Phil Bailey

We usually went to Grandma and PawPaw’s on Sundays. When River Road flooded, we would use the dirt roads from old Hwy 11. That was the back way to get their house. All of those roads are paved now, even River Road.

Surrounding the house was pastureland with cows and two ponds, one big pond and one small pond, both full of fish and artesian wells. Also around the house were chickens, and sometimes there was even a huge chicken snake in the chicken coup. Pecan trees grew in the front yard, where we would play wiffle ball and football, but never basketball. The house and pecan trees were both enclosed by a white wooden fence. A store in old Enterprise would buy the pecans. Old Enterprise was across the river from Enterprise High School. In fact, it was the state capital for two weeks during the Civil War.
There was a strange septic tank in the yard. Grandma would say, “do not step on top, it might fall in.” That was not true. It never did fall in.

A picnic table and antique iron chairs also sat in the yard. PawPaw, Uncle Joe, Uncle Monkey, and Daddy usually sat in the chairs. PawPaw would rub his fingers back and forth across his mouth. In the distance we could hear the sound of a bob white bird.
The house had three bedrooms, a bathroom, kitchen, living room, front screen porch, back porch, and dinette room. The dinette room had a large merry-go- round yellow or tan table. There was also a piano with a picture of seven sisters on top of it. There was also a freezer, usually with a white icing cake on top.

The living room had a couch, chair, coffee table, and a TV. PawPaw would sit on his knees with his arms folded watching TV. PawPaw enjoyed Gunsmoke, but he hated Jackie Gleason. Sometimes Grandma would cook pecans while watching TV. Cooked pecans were not PawPaw’s favorite food but syrup was.

During Christmas time, PawPaw preferred large Christmas trees. All the trees would bend over at the top of the roof because they were too tall. When mailing Christmas cards, Grandma would use egg yolk to seal the envelopes.
In the front of the house was a large screen porch, and in the back was a small back porch. PawPaw would spit snuff out the back door, and Grandma would get upset if he spit on the back steps.

Although PawPaw really liked Enterprise, I do not think Grandma liked it there as much. Sometimes late at night, Grandma would mention that she smelled cigarette smoke outside the screen windows. PawPaw would say the smoke belonged to the people from Stonewall who were night fishing on the Chickasawhay River.

Before Christmas one year, I asked PawPaw what his favorite day was. I figured he would say Christmas, but his answer was the Ousley Reunion. The old Ousley Reunion was what I called “four hour reunions.” We had to be there at 11 in the morning, and if you were bringing PawPaw, be there at 10:30, eat at noon, and leave at 3 that afternoon. Those reunions were held in different places, including Selma, Bessemer, Meridian, and once at Alpine. I believe the very first reunion was in Laurel, Mississippi.

I have many other stories and memories about Grandma and PawPaw’s in Enterprise that I could tell. The famous dog eater was not in Enterprise. Dog eater was or still is in Push, Alabama.