It was a Beautiful, Spring-Like Day this Sunday, February the Twenty-Fifth.
On the Calendar for today was a Birthday Lunch for my Friend “Lou.” He, his Family, and I were meeting in my Hometown of Fultondale at “Full Moon BBQ.” Fultondale is about Twenty minutes from where I now live.
Since I was going to be in my Hometown, I decided to clean my truck out and go for a Sunday Drive while there. See some of the Old Sites.
Something people in the South still do is take Sunday Drives.
I’ll admit that Sunday Drives are less popular than in the ’40s, ’50s, and ’60s, but families still take them. I take them.
My Family has all hopped in the car and taken Sunday Drives throughout the Years.
One thing you’ll see a lot of on beautiful days like today is people taking out their Mint-Condition Vintage cars and trucks. And why not? Those cars are made to be driven on days like today.
On any given Beautiful Spring-Like Sunday, you are bound to see ’57 Chevys or ’60s Ford Galaxies (The Make and Model of the Squad Car on TAGS) or a Ford Roadster with Flames painted on it. All will likely be in Mint Condition with lots of Chrome,
The driver will be beaming with Pride. You can tell his ride is his Pride and Joy.
Just seeing the Pride on the driver’s face always makes me smile.
In Fultondale, I rode by my old Childhood Home.
I then drove to the “Secret Spot,” where people used to park and make out. I guess it had a nickname, such as “Lovers Lane,” but if it did, I never learned it.
I parked in the parking lot where the public swimming pool was. Yes, it is now a parking lot. I parked in the Deep End of the Pool—I think.
I sat and wondered if it would be possible to dig the parking lot up, uncover the Pool, and make it usable again. It’s nice to Ponder on things in life. Things that seem impossible.
The Deep End of the Pool was twelve feet deep. The Shallow End was three feet deep. All filled in with dirt now.
Afterward, I left to meet Lou and his Family.
Our original meeting place was the Old Fultondale Bowling Alley.
The Bowling Alley has long since closed and is now a Restaurant named “Mad Pies.” I’m only guessing that it’s a Pizza Joint. I was anxious to see what the inside of the place looked like, but when we arrived, it was closed.
On one side of the building is an Insurance Agency. The rest of the building seemed to belong to “Mad Pies” and its Pub.
Since it was closed, we headed over to “Full Moon BBQ.”
“Full Moon” was packed.
In the South, everyone heads to eat lunch after Church lets out on Sunday. All the Restaurants are busy.
At Full Moon, you place your order at the counter, get a number, and sit down at any table, and the Servers bring your food to your table.
We each placed our order and sat at a Big Round Table.
There were Eight of us, including Lou’s two Children.
I ordered a Large BBQ Sandwich, Large Fries, and a Large Tea.
Sitting at the table, we all chat with one another.
Lou holds one Child in his lap while the other lays in its Baby Seat.
He feeds his Child while chatting with everyone at the table.
The Restaurant is loud with the Sunday Crowd.
I looked out the window in time to see an Old, Mint-Conditioned car drive by.
I look around the Restaurant and watch everyone chatting with their Family and Friends, and I think to myself, “The South on Sunday. It’s a Beautiful thing.”
I take a bite of my Sandwich and join back into the conversation at the table.
And it was a Great Day.
Happy Birthday, Lou. Thanks for inviting me.
