Sit, spit and whittle club................

[JB(MS)]

When I was growing up there was a country store, Roberts Store but everyone called it Rob-burr-dee Store, just down the road that had two long, rough hewn wooden benches on the porch. There were usually a few old guys sitting on the benches talking, whittling, chewing tobacco or dipping snuff and seeing who could spit the furtherest. Usually some of them would be playing checkers, using bottlecaps from soft drinks and a homemade checker board. There always seemed to be a couple trying to trade knives and one or the other was carving on one of the benches. I carved on them too but the cheap knives I had were so dull I couldn't do much. Until I reached the age that girls became more important I would hang around the edges, listening to the stories and yarns they told. Some of them were World War I vets and one, Mr. Enlow was his name I believe, was part of Teddy Roosevelts Rough Riders in the Spanish American War. All of them had hard lives and the stories they told probably had a lot to do with my interest in local history and the stories connected with it. The store is long gone and all the people passed on years ago but the benches are on the porch of funeral home here in Amory. I stop by occasionally, sit on one of them for awhile and talk to the funeral home director. They bring back a lot of memories. I seemed to be getting sentimental in my old age but that really ain't bad.<center><img src="http://www.jb-ms.com/images/Pics/bench2.jpg" border=2></center>The store owner told me the benches were made in 1880 when his uncles built the original store that was torn down when the road was widened in the 1950's. You can see how much carving has been done on them.<center><img src="http://www.jb-ms.com/images/Pics/bench1.jpg" border=2></center>The store that replaced the original one closed in 1973 when the owner died, it was partially destroyed by a tornado and the current land owner finished destroying it in the early 1990's. The old benches are all that's left of the store, if they could talk you can bet they would have some amazing stories to tell. I'm glad the funeral home owner, Mr. Guy Pickle who is almost 95, managed to save them.

 

[Sunny]

spend our nickel allowance, or to trade in the coke bottles for goodies. I can hear the old floor creak that was made of wood. And that Colonial Bread Sign on the door??? Thanks for bringing back a bit of my past when my life was carefree and wonderful! Those benches are priceless!

 

[david(tx)]

courthouse where i lived,all the old timers and cotton farmers would sit on the benches outside the courthouse doing the same thing,only i think they had regular checkers.

 

[Ron J]

Sounds like they should go to the local historical society for future generations. RJ

 

[alsway]

J.B. Andy G.P.letters carved in?Be something if there was. AL.

 

[VT Dave]

n/t

 

[Royal]

It is wonderful they were saved and I hope the old feller that has them now has made arrangements for them to be rescued after he passes...

 

[Micheal_R]

When I was a kid, a group of us would ride our bicycles out to Cumberland and talk to an old Chinaman called Jumbo. Oh, man... the stories he wove of life in the old town and the mines.....

Many thanks for stirring up long forgotten memories

Calm seas, fair winds

M

 

[Lil Brother]

Golly at all the history carved in to those benches! Thanks.

Lil Brother