A Girl, Her Papaw, and . . . a Possum

Growing up as a little girl, I was often alone. My mother worked as a waitress and stayed very busy, but there was one person who I could often count on. That person is the man I call my Papaw. My Papaw watched me while my mom worked. I would go to work with my papaw, who would help build houses for people. Often times, he would have to leave early, so there were many early mornings. I remember having to roll out of bed at 6 a.m. I was not in school yet, so I guess you could say it was preparing me for the fall. With those early mornings came breakfast.

There was a store close to home called Jules. Now Jules was not your typical store. It was a family store. Before church need some gum or cigarettes? Don’t worry, Jules has you covered. Every morning a group of folks would sit at the tables and talk. Me and my Papaw would tell them good morning, and they knew my Papaw. Jules was an older woman who had long white hair and was a very kind soul, and she had the sausage cooking because she knew me and my Papaw normally got a sausage biscuit. Except for this one particular morning when I decided to try bacon for the first time.

My Papaw ordered the bacon, and when I took my first bite, I loved it. The next morning my Papaw picked me up and down to Jules we went. I remember walking in and hearing the bacon sizzle in the pan, and the smell lingering through the store, and I knew I wanted bacon again. Now most people know, bacon mostly comes from a pig, but as a little girl I didn’t know that. My Papaw bent down into my ear and whispered, “Go ahead and order some of that possum we had yesterday.” So I walked up and yelled out, “Hey, Jules, let me have some possum!” Jules and my Papaw both started laughing.

My Papaw never forgot the time I ordered possum for bacon. He tells everyone the story, and every time the family gets together he brings the story up. I will forever cherish this memory, and I will keep telling this story for when my Papaw is no longer here. My Papaw is the man I can give thanks to for my forever bacon obsession.

Article Written by Ali Mills