Blount and Beyond Online Magazine - Magazine - Page 32
The Guthrie I Remember - Chicken and Dumplings for Supper
STEVE HALEY APR 5
It was a typically beautiful fall Friday afternoon in Todd County, KY in the
late 1970s. There was a brisk coolness in the air. It was the kind of weather
where a long sleeve shirt or light jacket are comfortable. The leaves were
changing their hues to a majestic red, gold, and yellow. Once released from
the trees the varied foliage tumbled aimlessly to create a colorful carpet.
I was completing my Friday tasks at Hudson Brothers Sales and Processing
with hopes of finishing the week on a positive note. I was busy meditating
on how to entertain myself that night. My venture would need to use the
lowest amount of money possible. Since my funds were meager, I had to be
creative.
After inventorying the last truck and securing the load with cargo straps, I
removed the dock plate, dropped the ticket book on the bed of the back of
the truck, and started pulling down the truck9s trailer door. Shirley Page, who
worked as executive secretary to the plant manager, phone message taker,
employee official timekeeper, the rectifier of route invoices/cash receipts,
and all-around administrative assistant, walked out on the plant9s open-air
dock. She told me that John Smith of Smith9s Grocery in Mayfield, KY had just called. He needed a third delivery of eggs
or the store would run out over the weekend. She needed me to take a couple of pallets of large eggs to his store that
evening. I hadn9t planned to spend my Friday evening working, but I did need the extra money.
There was a problem with Shirley9s request. Neither she nor I knew where in Mayfield the store was. All the drivers had
left work for the day, and there was no one to give directions. Shirley and I had a similar experience a month or so earlier.
On that occasion, Mr. Wes Davis called and needed a late Friday delivery to his Biggs Grocery in Paducah, KY. After
exiting I-24 in Paducah, I realized I was clueless about where to go. I had to resort to rolling my window down and asking
kids on bikes where Biggs Grocery was. I didn9t want to repeat this episode.
Shirley said she had an idea and would be right back. She returned to say that she had contacted Cliff Whitaker. Cliff was
the company9s sales, marketing, merchandising, and quality control manager. Cliff had Shirley tell me to fill a good
running truck with fuel and load it with the product. He would go with me to Mayfield. It was important to fill the truck
up since I had the well-earned reputation of someone who ran out of gas frequently.
Upon Cliff9s arrival, he exited his car with a cap on his head and a toothpick firmly between his teeth. Cliff was a witty
man full of stories from his youth and a tour of duty in Vietnam. He served with the 101st Airborne as a Lieutenant. The 2
hours to Mayfield and then 2 hours back would be entertaining for me.
I started the truck up and we pulled out of the lot. For some strange reason I can9t explain, I headed to Interstate 24 on
Tiny Town Road rather than on Highway 79. Cliff questioned what I was doing, and I replied that we would try something
different that night. As I drove, we came upon a flock of chickens in the road. Cliff giggled and said,