I usually don’t need any “extra” reminders of my advancing age. Most days, the ever-increasing number of aches and pains as I get out of bed each morning are more than enough to let me know that I’ve been around longer than the majority of people on earth.
Then…there are just simple events that rub salt into the wound.
Gavin bought the farm that borders me to the east. He is a young man that recently finished college with a degree in agriculture and has set out to do what few would attempt these days—make it on his own as a full-time farmer. He’s smart, hard-working and knows what his goals are, so I enjoy visiting with him when I get the chance as I did last week as I was walking out of the local feed store.
It was mid-afternoon and he was there to get some supplies. I was leaving with a cold soda-pop and a bag of peanuts in hand. As we stopped and leaned against the side of the pick-up truck to discuss the cattle market, recent rains and the upcoming political elections, Gavin’s eyes opened wide in amazement as I began to pour the bag of peanuts into my soda.
“What in the heck are you doing?” He asked.
Confused, I answered, “What do you mean?”
“Why are you putting peanuts in your soda?”
I couldn’t believe that a twenty-something young man who has spent his entire life here in a farming community in the middle of rural America was seeing someone put peanuts in their cola for the very first time, but he swore it was a first. He was even interested in the “why.” “Does it make the soda taste ‘peanutty’ or the peanuts taste like soda pop?” he asked.
Having never pondered that question, I simply answered, “Yeah.”
We continued to visit for a few minutes more, but every time I’d take a swig of my peanut-filled bottle of soda, he would just shake his head and look down.
Early the next morning, Gavin stopped in at the local convenience store where all of us “old-timers” gather for coffee each day. As I watched him fill up his truck with gas, I informed all the regulars about the young man's lack of cultural awareness of what I had been doing since I was a kid. To a man, everyone agreed that they had all witnessed and participated in consuming this peanut/soda pop concoction all their lives. They, too, couldn’t believe Gavin’s lack of knowledge.
As he entered the store to pay for his fuel, the razzing began. Ronnie started with, “I hear you’ve never had peanuts in your pop or never saw anyone do it.” Gavin just grinned and shrugged his shoulders.
Homer chimed in. “Heck, Barbara Mandrell even sang about it in one of her songs. I can’t believe you’ve never tried it.”
Gavin looked over at me with a kind of dumfounded look and asked, “Who is Barbara Mandrell?”
Lord, I am getting old.
Jerry Crownover farms in Lawrence County. He is a former professor of Agriculture Education at Missouri State University, and is an author and professional speaker. To contact Jerry about his books, or to arrange speaking engagements, go to www.ozarksfn.com and click on 'Contact Us.'
