Readyville Day' laced with grace & friends

BY DAN WHITTLE

How does one turn an ordinary 24-hours into a super-duper, high-octane blessed kind of day?

Start with a crispy cool, sun-filled Fall Day, travel out John Bragg's super-slab four-lane (Route 70S) toward Woodbury from Murfreesboro, at the legal posted 65 MPH speed limit, of course ... a drive that showcases the beautiful rolling hills of Middle Tennessee.

You might ask how one knows when entering very rural Readyville, a non-incorporated, but important village that straddles the boundary between Cannon and Rutherford Counties.

Call it 'a down-home warm feeling' when entering Russell's Market where proprietor Mary Reed, known as the "Read-More-In-Readyville Book Lady" because of her 'little, but highly-used library' tucked away in the back left corner of the store.

How does one know you've arrived at Russell's Market?

It's the only grocery in downtown Readyville, where one picks a spot and stops, because there are no lined off official fancified parking spaces for tourists such as Pat and me.

In addition to the succulent thick-sliced baloney sandwiches, generously slathered with mayo and a touch of hot sauce on fresh white sliced bread, Miss Mary is most known for her 'goodwill toward man' wholesome, gentle and kind nature, as described in the Good Book of Life.

And yes, that kind of book is available in her back-in-the-corner library' too. If Miss Mary doesn't have a Bible in stock, she'll gladly get you one.

How does Readyville Reading Lady Mary stockpile her constantly-growing stack of books? Mary's loyal and growing congregation of friends and neighbors, including an important Circuit Judge named Taylor, routinely drop off books, for which there is no charge to pick up, take home and read.

"Neighbors also donate puzzles and work books," confirmed Readyville's designated 'Reading Lady' named Mary Reed.

Mary's books are free for the taking, but diners are expected to pay a few coins for the larruping-good baloney sandwiches that can be "topped off by garden-fresh vine-ripened red 'maters our neighbors bring us when in season".

And there's no charge for the store's abundance of warm fellowshipping, sometimes laced with a local tale or two, including how Readyville got electricity before power lines were extended to nearby Murfreesboro back in the early 1900s.

"Rat McFerrin ran the generator powered by the Readyville Mill, which resulted in electricity at most homes in Readyville before folks in Murfreesboro got electricity," the book lady turned a page of local history.

The mill still "mills" and there's a restaurant there now.

But, what I enjoy most is sitting in a rocking chair and chatting with community icons Russell and Mary Reed.

"We don't charge for rocking in our rocking chairs," Russell Reed priced as he hustled out the door for an afternoon trip 'to town (Woodbury).'

A special kind of day spent with friends, new and old, is what I'm talking about here.

***

Meet new friend "Billy Bob Boxer" who announces guests pulling up at Jeff and Cindy Odle's Ranch, where beautiful and smart mules reign supreme.

Wife Pat became an instant fan of Billy Bob Boxer and Cindy, when they gave her the grand tour of the nearest barn.

"And we named our smartest and prettiest mule 'Pat,' after your wife, Mr. Whittle," decreed reigning Ranch Princess Cindy, who recently changed her last name from Haley to Odle when she and Jeff tied the knot beside a hay bale out by the barn.

My guess is they ain't yet found a lop-eared mule smart or ugly enough to be named 'Dan.'

The Odles are busy farm folks, but their home setting is serene and peaceful, as enforced by Billy Bob Boxer and his assistant canine named 'Bo.'

"We normally run about 200 mules that are broken and trained by the Amish at another one of our farm locations in Tenn-essee," christened Cindy as she reined in 'her new 2-year old (mule) children' named Frisky and Risky.

However, the meandering Whittles can't handle a super-duper day without good vittles.

***

Thursdays are 'pork chop days' at nearby Parsley's Market eatery, reigned over by Kitchen Queen Carolyn Burnett, who's been serving country-style vittles for 22 years to loyal community royalty, such as legendary 'Coach Robert A.' Harris, legendary Cannon High baseball/football athlete of the 1960s Bobby Womack, and retired teachers-of-wisdom Ben Cates and Terry Wilson.

"We don't charge extra for sassing our regulars. And we don't charge for the so-called wisdom shared at our popular Liar's Table," Kitchen Queen Carolyn declared. "We do miss (store manager) Jeff St. John, who died unexpectedly this summer at age 54, and who worked here since (the late) Bennie Parsley ran the store dating back about 15 years ago. It's 'family' here at Parsleys, for when one hurts, we all hurt."

Vittles for the Whittles this day included real smashed 'taters and crispy- fried okry' - burp - at the store located just off John Bragg's smooth-riding boulevard that intersects with the road leading to Burt Baptist Church with its beautiful wood-worked interior where the world-famous Chuck Wagon Gang recently raised the roof with gospel songs praising our gracious Lord.

As the special day ended for Pat and me, we shared a holy "Thank You Lord for the Day" prayer as we headed back home.

How special the day? I didn't need a pain pill the entire day after being diagnosed recently with a rare form of blood cancer (not leukemia} by my new best friends, physicians John Zudkus and Chris Thompson.

Miss Mary requested I update neighboring folks about my 'new normal' reality with cancerous blood.

"Lots of folks want to pray and keep up with our favorite local columnist and book author," Mary Reed decreed from her favorite slow-moving rocking chair in downtown Readyville.

Writer's Note: I'm on a daily (and very expensive) chemo pill regime that the Whittle body seems to be adjusting too. So far, so good, while blessed with prayers from friends ranging all the way from downtown Readyville, to special friend Mary Wilson at the popular Arts Center of Cannon County to childhood friend, artist/sculptor Michael Parkes, whose studio overlooks the Rock of Gibraltar on the coast of Spain. You might want to Google Michael Parkes, he's the only world-famous person to come out of our shared boyhood hometown of Canalou, MO.

Amen.