GRANDDADDY'S STORE

**** IN THE 1950'S MY GRANDDAD OWNED A STORE . IT WASN'T LIKE THE STORES OF TODAY .

IT WAS KIND OF LIKE A QUICK CHECK WERE PEOPLE STAYED AN HOUR OR TWO . PEOPLE EXCHANGED THE LATEST NEWS & GOSSIP.

THEY ALSO MADE SANDWICHES SUCH AS HOOP CHEESE & RAG BALONEY. THERE WAS ALSO A BIG JAR OF PICKLES. I NEVER UNDERSTOOD WHY ANYBODY WANTED ONE .

THERE WAS A TABLE & A LOT OF CHAIRS IN THE CORNER BY THE COAL STOVE . DOMINOES & CHECKERS WERE PLAYED ALL THE TIME .

THE COKE BOTTLE GAME WAS AN ONGOING EVENT THROUGH OUT THE DAY . IT WORKED LIKE THIS ; WHERE THE DRINK WAS BOTTLED IS WRITTEN ON THE BOTTOM OF THE GLASS. YOU COULD PLAY CLOSEST TO OR FURTHEREST AWAY.

THE GUYS REALLY GOT INTO THIS. THEY EVEN POSTED A BIG MAP OF THE USA ON THE WALL . WHEN THERE WAS A DISPUTE THEY WOULD GO TO THE MAP TO MEASURE WHO WAS CLOSEST OR FURTHEREST.

THE LOSER HAD TO BUY ALL THE COKES BUT THEY ONLY COST A NICKEL .

THE BEST OF ALL WAS STORYTELLING . THE MEN WOULD TELL THESE STORIES & THE OTHERS WOULD TRY TO PROVE HIM WRONG .

THE CHAMP WAS MR.SIMS WHO TOLD STORIES OF BEING WITH ADMIRAL BYRD AT THE NORTH POLE. ANYTIME ANYONE TALKED ABOUT COLD WEATHER MR SIMS WAS READY WITH A NORTH POLE STORY.

FINALLY THE STORE SETTERS HAD ENOUGH . THEY GOT A PICTURE FROM THE SMITHSONIAN OF ADMIRAL BYRD'S GROUP AT THE NORTH POLE. THERE WAS NO MR SIMS IN THE PICTURE.

WELL 'THEY SET HIM UP . THE NEXT TIME MR SIMS CRANKED UP A NORTH POLE STORY THEY PULLED OUT THE PICTURE.

WHERE ARE YOU IN THIS PICTURE THEY ASKED ? I'M NOT SAID MR SIMS .YOU SAID YOU WERE THERE THE BUNCH CHALLENGED.MR SIMS SAID "BOYS , WHO DO YOU THINK TOOK THIS PICTURE "

WITH THAT ANSWER MR SIMS BECAME THE STORYTELLING CHAMP OF ALL TIMES .

WOMEN IN THE COMMUNITY COULD NOT UNDERSTAND WHY THE MEN SPENT 2 OR 3 HOURS AT JIMMIE'S. BUT IF YOU EVER WENT IT WASN'T HARD TO UNDERSTAND.

JIMMIE'S CLOSED IN 1960 WHEN GRAN DADDY WAS KILLED IN A CAR WRECK .I CAN STILL SEE HIM IN THAT FANCY STRAW HAT , STRIPED SHIRT & THOSE TWO -TONE SHOES SITTING ON THE PORCH OF THE STORE. JIMMIE WAS 53 WHEN THE LORD CALLED HIS NAME .

I DON'T THINK THEY HAVE STORES LIKE JIMMIE'S ANYMORE.

**** STEELERS OVER JETS

**** PACKERS OVER BEARS

THANK YOU FOR READING!!!!!!!