Taking A Walk

by Dwayne Phillips

This evening (October 7th) we ate dinner at Hardee’s near Dublin, Virginia. Something was odd when we walked in as there appeared to be a dozen people sitting but not eating. Then I saw in a far corner a couple of guitar cases and an upright bass.

We ordered our “food” (two chilli dogs for $3 – the big time) and sat to wait for it to be brought to our table. The people sitting in the place were old. Most looked in their 70s. I felt young again!

Something was up. We talked to a few people and learned that there was going to be live bluegrass music this evening. Sure enough, as time passed more (older) people filed in, ordered coffee and sat.

I hoped that we were not sitting in anyone’s favorite booth. If we were, no one said anything.

At 6PM, the music started. Three guitars (two played by ladies), an upright bass played by a 5-foot 4-inch farmer lady, two fiddles, and a banjo. The musicians and singers wandered in and sat in a circle.

They sang and played. When one song ended, there was much talking and laughing, and the next song would slowly start on its own.

It seems that bluegrass is played here two Tuesdays a month. Gospel is played two Mondays a month. Hurray for Hardee’s.

The place was packed. Men in straw cowboy hats and “Farm Supply Store” baseball caps sat and elbowed on another while they peeled whatever with pocket knives. Women with white hair and a few with red dye hair laughed and murmured about the men with their dirty pocket knives. One of the guitar playing ladies knocked over her coffee cup and spilled coffee everywhere. One old man stood, pulled off his shirt, and showed everyone something funny printed on his blue t-shirt. Someone told us that Hardee’s didn’t allow any dancing as they were afraid someone might be hurt (broken hips, you know). Someone brought a couple of cakes or something wrapped in aluminum foil. I guess that was for later.

These people are happy. They are having fun.

It is good great to be in Real America.