Forty-nine years ago today was the bi-centennial Fourth of
July. My how time flies! Andy, my oldest son, was six months old. It was an exciting time to be an
American. Two hundred years was not a
long time for many nations but the good old United States of America was
celebrating a great event in the history of the world.
The Hopper family was celebrating by slaughtering four
pigs. Dad invited his family to have
barbecued pork. “Killin’ hawgs” is a
hopper family tradition when the weather is cold, but a July killing was
something different. July in Alabama is
hot!
The pigs were not large, but four was also a first for
us. We had to work fast. Mamma made sausage while we prepared the hams,
shoulders, ribs, and pork chops for cooking.
We stewed the lard from the fat and cooked French fries. There plenty of fries and cracklings. Dad told me to not eat too many cracklings
saying the fresh meat would make me sick.
The fries and cracklings were delicious.
We cooked well into the night and I ate until midnight.
At day break the Bi-centennial was well under way. I did not want any barbecue pork for the
celebration. I never told day he was
right about the fresh pork. Every time I
burped it tasted of grease. I think
daddy knew by the grin on his face when he asked why I wasn’t eating.
There are plenty of memories about Independence Day. Most of them involve trips to the doctor or
to the emergency room. All I can say
about those events were that the Hoppers and our extended families like to have
fun and we did it without alcohol and other drugs. It was just great red neck frolicsome and
capersome celebrating.
I often think of the times spent with my in-laws. It was their family reunion. The day started early with a hickory fire to
make coal for cooking chicken halves.
Lucky’s grocery in Montevallo, Alabama was our chicken half headquarters
and was a reliable standby when some family member arrived without his or her
bird. Facing the wrath of Margaret was
usually a scolding for being unprepared.
When there were amble hickory coals for cooking dad Roy and
sons Tony and Lane would place the chicken halves on a homemade grill which sat
on concrete blocks. The trio was meticulous
when cooking. Their technique was
precise and deliberate basting with a homemade secret sauce.
There were always plenty of onlookers as family began
arriving early anticipating a samples hot from the grill. Usually there would be gizzards and livers as
preliminary offerings.
When the time was right, the halves were flipped, basted and
the top returned to ensure the halves were cooked according to
specifications. Hickory coals were
transferred from the adjacent fire to underneath the halves with critical eyes
ensuring proper heat without burning.
As the smoke billowed, the sweat rolled, and the tall tales
began, arguments about Auburn and Alabama football prevailed. The rotation and basting of the halves took
precedence. Roy’s lemonade was usually a
big success with gallons consumed by the cooks and onlookers alike.
As the noon, or thereabouts, hour approached Tony’s special
barbecue sauce simmered, Kay’s German chocolate cake, moistened, Cathy’s lemon
pie grew tart, and Sharon’s peach cobbler cooked, waiting some homemade ice
cream.
The yard was beginning to spring for games of volleyball,
horseshoes, and croquet.
Bill, Carl, Jabo, and Lee pitched horseshoes, young folk’s volleyball,
women folks solved the world’s problems, and babies cried in the heat. Most of the women folks sat inside under the
air-conditioner.
When the dishpans of halves were golden brown and sweating
under the tinfoil, grace was said.
Family began to fill plates with bake beans, slaw, and all kinds of
fixin’s. Recipes were swapped, Tony’s
barbecue sauce was slopped, and tea, cokes, and water were slurped. Roy, Tony, and Lane smiled with each
compliment on the chicken. Smiles
abounded as the cakes, cobblers, and pies suddenly disappeared.
The biggest event was the croquet game. It was renamed Zonked. We spent more time zonking the leader’s ball
than trying to win. Sometimes the leader
of the game would be knocked into the woods.
It was great fun.
My best memory of horseshoes was when Tony threw a double
ringer. I was pitching against him and I
double ringered him. Those were the days! Most of the family are dead and gone. The laughter and smiles are a wonderful
memory.
Those that fought for our freedom have been gone for almost
two-hundred and fifty years. Lisa, my
wife asked this morning, “Do schools teach about the Declaration of Independence?”
I replied, “Probably not. Most people hate history.”
And free and not
using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God.
I Peter 2:16 KJV
For you, brethren, have been called to
liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.
Galatians 5:13 KJV
