WRATHFUL WINDS, JUDGES, DOUBLE DECKER AND RUM PUNCH
May 1, 2011 § 2 Comments
The death and devastation that fell on our state and neighboring Alabama last Wednesday is sobering and sad. Four killed in our own Clarke County. Another three in Kemper to the north. A woman who works with Lisa lost four members of her family in the storms, including her husband and mother. And Smithville. The images take your breath away. A friend from Tupelo carried a truckload of supplies down there early Thursday morning before Homeland Security cordoned it off, and he said that the photographs are inadequate to capture the scope and severity of the damage. He saw bodies scattered in the wreckage and the survivors wandering in shock.
The reports of people responding with help bring a lump to your throat. Families in the surrounding communities are taking the homeless families in until they can make other arrangements. A man in Columbus who caters barbecues hitched up his cookers, rounded up some friends and lots of food, and set up in Smithville to cook free for anyone there who needed it. Yesterday on the Square in Oxford in the midst of Double Decker people were taking up money for the people in the devastated areas. There were thousands of people there, so I hope they reaped a bountiful harvest.
While so much of Mississippi was being walloped last week by the deadly tornadoes, the judges were in Jackson for the spring conference. Most of us spent a lot of time on cell phones checking on things back home. Chancellor Jim Davidson of Columbus learned that his home in Oxford had five trees on it and roof and water damage. All of our families made it through okay, though.
As always, I picked up a lot of helpful information at the judges’ meeting, and I will be passing much of it on to you here.
On Friday, Lisa and I met up at Oxford for the Double Decker Festival, which is without a doubt one of the best street festivals in the state. At DD Sarurday morning we ran into folks from Meridian and old friends the Gambrells of Oxford and the Tutors of Pontotoc. Robert Gambrell, a bankruptcy lawyer, told me the roof was ripped off his office in the storm that hit Oxford, and many files and some equipment were damaged.
The weather for DD was a gorgeous counterpoint to the turmoil of the days before. It was clear, sunny and cool, and a gentle breeze kept things comfortable. After wandering the more than 100 vendor booths admiring paintings, pottery, handicrafts, jewelry and whatnots, and enjoying the music and aroma of delicious food wafting across the area, we ambled over to Tom Freeland’s office to meet and visit with him. He treated me to a delicious rum punch made with fresh-squeezed limes and a generous dose of rum. Now that’s hospitality. I think next year I may bring a couple of lawn chairs and trespass on the front lawn of Tom’s office just off the Square on West Jackson so we can make a longer day of it. Lisa’s back does not enjoy the few hours of walking and standing that DD entails.
From there we had lunch at Two Stick (owned by friends of my daughter) and headed back to our Oxford retreat tired but happy.
Next week we’re going to give some money to that nurse who lost four family members. I encourage all of you to give whatever you can to the Red Cross or your church, or whomever you know will put it to good use to help the Mississippians who are hurting right now. No gift is too small for that purpose. And let’s remember them in our prayers.
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Joyce and I agree you would be a licensee and not a trespasser if you arrive with lawn chairs next DoubleDecker.
Thanks! We’ll likely take you up on that. Besides, I would need a chair if I had more than 1 rum punch! Thanks again for your hospitality.