“Hi Mom.”

“Hi Tommie, how you doing?”

“I’m good Ma, I was just calling to see what was going on with you and Bud.”

“Girl, quit calling your daddy Bud, You know that’s not right.”

“Bud don’t mind, I mean (laughing), dad don’t mind.”

“I always told your daddy we should’ve had more children.”

“Come on Ma, you know I’m more than enough for both of you.”

“Yeah, you right Tommie, sometimes a little too much” (laughing).  “At least you aren’t spoiled, child. I definitely thank the Lord for that.”

“Love you Ma, tell Bud I called.”

“OK honey, I’ll tell your daddy you called, talk to you soon.”

 

I decided to take the offer that Linda presented to me on behalf of Mr. Silver, heck, at least I’ll get a chance to travel the south on somebody else’s dime.  Although I had never ventured south, I was aware of distant relatives that I overheard my mom and Bud talking about.  Friends of mine had relocated to Atlanta a few years back and they have not returned home – not once since they left the Motor City.  They both even convinced their parents to move south so they wouldn’t have to fly back and forth to check on them.  I’m not sure what they said to the Clemons’s and the Holley’s but they packed their stuff up, rented out their houses and have settled down in Savannah.

On occasion, me and Vickie would talk and she would always let me know how much she enjoyed living in Atlanta.  “Girl, look a here, look a here – Vickie Holley loves Atlanta, loves living down south – you hear me talkin to you T ?”  I love the south.”

“Well V – does the south love you back?”  (I asked).

“Hell yeah girl!  “Atlanta loves them some Vickie, I mean, you know me girl, who or what wouldn’t love me?” (laughing).

Alright Ms. Thang.” (I remember saying).  “Talk to you later.  Give my love to Murphy, your parents and your in laws and you all take care of yourselves. Mom and Bud say’s hi as well.”

“OK Tommie – my love to your parents as well.”  “Girl, why you call your father Bud?”

“Cause that’s his name.”  (I replied).

 

That was over a month ago and I couldn’t wait to tell Vickie that I would be traveling south, I know she’s going to be blown away.  She’s been trying to get me to come and visit her and Murphy since she stepped her size 6 feet on that red dirt and proclaimed that she was home.  Maybe I’ll make a stop in Atlanta first – I don’t know, something to think about.  First, I have to let my parent’s know about my plans – then, I’ll tell V.

 

B. Knox

75 SOUTH

To be continued on Tuesday, 1.19.2016