NUTZ NOTES

(Originally run 4/10/04 on our old site)

Tom Pry

A few days before this first ran, I wrote a piece of near-morose philosophizing on my personal website, and it drew a couple of responses I’d like to share with you.

Ernie Simpson

Hi old bud:

I had to sit back from the keyboard after reading this and just ponder for a minute. It gave me pause, as we both have had at least a couple of careers, good or bad, fair or foul, that we've completed. Now, I wonder --as I approach the 196th day, 12 hours before my last day of work -- and wonder how I’ll handle it. Shall I be morose, bored; will I have feelings of a lack of self-worth? I think not, in either case.

It doesn't take a whole lot to please me, which is a good thing, ‘cause I don't have much. I have really adjusted a lot over the years and, as I recall, I think my elementary report card from Mrs. Christian commented, "plays well alone.” I do plan to exercise my mind, which you are doing, and adjust my goals to other arenas, and probably not look for a 'job'; not sure about that, we'll see. I DO think if piddling and pondering were ever made an Olympic Sport, I would take at least a bronze.

I think we will stay in touch as friends, and you will keep me going in some sense, which I appreciate. So you may add me to your long list of friends who depend on you for guidance, encouragement, support, and enlightenment.

That now having been said, I loved Fried Green Tomatoes, and yes, Driving Miss Daisy. So count me in, old friend, till the bitter or happy end. I'm there with you and for you.

I never doubted it, Ern – and that, among other things, makes me a damn lucky man! -tlp-

Does anyone remember a lawyer in Searcy named Price, in the late '40s? His nickname was "Flywheel", as in "Flywheel" Price. Dr. Muncy doesn't mention him, and I haven't written Eddie Best, but thought some of our fellow searcyyesterers might remember....

I loved your tag on Field's Farm, it just made the piece! I read it to Shelia over coffee, and she had a great laugh!

I understand Mr. Field's wife, and Judge Davenport's wife were sisters.

Judge Davenport was a prominent judge in White County, and had a mentally challenged son in the 40's that rode around Searcy on his bike with a pet chicken balancing on the handlebars. An uncle of mine commented to me once, while in the European Theatre, WW II, they were shown some newsreels of home life around the US, and they saw the video of Judge Davenport's boy on his bike....that was the most homesick he ever became during the war.

I hope today is a good day, old bud....I hope we get some comments from "Field's Farm".....

Anita Hart Fuller

I, too, think of Fried Green Tomatoes as one of my top 10 movies. I own it, plus the book, plus the cookbook. Now if there is EVER a good old southern recipe you want, it's in that cookbook! The pecan pie is to die for....and every time I serve it, folks rave at how good it is. The "secret" actually is just using brown sugar instead of white.

Tom, if you can find it, rent a never-heard-of movie, "The Legend of 1900" starring Tim Roth. Trust me, both you and Ernie would LOVE it. It's a sleeper Bob and I happened on years ago, and we see it periodically and have shown it to all our friends who overnight here - they love it, too. I'm sure Ernie can get it in the metropolis of Jon'boro. He'll like it 'cause it's narrated by a trumpet player.

To Harold Gene: has anyone ever noticed the resemblance of your Dad, early on, and Gary Cooper? It's very noticeable in that picture you sent from Bee Rock.

Tom Pry

I don’t intend turning this into a media review but, of late, my wife, Karen, and I have become quite enamored of a series on The Travel Channel (Channel 277, for those of you on DirecTV). Running Tuesday nights at 8 (Central), it’s called “John Ratzenberger’s Made In America,” two half-hour episodes run back-to-back.

Produced in cooperation with the Readers’ Digest Association, some would call it jingoistic, since it celebrates American businesses in a totally unashamed manner, but it’s unspectacularly lighthearted and illuminating. Each 30 minute segment looks at 3 American businesses, what they make, how, and a quick glimpse of the people who work there. At about 8 minutes per segment, it doesn’t have time to get draggy, and Cheers alumnus Ratzenberger keeps it moving right along – even if it appears as if he were stealing a forklift full of ice cream.

Just one of this week’s segments featured the Purity Dairy in Nashville, the Vermont Teddy Bear Company, and the Louisville Slugger company.

It’s heartwarming and fun, blatantly middle America. Try it.

2005 FOOTNOTE: Yes, Ernie and I are still the best of friends; that said, I must say that Bob and Anita Fuller, for some reason, have dropped off my radar, and I don’t know why. I hope it’s just that I’ve irritated them, and not because one of them is sick.

Anita ended up make copies of “The Legend of 1900” for both Ernie and me. Very good film, very haunting … very weird.

Should you go to the library looking for a copy of the book behind “Fried Green Tomatoes,” the full and proper name is “Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Café.”