Susie the Star and Irene the Scarecrow

A couple of weeks ago, we went to see Alan's sister Susie in the Show Time Singers of Atlanta Valentine celebration.  Susie has a great voice, and we were able to enjoy not only the whole show, but also several numbers where her  talents were spotlighted.

Susie in her poodle skirt for the show

Last weekend we went to the old "Hitching Post" club in Bristol to see Wolf Creek play.  The Hitching Post is a country/western club where people go to dance, drink, smoke cigarettes, and meet people.  We were there to enjoy the band, which is quite good.  However, being there reminded me of my favorite story about the club:
When I first moved to Southwest Virginia, I was friends with a wonderful woman named Irene.  She was a widow in her 60's, who, although being a staunch Baptist, loved to dance.  She used to plead with me to go to the Hitching Post, saying that there were some great guys I could meet there.  I always declined.  One Halloween, they were having a costume contest, and Irene decided to dress up as a scarecrow.  She was a tall, slender woman, so the costume was perfect for her.  When she got to the club, it didn't take her long to figure out that everyone thought she was a man.  This was fantastic:  She asked women to dance with her and got to dance every dance throughout the evening, something she usually didn't get to do.

All went well until they started to announce the winners of the costume contest.  The scarecrow won the prize for the best male costume!  The prize was something Irene really wanted:  a red satin Budweiser jacket.  She was in a quandary what to do, but decided to make a production of winning.  When she got on stage, she whipped off her hat and mask, revealing that she was a woman.  Everyone had a big laugh.  After some consultation, they decided to let her keep the prize. 

I used to run into her in the Food Lion in Gate City, and she was often wearing her red Budweiser jacket.  I wonder what her minister thought about that.

I have many wonderful Irene stories.  She was a great friend to me when I first moved here.