Storytelling at Eagle's Landing

When I arrived at the Spires Independent Living center at Berry College, Lydia Reese, their Lifestyles Coordinator, met me and ushered me into a new venue for me, Eagles Landing. There was a pretty full house of folks milling around a table of treats or sitting in comfortable chairs around the room awaiting our monthly storytelling session, this time combined with a celebration of November birthdays. 

It is so much fun to tell stories to folks who are active and enthusiastic listeners. I recognized a few regulars but also lots of new folks. 

I brought along a baby alligator and showed it off the the group and set my story in the swamp to justify bringing Beauregard the Gator.

I had not told the old Jack Tale, Hardy Hardhead, in a long time. I first learned it from Ed Stivender's recording of the story that we played many times on car trips with our kids. Naturally when I began to tell it to my fourth grade students at school I relied heavily on Ed's version. I credited Ed in advance to the group today. I have just had too many years of telling some stories to successfully alter them to more of a Terrell version. And it would be hard to improve on Ed's inventive "modernization" of this crazy old tale. 

I remember that on one of our special "Star Nights" for Armuchee fourth graders 15 or 20 years ago Dr. Jim Watkins of Berry told a more traditional "Hardy Hardhead"and the kids loved it.

The folks at the Spires seemed to enjoy it as well. As always when I finished I asked if any in the audience would like to share a story. John Henson (a cousin of my friend Lloyd Henson it turns out) volunteered a short reminiscence --- prompted by the sight of Beauregard --- that I got a kick out of. I'd like to preserve what I remember of it here:

John and some of his Berry College buddies decided to make a spring break trip to Florida. This was back in the pre-Interstate sixties when the highways near the Florida border were lined with tourist traps selling alligator and Florida souvenirs and fruit. The boys noticed a sign for one upcoming roadside stand that proclaimed "Fresh-squeezed Florida Orange Juice -- all you can drink for 10¢" Even in the sixties that was a bargain so they stopped. The gaggle of college boys was not interested in any of the tourist trap baubles. All they wanted was the juice. When they asked the attendant for the juice, she distributed a paper cup to each boy and poured a very small amount of juice into to each cup. The boys downed them like a whiskey shot and presented their emptied cups immediately for a refill. She sighed and once again poured a tiny serving into each cup. Again the empty cups were presented for another round of refills. She gave then a worried look, then excused herself and opened the door to an office. They heard a muffled conversation and then the man who was obviously the proprietor came out. 

"Howdy boys, where are y'all from?" 

"We're students at Berry College"

"Well, thank you boys for stopping by our shop. You've had some of our orange juice and now I reckon its time for you to be moving on."

"But your signs say "Fresh-squeezed Florida Orange Juice -- all you can drink for 10¢" And we want to drink some more."

"Well boys, I suppose you may have mis-interpreted our signs.  You see, it's my orange juice, and I get to decide how much is 'all you can drink for 10¢' And you have drunk just exactly that amount. Have a nice day."

I also enjoyed talking a little with Joel Todino and Stuart Smith afterwards. Stuart shares an interest with me in wildflowers. I have known Joel for a long time through our shared interest in the arts and local history.

We will have a Christmas themed storytelling time there on December 15 at 2 p.m. The public is welcome to attend!