The Flora-Bama

It was at my wife’s church office Christmas luncheon. She is the Director of Children’s ministries at the church, and I was the spouse that she brought along. Sitting at our table was her colleague and very good friend, Kim, and her husband, Jeff. Yes, he and I share the same name, so there is that “man-name-bond” that we kinda have…sorta…kinda. Kim is the Administrative Lead Person for the church.

While most would think that we were probably sitting at the table discussing metaphysical spirituality of the preacher’s sermon from the previous Sunday, we were in fact discussing a topic of much more….uh….fascination. Yes, that’s a good word.

I didn’t know anyone else in Boiling Springs even knew what it was, much less where it took place. But Coach Jeff did.

We were talking about the state of Alabama, and all of those major cities you find in lower, rural Alabama. Places like Opp and Enterprise and Brewton. And in the midst of the discussion, Jeff said, “there’s a place down in Alabama right next to Florida called the Flora-Bama.” My immediate response was “yes there is…and it’s where they have the mullet toss every year.”

I was floored. Couldn’t believe it. Right here, at the church office Christmas luncheon sitting at my table in South Carolina was another person, besides me, who not only KNEW about the Flora-Bama, but had been there. It took a couple of minutes, but I remembered it was in Perdido Key.

My wife asked me, “what is a mullet toss?” To which I replied, “It’s a fish…with a gizzard.” I told her that a contestant would stand in a 10 foot circle in Alabama, and throw the fish as far as he or she could into the state of Florida. A contribution for each fish flung is given to local youth charities.

My friend Jeff knew about this upscale establishment because he used to recruit that area of Alabama for a University where he was a defensive coach. I knew about the establishment because….well….let’s just say that he knew about that upscale establishment because he used to recruit that area of Alabama for a University where he was a coach.

We laughed about that, and frankly I all but forgot about it. Until recently. A few weeks ago, the Flora-Bama had their 25th mullet toss. I stumbled across that information, and it reminded me of the lunch we had at Christmas, which reminded me of how important times like lunch and laughter and reminiscing are. Times not to be taken for granted.

Coach Jeff….thank you for the laughter, humor and memory of that lunch. This mullet’s for you.

WJLaneSR