Roy Exum
When I got hungry yesterday I was in Rossville and it dawned on me the last time I had eaten at Bea’s Restaurant was the day after Noah led the animals two-by-two off the Ark.
Bea’s is easily one of the greatest landmarks in Chattanooga. I’ve never been there when it wasn’t crowded and fun and good and yesterday’s visit proved none of that has changed, not a bit.
The best part about going to Bea’s, outside of the fried chicken and peach cobbler, is that every table is about eight chairs gathered around a lazy-Susan deal where the waitress keeps the platters full, so you share a table with complete strangers.
It’s tremendously fun. You try to be polite about turning “the Susan” when a guy on the opposite side is spooning out some pintos, but when they bring the chicken you’re quick to get it first, going for the pulley bone.
Yesterday there were three men saying grace when I was told where to sit and one, who the conversation would reveal has been a football official for years, looked familiar but he was a lot younger the last time I saw him in his stripes.
The second guy was some kind of salesman or consultant from Arkansas. I was quick to pick up on that as he moaned over the Alabama loss, and the third man was the quietest of the three, probably due to the two “magpies” he’d brought with him.
Now it’s improper to eavesdrop on a conversation, but it is also impossible not to hear it when you’re by yourself and it happens right across the very table where you’re eating. These three guys talked about air conditioning and square footage long enough for me to figure they had something to do with big buildings.
And then they talked about officiating and their kids and whether Georgia could beat the same Alabama that whipped the Razorbacks and all of it was, in a word, wonderful. I still don’t know their names, but I am certain any of the three would be the best neighbor you ever had.
It’s hard for me to keep my mouth shut, but I was proud I stayed quiet for as long as I did because sharing a table with these three strangers gave me about as positive a sign that “life is good” than I’ve had in ages. Believe me on this - Bea’s serves a lot more than than that barbeque and slaw that I love.
When the one who was the football official moaned that too many kids run the ball outside when there are huge holes up the middle, it was more than I could bear so the next thing you know I’ve wiggled into the conversation.
And then, just like it used to be 30 years ago when I started going to Bea’s, the opposite occurred; I could have sat there and enjoyed talking to those guys all afternoon.
The two local guys have something to do with the school system and the one who was quiet at the beginning talked about some of the great unsung heroes who are making a huge difference at schools like East Lake Academy and Howard right now.
The football official told how he used to officiate with Conner Gilbert, who I worked with for years when we wrote sports together, and his laughter stirred my love for Conner, who died too young a long time ago.
The Arkansas guy had one of those new Apple phones so, after I told ‘em about the YouTube website and that they should type in “Sam McGuffie” to see proof the Texas high school player is unbelievable, he did it right then.
So they were entranced by the video clips when I left my tip and probably had no idea how much they – three total strangers – had blessed my day.
Ain’t it funny? Bea’s hasn’t changed a lick since I was there last. Oh, they now have sliced tomatoes and vanilla ice cream to go with that cobbler, but what they serve maybe better than anywhere in town is a slice of life and, brother, it is evermore tasty.
royexum@aol.com