Preachers and Barbeque!

This being memorial day and all, there aren't a whole lot of restaurant choices.  We were in Oxford, so I knew the pickings were gonna be slim.  As I was making my way through the FB new feed, I saw where Pig & Pint was open all day.  Winner, winner, pork rib dinner!

We stopped by the house, to refresh ourselves, and I remembered that Pig & Pint was pet friendly.  Ole Otis is always ready for another car ride.  I was hoping for a cool evening and a close parking spot, since the restaurant has limited indoor seating, and the neighborhood ain't in one of the best locations.

I dropped off Otis and the spousal Unit so they could save us a spot at one of the outside picnic tables.  After parking, I made my way back to the restaurant.  It was not hard to find, I just followed my nose, sniffing the wood smoke back to the pit!  After placing the order, I joined Otis & Momma.

Seated across from us, was a young couple.  I could tell she weren't from around these parts, since she was eating brisket tacos, but her hubby had a mouth full of pulled pork sammach!  They were newlyweds since last July, both involved in the Lutheran Ministry.  He was a local, and she was from Minnesota, I knew it!  I don't know much about no Lutheran, but we all knew about dogs, and the cookies from Campbell's Bakery just around the corner.

After their departure our double picnic table filled up fast.  Turns our it was a whole bunch of Methodist preachers and such.  One was a district superintendent, and another was a Bishop.  We almost had enough board pieces for a game of chess!  They all were here for the "Pre-conference" before the Conference.  We figured out who all the players were, and the spousal unit mentioned that we were members of St. Marks, out at the Rez.  Did they know Keith Keeton?  Boy!  Did they ever!  I used to refer to Keith as my young buck preacher, but now he has enough grey hairs that I had to drop the young part!

We then started playing the guessing game.  I mentioned that I used to run the sound board, and we had one preacher that I referred to as the "15 minute man".  All his sermon's were no longer than 15 minutes.  I figured he had standing reservations at several restaurants.  I mentioned his first name, "Jim", and one of those preachers responded "that would be Jim Curtis!"  Yep! nailed him!  I then mentioned another preacher Jim, with white hair, that has been known to take several phone calls during his sermons.  Another one of those preachers yelled out "that's ole Matheny!"  Dang, these guys are good!

I was short on some of the others names, but told them that we could go to the church and review the wall of shame!  Nobody ever remembers the good parts about a preacher's stay, but you can always come up with some of the bad!

Before we left, I reminded them that since the West Jackson Superintendent was present, they all should be the banana fosters pudding and put it on his tab!

Table full of Preachers!

I posted this picture to Facebook and tagged my buddy Keith Keeton in it, and told them to add any comments they would like.  We'll see how far out of their preacher comfort zones they are willing to go!

I got balls!

Well, it' the last home series for the spousal unit's team vs the Auburn Tigers/War Eagles and she doesn't want to miss it.  First game was on Thursday night,  thank you ESPN, so now we're pushing up I-55 to catch most of game 2, then game 3 on Saturday afternoon.

The great thing about late arrival, is the shuttle service from the south lot, just park and ride! As we are walking up to the shuttle stop, I notice all these shuttles returning with passengers?  Then,  other women are walking up, carrying all these fancy bags and purses!

Ladies! It's the last home series!  The clear bag policy has been in effect since last September!   They all stand there in disbelief!  Well, SOMEBODY is gonna have to go back to the car! Now on the shuttle, the driver is waiting for these two women, one on and one not, saying their daughters attend school here and their daughters knew nothing about the clear bag policy!  I'm sitting next to the driver, and I tell him, he can go now, because those two women will be talking about this for hours!

We arrive at the front gate of the stadium, and there are even more of these women walking up with all these purses and colored bags.  The looks on their faces was priceless when they were told, sorry, no bag, then the realization that SOMEBODY was headed back to the parking lot!

Keep in mind, this policy went into effect last September.   There are road side billboards explaining it.  There are placards on all the roads leading to campus.  The warning is even printed on the ticket!  The only explanation would be that they are all black bears coming out of hibernation, this is graduation weekend, and this is their first time on campus in four years!  This ole bulldog was laughing his head off in black bear country!

It's now the 3rd inning, I head to our seats, and the spousal unit makes her two water stops, one drop off and one to drink.  I make my way down the aisle, and notice people in our seats.  No biggie, they can just move on, since these are our season tickets versus their general admission ticket stub. Wrong.....

I say hey buddy, those two seats belong to me and my wife.  Apparently, it' a family of four (adult and teenagers).  The poppa bear immediately starts throwing out profanity at me!  "You f...king asshole, you want to break up a family of four?  Sorry buddy, those are my seats, see this ticket, what does yours say?  He throws out more vulgar insults, ending with "I need to plant my fist on your face!"  I reply, not the time or place little man (a foot shorter than me), you need to move on.  He did...

I sit down, then all my neighbors begin to chime in.  Lady in front, "I'm confrontational but you looked like you had it handled.  Guy behind,  "nice to meet you f...king asshole, I'm Tom".  Guy to the left "I know who I'm calling when somebody is in my seat!" Guy in front "if he took you out, I was gonna catch you!"  Girl behind, "man you got balls bigger than my dad!"

Dang!  I know who to call in a crisis!  I can't wait to see them at game 3!  Now I need a foul ball to add to my collection!