the next stop was, Bevinsville, Bypro, Wheelright KY- these little townships are all with in a three mile stretch and there weren't really any signs to indicate where i was, i had to stop and ask people, "where am i?".
there was some beautiful country out there, i really love this State of Kentucky.
i stopped in Fat Daddy's diner in Bevinsville to inquire about lodging around town, there i met this quiet young lady who reminded me of one of my long lost friends from Dallas, "Steena", her bright blue eyes just bored right into to you when you talked to her. and she had this way of sayin' "Yuh" that just tickled me. the mom who was co-owner and the boss of the place, looked Italian but had THE Kentucky Accent- i might add at this point, that i love this accent so much. to me it sounds like music. did i already mention that in past posts??? then the dad came out and talked to me until the boss quietly and away from my eyes, set him back to work. (my friend in Berea also told me that in the 20's i think, a lot Italian immigrants came down to this region to work in the coal mines....)
the Dad popped out from the back periodically to talk to me and at one point told me about the church down the road in Wheelwright that puts up all the cyclist that come through and then he put me in touch with a local fella that picks some and who happens to go to said church and also happens to own the restaurant in direct competition with Fat Daddy's.
i stayed two days in Wheelwright, i went to the church service on sunday morning after a bit of practicing out behind the church. i had never been to a Mountain Church service before. this was full on baptist preaching at it's zenith! the dudes were shouting in rhythm and jumping up and down and talking about salvation! and there was a lot of singin'. they left me be to be an observer. however during the remembrance in prayer session i asked them to remember Mildred -(See previous post entitled, "pairs of opposites"), for what ever it's worth, honestly, i don't think much, these folks are really focused on how horrible this world is and the reward god has for them at the end. i don't mean this disrespectfully but as an observation, but that was the basis of most of what i heard that day, and i was thinking, "but i'm happy, and life is actually pretty good for me." (this of course could spark a whole knew conversation, because, i don't have the life experiences that these folks have had to view the world from, this is a pretty impoverished region which has been exploited by big energy companies- a favorite slogan around here is "coal keeps the lights on". think about that. think about mountain top removal. think about an economy dependent on that... or tobacco, the other devil in american society. i don't really know what i'm talking about here, i'm just seeing shades of this by passing through and talking to some folks about it where i can...) i feel like they could focus more on positive aspects of life instead of longing for the everlasting reward.
later in the day i sat and picked with this fella from the church, Robin, who is an excellent songwriter. he invited me to play a tune with him at the evening service, which i did. the folks really dug it, it's nice to have people be so receptive to my pickin' up in this part of the country and i felt honored to be asked to play. i even played the only spiritual i know for them, however, i felt a little in-genuine for it.
and we can mull this over too, Robin told me that that morning he wanted to play a song he just wrote last week, but he said the Devil discouraged him from doing it. to which i said, "yeah, it's easy to get discouraged." at this point i'm thinking, damn, he is not talking figuratively here, he really means the devil. to me the devil is the personification of things like doubt and insecurity, the devil to me is a metaphor, to him the Devil is a real Supernatural Monster.
later a the evening service, he plays this new song..... it was incredible! it was really great! as in among the best songwriters you could name and his voice was beautiful on it. so when i told him that, he just said that god gave it to him, like he had nothing to do with it. i was sort of stumped, he wasn't accepting this compliment. even after hanging out with him for only a few hours, i could see how much he loved to make music and he is really great at it. i feel like his faith keeps him from his love, he would disagree because he devoted his life to serving the lord. in hind sight (there's a lot of that on this trip) i wish i would have told him in answer that god would not have given that song to anyone else because god give him his special talent. (makes me think more about the line in "wayfarin' stranger" that says "i'll drop this cross of self denial and go singing home to god-"
{ok, here's a funny side note, the preacher that i spoke with initially goes by Louie, i mean this in a loving way, he reminded me a lot of the guy in "O Brother Where Art Thou" that ran the radio station where they sang in to the can for 10 dollar a piece.}
and the other preacher's name was Zenith! Brother Zenith! he was a great guy and a big banjo fan.
i don't remember the youngest guy's name, he was the most interesting to me because i could see real trouble in his face, real conflict, guilt.
all in all, these people were super sweet to me must have been shocked be me in a lot of ways, i could tell some of them might have though i looked just like the devil but they did right by me and welcomed me into their midst.
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