Sean of the South with 3 on a String...A Supper Club Adventure

I heard Sean of the South was to be with 3 on a String at the supper club.  Dolores Fort had asked if I would like to go. I was interested in once again seeing 3 on a String, having enjoyed seeing them long ago (when we were all much younger).  Sean is one of, if not the, favorite of entertainer of Scott so I was glad that he was to be there with them.

When he arrived, it was so exciting as he unpacked his vehicle and was bringing thing in, I asked him if he was Sean and when he said he was, I introduced myself, telling him I was Scott's grandmother.  I requested a picture of us together for Scott sometime before the show was over, he immediately said now.  He and the other three were great entertainment and I quickly became a fan of Sean's, with plans to see him each time he will be appearing anywhere I can.  

The pictures show not only those of Sean, but of Jerry Ryan, who started the Sugar Creek Supper club when he was one of the original 3 on a string.  His son, Brad Ryan, Andy and Bobby whose last names escape me are now 3 on a string with Jerry appearing when is is able.

What are your favorite movies?

As a young person, I would watch musical movies over and over. The music, dancing and happy themes of these movies was enticing. As I grew older, I began to be a bit more inclined to watch for things that I found distasteful such as vulgar language or inappropriate scenes that turned too intimate for enjoyable viewing. Since my time of TV movie watching is here and I rarely go to a theater to see a movie, I have the option of quickly changing channels if such appears.

Now to my FAVORITE movies, Anything with John Wayne starring which can be a western, war, history or any other theme, so shall we say I enjoy a good Western movie. Also some of the old musical movies, most historical based stories showing the way our country was when it was wholesome (or not-ha), Civil War Movies, romance movies as long as they don’t contain the aforementioned sounds or visions. Biblical movies if they remain true to God’s Word are also a favorite of mine.

To name a movie I enjoy most is not easy so I shall just say that with the types of movies listed above, I find those to be my FAVORITE.

How did you get your first job?

The first day I lived in Gordo, Alabama, my neighbor across the street, Sabra Powell, asked me if I would like a job. Well, yeah!! So I go downtown and apply at the Yellow Front Store & am hired IF I can get a work permit from the principal. I go with Daddy to the school & ask Mr. Gibbs for a permit, acquire the same, & go to work the next Saturday.

I worked there through the first semester of twelfth grade & enjoyed every minute of it. Was the work hard? Sometimes. But the things learned & friends made worth more than any difficulties.

What was your Dad like when you were a child?

 My daddy was strict but loving. He sometimes cried when he had to discipline us. He read the Sunday funnies out of the paper to us until we learned to read. One time (I was two), I took my little round pointed scissors & cut little nips along the crease in his pant leg. It was a new suit & we sure did not have enough money to buy him a new one. I think Mother was more upset with him than me. I was a ‘baby’ & he should have been more observant while he read the funnies. I have NO memory of this but it has been repeated many times.

Daddy was manager of the Yellow Front Store until I was about eight. Then he & a cousin, Hilburn Pollare bought a store.

While Daddy & Hillburn had the store, Daddy took Billy Joe & me to Memphis with him. He had gone for animal feed for their farmer customers. When we got to the feed mill, the truck broke down. The salesperson was nice. He was a Christian & a Mason & saw Daddy’s Masonic. He invited us to spend the night with him & his wife. They had no children & his wife seemed to be glad to have two children for the night. Billy was 12 & I was 9 (I guess). Anyway, that night, I had my very first inside bathtub. Since Daddy’s plans were to return home that day, we had no pajamas or toothbrush, etc. Our hostess let me borrow a sundress to sleep in that was identical to my nightgown at home. Daddy took us to the zoo that afternoon until the man of the house came home. During the night, a gas station blew up & a big boom woke everyone up. We had a lovely breakfast the next morning & were able to return to Hamilton. Hamilton had no pigeons at that time & we were fascinated by them. Of course, Daddy let me take a pigeon home. Billy rode in the back of the truck & there was Daddy, me & my pigeon UNTIL the pigeon needed to use the restroom & since I was holding it, you know who received the ‘gift’. The window went down real quick as Daddy was laughing at me. Since it did not make it to Alabama, I am NOT responsible for the over population of pigeon

We were in church every time the doors were open. Mother & Daddy took us to church & stayed with us for study & worship.

Daddy was a volunteer Fireman while we lived in Hamilton. One time he fell through the upstairs of the house that was burning & Mother seeing him fall, thought he’d fallen into the downstairs that was flaming big. His Masonic ring caught on the hose he was using to fight the fire & his fellow firemen drug him back up. Mother had already fainted & been carried home when he was brought to safety.

Having worked for Yellow Front before being drafted, Daddy returned to that company when his service to the U.S. Army was over. Including the time he worked as a student , he was with the Yellow Front store for 11 years.

