hydrant down near Hwy. 90. They then resumed firefighting efforts to the cheers of the few lonely souls who had been in the bar on Christmas Eve. Whereupon the freight train came through, cutting the fire hose into, and the country club burned to the ground. No well-mixed holiday drinks for local imbibers that year! Dad was fond of saying, "Grown men cried like babies that night."

True story, one and all. You could look it up! Happy Thanksgiving.

 

[Jdarg]

:clap_1: :clap_1: :clap_1:

Wouldn't that make a great movie? I can just see the train rounding the bend, and some old drunk guy looking up in slow motion, realizing the hose will be cut, yelling, "NOOOOOOO!!!" in anguish.

 

[Miss Kitty]

Another great tale from Donna! What year did this happen?

 

[Sheila]

:clap_1: :clap_1: :clap_1:

Wouldn't that make a great movie? I can just see the train rounding the bend, and some old drunk guy looking up in slow motion, realizing the hose will be cut, yelling, "NOOOOOOO!!!" in anguish.

Tis' a sad tale indeed! No Tom & Jerry to toast a Christmas Eve? Donna thanks for sharing this story!

For those that don't know what a Tom and Jerry is, here you go:

Tom & Jerry

1 oz. Dark Rum
1 oz. Brandy
1 Egg
1 tsp. Sugar
6 oz. Hot water milk, or coffee

Seperate egg in two bowls. Add Rum & Brandy to the yolk and beat together until frothy. In th other bowl beat the egg white until it peaks then add sugar and bet until stiff. Fold into the liqour mixture. Pour into a coffee mug and top with the water, milk or coffee.

 

[DBOldford]

Sueshore, I was just trying to remember the year myself. Don't think I was living there at the time, so either my college years (1968-1972) or after I moved to Atlanta. I will ask my brother, who still lives there and is still a member of the club. I'm sure they still sit around the bar talking about it. I always remember my first wedding rehearsal dinner at that club, when my mother was on a funky money-saving gig and wanted to have the rehearsal dinner at the Greyhound bus station cafe in downtown DeFuniak. Dad had a hissy fit and fell into it, exclaiming, "We can't have a respectable dinner party at that bus station cafe, what with all the flies coming through that screen door and all the hissing air brakes, and _____ (the owner) walking around with that double-barrel shotgun scaring everybody half to death!" I laughed until I wet my pants. Even with the club venue, the union was off to an auspicious start and the marriage lasted barely more than two years. I married into a very affluent Texas family and our life was just like the tv serial "Dallas" for the first year. I've always felt the divorce was more successful than that marriage. God knows, it has lasted longer! :shock: :clap_1:

 

[CastlesOfSand]

Donna...love your stories.... Your ARE the best! :clap_1:

 

[Ocean Lover]

I agree...great stories...thanks! How did you end up in Texas? College? :clap_1:

 

[DBOldford]

Lived in Texas for one year after marrying the Navy fighter pilot from South Fork. It was like living in a different country and I felt like Elizabeth Taylor in "Giant." The family was in Coca Cola and oil, a bad mix. Finally eschewing the family biz, we moved to Denver, where he went to work for a major oil company...more of the same. What a bunch of strange-O people! Did nothing for our blessed union. I thought his antenna had been bent and he probably thought I was a Commie pinko. I went to graduate school at University of CO while in Denver, divorced the fly boy the day that Elvis died (also my birthday), and moved to CA. Have been here ever since. In time, met a terrific guy who has been the perfect mate for me ever since. But I grew up in DeFuniak Springs and went to FSU, before moving to Atlanta for my first job. :shock:

P.S. If you think my Walton County stories are , you should hear some of the Tales of South Fork!

 

[Miss Kitty]

Well dahlin'...do tell! Us Texas gals would LOVE to hear about living off the oil wells!!! HMM asks me frequently where mine are....I spoofed him in college when I brought him to Houston for Thanksgiving to meet the parents for the first time. Told him we had wells in the backyard....we arrived after dark and the poor boy almost strained his neck looking out back....tall pine trees can fool a boy from Illinois!!!! We lived off the next best thing in Texas...AIR CONDITIONING, thanks to PawPaw!!!!

 

[Ocean Lover]

Who need tv when we have all these great stories! Tales of Southfork would be quite interesting.