Yesterday, we had an evening social in our neighbor Jane’s
carport. I was offered a beer, which I took. I think it loosened my tongue. I told
these two true stories:
In late May or early June, 1959, Marietta students went to
Panama City. To yet be famous singer Billy Joe Royal wanted
to go to be with his girlfriend Georgia.
His brother Jack, and Jack’s friend Charlie, and two others wanted to go
too. We had saved $30 so we pooled our
money. We had a total of $35. I don’t
know why my parents allowed me to go but somehow I got to go.
In Panama City, we stayed in a cheap hotel for $8 s night, the
name was Key of West Motel. The room’s
bathroom was also the bathroom for another room.
We went to the beach and got all sunburned. We met up with other friends and we all went
back our room to get out of the hot sun and drink cheap beer. Our friends had yet got a room, mainly
because they had no money, so they stayed with us. It was crowed so some of them used the
adjoining room. In the middle of the
night a honeymoon couple rented the adjoining room. They opened the door and a bunch of friends
of our were all over the bed and floor, sunburned, so almost naked. We were kicked out. The owner wisely searched our suit cases and
found 2 or 3 motel’s towels.
With no money and no place to sleep we drove to Valdosta, Ga
to look up Billy Joe’s and Jack’s kinfolks.
They did not have enough room for all of us, so 2 or 3 of us went to
their other uncle in Tifton, Ga. That night
the uncle and aunt in Tifton took us to the American Legion in Syvester, Ga. And
we all got drunk. I slept behind their
house by a pond that night.
We went back to Valdosta.
Billy Joe played a lot of music on their piano and a guitar. Their uncle was a member of a local band that
played in a furniture warehouse weekly.
He invited Billy Joe to play with them.
That was Bily Joe Royal’s first singing gig.
Billy Joe decided to stay and play with the band. He was the one with the car. Their mother, Mrs. Royal came and brought us
back to Marietta.
Another true story I told in th carport last night:
In the Spring of 1963 I was to go into the Navy active duty
soon. I wanted one last fling before I
went so a bunch of us went to the Grand Old Opry in Nashville.
We went in my Volvo, which my friends just fixed my brakes. In the mountains between Chattanooga and
Nashville going down a steep hill my brakes gave out. Back then on state highways they had “runaway
ramps”… which I’m sure saved our lives.
The same friends that installed my brakes were in the car so they fixed
the brakes.
In Nashville we got a room almost next door to the Ryman Auditorium
. Before we went in to the concert we
went Woolworths to eat. We were sitting
in a booth in the window when an old man in raggedy clothes with a guitar stood
outside and watched us eat. We motioned
for him to come in, which he came in. We
bought him a dinner. He told us he and
Cowboy Kobus grew up together. He said Cowboy
Kobus told him if he was ever in Nashville he would put him on stage at the
Grand Ole Opry.
We had balcony seats in the Opry. We saw several big name stars sing, such as
Patsy Cline and I forgot who else. Then,
in the aisle on the first floor I saw the old man in his dirty old raincoat and
guitar wanting up the aisle towards the stage.
I told my friends, “Look! Our
buddy!”
Our buddy got only a few more steps and was blocked by
ushers or security. As they drug him off
he hollered to Cowboy Kobus to let him up.
Cowboy Kobus went on with his routine without even looking at his fold friend.
Afterwards we went to a bar named THE JUNGLE. We made friends with the waitress name “Bunny”. She told us to call her anytime. Which we did the next morning and got to
listen to her irate husband.
Shortly after that, maybe that same night or the next
weekend night Cowboy Kobus and Patsey Cline was killed in a plane wreck in Tennessee.
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