Only In The South

Years ago there were cartoons which in this present day would have been considered sexist. I remember seeing those old cartoons about cavemen and cavewomen dressed like Fred and Wilma Flintstone. Sometimes there would be a young caveman who went out to find himself a cave lady to court in hopes that she would become his wife. He took along his club which happened to be the same weapon he used to hunt dinosaurs. His club was used also to hunt for a bride. She would always run from him and hide just like any creature being hunted. Eventually that young caveman would catch the young cavewoman, and he would knock her out with his club. Then he drug her by her hair to his home, and they would become husband and wife. Not a very good way to love your women!

Times sure have changed. Last night I was talking to my neighbor, Bob, about the ways and traditions of country life in southern Kentucky where I grew up.  I mentioned that much of our social life and courting, especially before a young man could drive, was done at church and through church activities. I also told him how, for fun growing up in the country, we ran through the hollars and woods playing fox and hounds, swung on grape vines, ran  through creeks, played and swam in ponds and rode horses? Bob asked me if boys hunted. I think most of us did hunt. I hunted and had a 20 gauge pump shotgun, but I really didn’t like to hunt that much. Remembering those days made me think about what happened to that gun. I shared with Bob how when I wanted to ask the love of my life to marry me I didn’t have any money to get her a ring. So I sold my very nice 20 gauge shotgun to get enough money to make a down payment on the ring I wanted to give my future wife.

At Christmas I popped the question, and placed the ring on Sherri Pitt’s finger after she said yes. I didn’t hit her in the head with a club, or drag her home by her hair. But I did bag the young lady whom I wanted to be with for the rest of my life, and as strange as it might sound I did it with my hunting weapon, my 20 gauge shotgun. Disclaimer: No young women were harmed in this real life event.