Then he began what is now referred to as job hopping. He worked with Hilburn for a while in the store, worked as a breadman for Hardin Bakery & ran the peddling truck. We took the truck to Amory, MS., & he worked there for two years. When he saw a decline in the need for peddling trucks, he sold his. Next, he unloaded freight cars for Hodo Brothers,. His back that had been broken long before with subsequent surgery at age 21, would not hold up for him to continue with that job.

    He & Mother then sold aluminum alloy waterless cookware. It was & is great cookware. It was “party” cookware & they would prepare sweet potatoes, white potatoes, carrots, cabbage & fresh green beans to cook at night the day of a party. Mother made up cake batter & pancake batter for use in demonstration of that cookware. Then at a party, they cooked everything in front of a home gathered group. The problem with that job was that Billy & I were young enough that we needed someone to stay with us at night. Details of how long they held that work are not clear but at least for the school term.

We moved back to Tuscaloosa & Daddy worked for Hardin Bakery that school year. When that school term was done, we moved to Gordo where he sold standard Coffee. After the Standard Coffee job, he worked for a life insurance company. He worked for them my senior year & until I graduated & got married.

Daddy went to work for the State of Alabama & retired as Manager of the laundry at Partlow School for the mentally challenged.

We were ALWAYS in church with all moves & knew we had food & clothes & a place to live with parents who loved us after God. God was first place in their hearts. They were the best!

Did you get along with your siblings as a child?

 I only had one brother & as younger children, he was my hero. He was responsible for me as we roamed Hamilton, Alabama with Jimmy Wayne & HarborJean. When we went to the movie on Saturday afternoons (it cost ten cents each), he was to walk me there & back to the store where Daddy & Mother were working. One day, he dropped one of the dimes & quickly declared that if I did not find the dime, I had to go back to the store for the afternoon. It was a cheap babysitter for Saturday afternoons for working parents. Mr. White Bedford was a deacon in our church & he was manager of the theater, he made sure the children behaved & were safe. He always told Billy Joe to leave before it got dark. We stayed through the movie all afternoon.

Other times, because I was younger than the other three, I was ‘allowed’ to play alone when they played games above my age level (they were only one & two years older but we were all like brothers & sisters so they felt superior to me). An instance of this is mumble-peg which is played with a pocket knife. (I might get cut.) Outside, we played marbles, made houses out of leaves in the woods (the outlines of rooms, no walls of course), swung on vines, & played Tarzan & Jane, many games with balls, things children today are totally ignorant of because they all have electronic games on computers, phones, I-pads, etc. I feel sorry for our children of today for missing out on games where their imagination could run rampant in their lives. I have seen some of my great grandchildren who have wonderful imaginations in their games & I have to commend their parents for encouraging this.

I wish my great grandchildren could experience some of this. Yes, even the times when we did not have running water & indoor plumbing. The walks down the path were what almost everyone we knew was doing so we were like our neighbors & relatives. But, making mud pies and ‘sandwiches’ out of two large leaves with a different smaller leaf as the inside of the sandwich. NO, we did not eat these. We served them to the other children & NO, they didn’t eat them either. Ante Over where we threw a ball over the house for the other team to try to catch it or Red Rover, Red Rover & the games listed above were so much fun. We played whatever our imaginations could think of & we had vivid imaginations. Kids gathered around the radio (if they were lucky enough to have one) & listened to serial shows; The Green Hornet, Dick Tracy, The Squeaking Door & others. On Saturday nights, the Grand Ole Opry was on & anyone who enjoyed country music listened. Minnie Pearl was so funny. She always had funny stories about relatives.

Oh, yes, I got along with my one sibling & my other almost siblings way back then. Billy Joe left us for a better place 14 years ago today 12-6-2008, Jean left 1-25-2010, Jimmy Wayne on 11-27-2022. Robert Hugh Mays who was part of our group when everyone was gathered together died 6-21-2008. So that leaves me as the only one of the Musketeers alive.

Speaking of being the one left, Billy Joe was Ma & Pa Davis’ (Dave & Savannah - Vanner) grandchild. I was next. The only aunt I have left is Aunt Tommie Lou Berryhill Davis. She is 92 & still beautiful. She is the oldest family member of Dave & Vanner left. I am next. The responsibility for being the oldest can overwhelm you sometimes. I feel so honored that God has left us this way. My love for all the family, not just Dave’s branch, but every one of the branches of that family. Genealogy is important to me & I pray that I will be able to complete my second Genealogy book to have a record of the births, lives, marriages, babies, & deaths of our family. YES, it is OUR family. It belongs to every member who has ever or will ever become a part of this wonderful family.

May God bless all who read this. It is a blessing for me to share my life with you. My second Genealogy of the various families connected to the Davis family is an undertaking of love.

This book is a blessing for Scott who is my first grandchild & he is the one most likely to walk where I am walking now. Every member of my & Thomas family is special.!!!

What are some of your family traditions?

