plain simple english
old man whitley and the snake handlers pt.1
“They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them…” – Mark 16:18
Whitley was old and from Kentucky. His face, tanned and leathered, lost the elasticity needed to form expression sometime back in the sixties.
A pair of eyes some once called fine lay beneath a fringe of white. He never smiled or frowned or made much use of his head at all except to drink with or smoke with or just say nothing with.
He wore lonesome and proud like heavy flanneled overalls, even in the summer.
I was five when I knew him. When I helped him hunt snakes in the mountains of West Virginia for Preacher Slaughter and the serpent handlers.
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14 Responses to “old man whitley and the snake handlers pt.1”
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OMG. I think you just described one of my uncles…
=-)
Ryane, I’d love to meet anyone who bears even a vague resemblance to Whitley.
Must have been from my neck of the wood.
Is it terrible that I know you’re not kidding about the snake handlers? Like you, I’m from the south. And I went to school in Appalachia so while some might think this is an “old time” description I know how accurate you are. lol
Sounds like many a person I remember in childhood too!
Slight non sequitur: Have you ever heard Lucinda Williams? She’s my favorite singer/songwriter in the world and sings a song called “Get Right With God” that quotes that line from Mark 16:18 (no, she’s not a Christian rock or gospel singer; she’s sort of rock, sort of country (in a Hank Williams country sort of way, no that BS Shania Twain sort of way), and sort of folksy). Such a great song. She’s from the south and sings a lot about it. Maybe her albums would be good writing music for you.
“He wore lonesome and proud like heavy flanneled overalls…” That’s gold, right there.
Can’t wait to hear more of the story!
I do so love it when you tell lovely stories like this! Beautiful! I can’t wait for more
“Salvation on Sand Mountain,” by Dennis Covington, nominated for the National Book Award (it didn’t win, but the nomination is significant), is about Christian-sect snake handling in the American South – a lense on a specific group of people. Tremendous story, tremendous writing. A long-time publishing buddy of mine was its editor.
This may be a slight non sequitur, but you got me thinking about wrinkles and I wonder – do we Asians look younger than we are because our faces are inscrutable?
Mouth, I’ve never heard of Lucinda Williams (been out of the country music loop for a while now) but will definitely check her out.
Holly, sounds fascinating. I’ll have a go on Amazon for the title right now. I’m really feeling Appalachian Lit at the moment.
Violet, I’ve wore a crease right between my eyes since birth…a very scrutable…very ‘annoyed’ look. (I can’t help it…it’s habit formed now.) When thirty hit me…it hit me right there…right between the eyes…right on my scrutable, annoyed looking crease. It’s where I age. So you may have something…
Also, violet, lOVE the Buffy links on your blog!
Paul got to go to that church down in “the county” for a story last year! He loved. Got some great footage. Stayed away from the snakes though.
God you’re talented Buffy.
[...] Pt 1: I was five when I knew him. When I helped him hunt snakes in the mountains of West Virginia for Preacher Slaughter and the serpent handlers. [...]