My Mayberry

A few well written words about my hometown, Piedmont, Alabama by Tracy Stewart. Read and remember!

Tracy Stewart's avatarTracy Stewart

ImageImage

          

Piedmont and Mayberry

I’ve been reading with great interest the posts that are made on my Facebook feed “You Know You’re From Piedmont When…” The posts often bring a sense of happiness that I didn’t fully understand at first, but this morning I was driving to work and it occurred to me why they do. Those feelings come from the innocence of an era that I subconsciously long for. It is the same reason I enjoy The Andy Griffith Show reruns on TBS – even without the humorous episodes. In many ways, the writers for that show perfectly captured the essence of a typical, small southern town like Piedmont.

Mayberry had several characters that I could literally plug someone from Piedmont in that I knew growing up. With little effort I can imagine the character of Otis (the town drunk with a heart of gold) being created from someone…

View original post 589 more words

Unknown's avatar

About Ol' Big Jim

Jim L. Wright is a storyteller with a lifetime of experiences as colorful as the characters he creates. Born and raised in Piedmont, Alabama, Jim’s connection to the land, history, and people of the region runs deep. His debut novel New Yesterdays is set in his hometown, where he grew up listening to stories of the past—stories that sparked his imagination and curiosity for history. Today, Jim lives in Leeds, Alabama, with his husband Zeek, a tour operator who shares his passion for adventure and discovery. Known affectionately as “Ol’ Big Jim,” he has had a diverse career that includes time as a storekeeper, an embalmer, a hospital orderly, and a medical coder. There are even whispers—unconfirmed, of course—that he once played piano in a house of ill repute. No matter the job, one thing has remained constant: Jim is a teller of tales. His stories—sometimes humorous, sometimes thought-provoking—are often inspired by his unique life experiences. Many of these tales can be found on his popular blog, Ol’ Big Jim, where he continues to share his musings with a loyal readership. Jim’s adventures have taken him far beyond Alabama. For seven years, he lived in Amman, Jordan, the world’s oldest continuously inhabited city. His time there, spent in smoky coffee shops, enjoying a hookah and a cup of tea while scribbling in his ever-present notebook, deeply influenced his worldview and his writing. When Jim isn’t writing, he’s thinking about writing. His stories, whether tall tales from his past or imaginative reimagining is of historical events should read from his past or imaginative reimaginings of historical events, reflect a life lived fully and authentically. With New Yesterdays, Jim brings readers a rich tapestry of history, fantasy, and human connection. Visit his blog at www.olbigjim.com to read more of his stories, or follow him on social media to keep up with his latest musings and projects, one of which is a series that follows Bonita McCauley, an amateur detective who gets into some very sticky situations. His book, New Yesterdays, can be found at Amazon US, Amazon UK, Smashwords, and Barnes and Noble.
This entry was posted in Ghazen. Bookmark the permalink.

What did you think of this tall tale? Let me know in the comments section; I'd love to hear from you!