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