Day 10 - Coming home

Leaving Mississippi

I'm sitting in the Jackson/Evers airport. I'm excited to get home, but a little sad to leave. It has sure been a lot of fun and I've met so many great people. There was a big party at the Shacks last night and the musicians treated me like family.

I left out of my shack early and stopped by the radio station to tell "The Evangelist" I wasn't able to be there in the afternoon. He asked if we could have an interview right then and play some music from our Holy Road CD. I only had a few minutes, but it didn't matter, we couldn't find the CD. There is a zillion CDs in the little station and he was looking through stacks 3 feet high. He finally gave up and figured Mr. Poe must have taken it with him. We talked for a little while and he told me he would find the CD and would play it as soon as it showed up. I gave him a "Reborn Guitars" tee shirt. He's also a guitar player and he really liked it.

I was in a hurry so I could visit Miss Macy at the Jones Temple #1 Missionary Baptist Church on highway 146 south. I met here several days ago and she invited me to church with her. I knew I wouldn't be able to stay for the service because I had to be back at the airport, but I wanted to see the church and spend a little time there. I actually got there before anyone arrived so I went to a little county store for some coffee.

Doug on left and Tony on right

The door was open and a truck parked in front, so I walked in and said hello to a couple of guys near the counter watching some Nascar on a litle TV. As it turned out, the store hadn't been open in a few years, but Tony, the owner and Doug his old friend, hang out there and watch TV. I talked with them for a while and you could tell that even though they were seprated in age by about 30 years, they were very close friends. They laughed at all my crazy travel stories. Doug had a great old laugh with a big near-toothless grin while he did it. Tony ofered me $100 and a 1-way ticket to take Doug to California with me and leave him there. They got a big kick out of that.

Doug laughing at one of Tony's stories

While I was talking with these gentleman, I heard the saddest story that I had heard in the Delta. I mentioned that I had spent some time over in Money, Mississippi and had gone to church there. He asked me if it was the Riverside Church. I said yes and he told me that 8 years ago, his only daughter was leaving the Riverside church, and was killed about a mile out of town. It was on her 18th birthday. He asked if I had seen the roadside cross. I told him that I had seen it and passed by there several times. I didn't mention it, but I had wondered about it every time I passed by. He told me it was devastating to him and his wife, and that she has never really recovered. It just took the joy from her life and she is still grieving 8 years later. The store closed because his wife couldn't help him with it anymore and their daughter worked there on the busy weekends.

What a sad story. It's interesting that I met these folks 40 miles from where I saw the roadside memorial on the little windy road out in the nothing, and he put a story and face to my wondering about the little cross marker.

We shook hands as I left and as most everyone here has said, "Promise you'll come and see us when you come back"

I drove the half-mile to the Jones church. I couldn't stay long, but I met several nice people and got to take a few pictures of the little church. It was a pretty brick building, with a beautiful sanctuary. It was set up in a traditional Baptist arrangement, with pews, a large pulpit, some high-back chairs for the Pastor and maybe the first lady. There was a big choir area, with a piano and a drum set. Everyone was warm and friendly. It was nice to see folks dressed up in their best for church.

One of the last things I saw as I left the Delta was a sign I had seen all over the region. Of course I know what it means, but I never heard if there was some particular regional or temporal significance.

Good Bye Mississippi...