It all started with a tiny boll weevil
With a slow drawl, the Lion Keeper at the University of North Alabama said, “You can’t claim to be a true Alabamian until you’ve been to the National Peanut Festival in Dothan,” so Hoss King, who was a senior oboe major, grabbed his roommate, Billy Mac, and took off to celebrate the famous legume. After a quick stop in Cullman to say “hey” to Hoss’ mama, the boys continued South until they came to Houston County, where they promptly ran out of gas.
After walking a couple of miles, a Honda Civic carrying two young ladies pulled up and offered the college boys a ride. Of all things, the girls, with pink foam rollers their hair, were on their way to the Miss Peanut Pageant as contestants. “It isn’t all about beauty, you know,” said the pretty driver, Patty Sue. “We’re quizzed on everything there is to know about peanuts. For instance, did you know that half of all peanuts produced in the United States are grown within a 100 mile radius of Dothan?” Not to be outdone, the girl in the passenger seat chimed in, “And, did you know, arachibutyrophobia is the fear of getting peanut-butter stuck to the roof of your mouth?” after saying this, the girl laughed so hard, the boys noticed she looked like she had plowed up an entire field of peanuts with her two front teeth.
By the time they’d reached the gas station, Billy Mac felt like he’d hitched a ride with Dr. George Washington Carver himself, but Hoss was totally smitten with Patty Sue, and that night at the pageant, sat on the front row and cheered wildly when she . . . click HERE to read the rest of the story on AL.com
i love this story. reminds me of my aunt who taught me one of the best taste combinations when I was a little girl driving the backroads of rural Georgia…peanuts in a glass bottle of Coca-Cola…its the taste that reminds me of summer in the South. thank you for a sweet reminder of that.
One of my favorite treats!
I have pulled plenty of peanut plants in my youth! BTW, peanuts taste better in an RC Cola–not a Coke!
I’ve never tried them with an RC, but since I think they’re even sweeter than a Coke, it should be pretty good!
I mispoke I think, it is Moon Pies and RC Cola, Peanuts with Co-Cola is right!
Now your talkin’!
And not just any peanuts, it has to be those salted ones that you get in the little packs at the 7-11.
First, I don’t think I have ever had to write the words “boll weevil” so I am pretty excited about that. Next, you are right, sometimes good things come from a not so great start. Finally, coincidence with evil and weevil, I think not!
That’s funny! You’ll have to look up the entire story of the Boll Weevil in Enterprise someday. Fascinating stuff!
What a story! I had no idea that the boll weevil should be thanked for bringing us peanuts! If I had to chose only 1 food to live on for the rest of my life it would be peanut butter! Oh, the days of pink foam rollers, and not being afraid of strangers…
Oh yes, school children in Alabama are usually taught all about the boll weevil along with many peanut projects and reports on hero George Washington Carver. And our mamas helped us with our reports . . . while wearing pink foam rollers!