 My family has few, if any, traditions. We gather for holidays. Dianne or Katherine have me in the earlier part of Thanksgiving Day with both their extended families.

Tim has me along with his entire family for Thanksgiving also on Thanksgiving day. Our Magan takes a family picture on that day that is used on the Christmas cards.

Tanya & Joe come home when they can.

Thomas & I went out West when he was able. I went every year or two for a long time after he died.. Covid stopped that. I go to California when I can now but have not been in a few years. Thomas & I went hot air ballooning with Tanya & Joe for years. After he died, I did go to the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta & crew for two of our German pilots. Our friends, Elisa Bustamante Paulk & her husband, Ken were the Zebras & were Launch Director for the Fiesta that year. That was so much fun. The feasting post ballooning is so o o o o good. I have only been a few times since then when Mike & Brenda Prentiss were able to fly. They are special friends who usually fly in Temecula, CA. They come to town for a meal when I am at Tanya’s. Good friends.

I guess following Christ to the best of our ability is our number one tradition. I can’t imagine how people who don’t know God and His Son, Jesus, get through hard times. God the Father, Son, & Holy Spirit!! How Awesome!!

We celebrate Christ’s birth. I spend time with Tim, Rene’ & their family. I spend time with Tera, Kenny & their family. Maybe when Tanya retires & they move closer, I can spend time with them.

Each of the children have wonderful friends who are part of my extended family. I treasure my children & their friends. So many of these young friends are truly part of our family & loved.

God is truly good to me & my family is, too.

Where did you go on vacations as a child?

 My parents worked six days a week until I was about 12 so we did not take more than a day or two away when we would visit relatives.

One year, we went to Paris (Parish, Alabama) to visit my Aunt Ruth. She had several boys. Aunt Ruth was really my first cousin, but Pa & Ma Sanderson raised her after her mother died. She was close in age to Mother (Myrtle) & she was ‘my aunt’.

I’m not certain if it was the same year, but we also went to Kansas (it was Kansas, Alabama), not the state of. Other than that, we went to Ma & Pa Davis’ house. We did not go as a family, I spent time with them alone. It was wonderful. I went to Zion Church back then in a horse drawn wagon. Recently I visited Zion with my aunt & her family. I saw one of the friends that I made when I was probably 9 or 10 years old. Irene & I go so far back, I’m not certain. Her sister-in-law is also a friend, but she moved from Hatley, Mississippi when she married Irene’s brother. I did not know her when we lived at Amory or Hatley. I saw her again at the church when I went recently. Sue is a wonderful friend from a long time ago. The other’s with whom I played at Zion are gone.

Other ‘vacations’ were spent with my first cousin, Jean Sanderson. She has been mentioned in previous stories of our life at Hamilton before we became nomads. Uncle Vick & Aunt Exar lived in several houses around Hamilton. The two I remember were a ‘shotgun’ house (three rooms & a lean to room) one room wide with the three rooms lined up. We had so much fun. Jean & I would go to bed with gum in our mouths & when we were ready to go to sleep (quit talking), we stuck the gum behind the headboard of the bed. I’ve often wondered if Aunt Exar was able to get all of that hardened gum off the headboard. We played with Jimmy Wayne Sanderson, another first cousin. Incidentally, Jim passed away Friday and was buried (11-23-22). That leaves me the last surviving cousin of the four musketeers. Of course, when Robert Hugh Mays was in Hamilton from Birmingham, we became five. He, too, is gone. Anyway, I always had a wonderful visit with Jean & Jim as often as I could get back to Hamilton. Of course, Jean spent the night with me before we moved.

There was one ‘vacation’ I took with Aunt Exar, Uncle Victor, Jean & her husband, Tommy. The day following my 16th birthday, Jean & Tommy came to Gordo & picked me up to go to Zion, Illinois with them for a month’s visit. I would spend every other night with them (newly weds) & the other with Aunt Exar & Uncle Vick. They all worked either in Zion or across the state line in Wisconsin. Both couples had one room. Jean & Tommie did have a place for me to put my pallet when I was with them. I’d roll up my ‘bed’ & take it to the other place the next night. Having been raised with folks sleeping on pallets, that was fine with me. With all the kids I knew from Hamilton living in Zion, I really enjoyed that month. I dated Gary Lindsey a good bit. For someone who had never had a vacation, it was great! I kept house for both couples & cooked supper at whichever place I was spending the night. Jean’s stove was small, gas, & set too close to the wall. One day, I had a pan of corn boiling & the flames got to the wall & set it on fire. I tried to distinguish the flames without success.The owner of the building had a business downstairs & I ran down & got him to put out the fire. During the day, I had Jean’s car & would do whatever I wanted. There was a fabulous bakery close-by & I got a big sweet roll every morning for breakfast & a large (BIG) coca cola for all day. We went swimming in Lake Michigan & it was not even luke warm. IT WAS COLD!!! So, you now know that for the first 18 years of my life, I took one real vacation.