Down here, folks eat after grace

The mid-afternoon sun of a waning Saturday streamed through the sparkling windows of the soda shop and cast its spotlight on quite a sight to behold.

We’d stopped there for a slaw dog, reputed to be the best around – and it was. We had just begun to dive into our order when the scene at the red-leather booth next to us, caught my eye.

I saw the man, somewhere in his fifties, I guess, remove his billed cap and motion with a finger to the two young children in the booth beside him. His grandchildren, I suppose.

I summed him up to be a farmer because of the wilted blue jeans, work boots covered in dust and the plaid shirt he wore. And, of course, the cap that said, “John Deere” on it, helped with that cunning summation.

The kids took notice to the motion of the calloused finger and one quickly dropped the French fry he had just picked up. Both bowed their heads, followed by the head bowing of the man who spoke a word of thanks over the meal.

I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone say grace over a slaw dog and cherry fountain Coke in an old-fashioned soda shop before. But I must say: it was a heart-warming sight to see. I rather liked it a lot.

As soon as the word, “Amen,” crossed the man’s lips, the kids jerked their heads up with one grabbing the ketchup and the other snatching up her Coke and beginning to slurp it loudly through the red straw. The man just shook his head then turned his attention to his own chili and onion-smothered hot dog.

I’ve been noticing a lot of this lately where folks say grace out in restaurants. My saying grace in restaurants is dependent on the friends I’m with. I’d say it’s about a 50/50 deal. Always with Karen and Pinky and not long ago while dining with Darrell and Stevie Waltrip at their country club, we joined hands and Darrell, at the head of the table, stood up and blessed the food.

In a world so troubled today as the one we call ours, more people appear to be reaching out for the traditions that bring comfort. In the South, saying grace has been a tradition around dining room tables for many years. It is as familiar as the sight of fried chicken and mashed potatoes on a Sunday dinner table.

Never once in my family has the hostess set down the last steaming bowl of food on the table, taken her seat and then given permission to everyone to “dig in.”

She always smiles, glances around the table and asks, “Who wants to say grace?”

If no one volunteers – and come to think about it, hardly anyone ever does – she chooses one.

“Rodney, will you turn thanks, please?”

Of course, the volunteering and the choosing have all come about since daddy’s death several years ago. Before that, no one had to volunteer. Grace was all daddy’s for the saying and what a beautiful way he had of saying it. He always ended with, “Bless this food to the nourishment of our bodies and our bodies to thy service. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.”

Perhaps out of this tradition, a very Southern saying sprung up. One I never completely understood but I use nevertheless.

“I’ve got more to do that I can say grace over,” apparently means it’s a lot more than can be set on a dining room table.

I enjoy seeing the amazing scenes of folks who say grace in soda shops, country clubs and restaurants. How sweet it is.