It seems that we are in for a ro

It seems that we are in for a rough go thanks to the civil unrest in Northern Africa and the Middle East. A week ago we saw gas prices jump about a quarter to about $3.28 a gallon for unleaded. According to a report I read earlier this week, for every twenty five cent increase in a gallon of gas, it is $3 billion more dollars taken from the pockets of Americans. Analysts say that we could see $4.00 a gallon by June and a gallon of gas costing a five spot by Labor Day. Certified financial planner Wes Moss said that gasoline could possibly be from $7 to $8 dollars a gallon if the price of oil doesn't stableize. I remember when I could be dead on empty in my Volkswagen I drove in college and could fill it up for about $7 dollars. Two weeks ago I sold my 12 miles to the gallon Dodge Dakota truck. I bought a 21 mile per gallon Jeep Liberty. Do you remember the words of Jimmy Carter telling us in the late 1980's to defeat the oil cartels, we are going to have to step up in conservation efforts. He was right about that. I am now driving the speed limit, using cruise control when I can, and have stopped un-necessary trips. Last year the Gulf coast of Florida was plagued by the oil spill. This year the price of gasoline is going to be another disaster for the tourist industry. The only beach I will see this year is at Tanner State Park. Airlines are going to have fuel surcharges for flying and you might say a ticket will be "sky high." Does anybody take the bus anymore? When is the last time Amtrak stopped in Tallapoosa? I took the kids shoe shopping at Lipham's last Saturday. I had a nice conversation with Bettye Sanders about how the gasoline prices will have more people shopping at home. It is possible to find pretty much what you need and never leave Haralson County. I never understood people who would drive to Carrollton or Anniston to save twenty five cents on a pair of pajamas. My kids loved going to Lipham's and seeing shoes by Red Goose and Mother Goose. Many of us baby boomers wore Red Goose Shoes. Do you recall Buster Brown Shoes? Do you remember your first pair of Chuck Taylor Converse All-Stars? You had to have them to take physical education at Tallapoosa High School. The Converse basketball shoes were bought from John Combs at Cumming's Department Store across the street from Lipham's. Many long time Tallapoosans remember the National on Head Avenue and Gladys Kilgo's Gladhat women's clothing store. Ms. Vennie Blackmon worked with Mrs Kilgo and they were two of the sweetest people ever to grace our town's population. Do you remember Princess Shoes at the corner of Bankhead Highway and Alewine Avenue? I enjoyed talking to Bettye about her daddy who marched to his own drummer. O.D. Lipham was not a fan of the government wanting us on Daylight Saving Time. He never observed it. He had the best hoop cheese I ever had and his custom cut balogna was the tastiest I ever experienced, and that's no baloney.Sometimes on Saturday afternoons, Mr. Lipham would break out his harmonica and entertain customers. Quality customer service and fair prices were always the creed of Lipham's. I hope Ms. Bettye keeps this Tallapoosa treasure open for many more years. Ms. Bettye's son, Rod Lipham taught me to expand my musical tastes when I was in high school. He had me listen to the blues of Robert Johnson and the bluegrass picking of Doc Watson. Rod is also one of the funniest people I ever met. He could make me laugh at the drop of a hat. I became a fan of Jonathan Winters because Rod played me a record album of the comic legend. Have any of you gotten the lawn mower out because of the above average temperatures the past couple of weeks? Presley and Callie are becoming ornithologists. They keep the bird feeders filled for the beautiful wild birds that vocalize happy songs in the yard. Seeing a robin or cardinal outside the kitchen window is truly a wonderful sight. Speaking of businesses of days gone by, can you remember Sheffield Hardware? George Sheffield was one of my grandfather's favorite people. His wife was every kids' favorite substitute teacher at Tallapoosa Schools. Can you remember out in the Old Town section of Tallapoosa, Jackson's Grocery? Bertha Dryden held the fort down and she would remind us that she wasn't running a library when we'd spend too much time reading the comic books for sale. I don't remember seeing Bertha without an L & M lit with an inch and a half of ash. I don't ever remember seeing her anywhere but at Jackson's Grocery. One of my favorite people when I was a kid was Howard Bowman who ran Bowman's Grocery. He always had a kind word for anybody who came through his doors. I remember Denver Morgan dated his daughter. Denver Morgan took me to my first Atlanta Braves baseball game 45 years ago this July 4th. Denver encouraged me to try to do better in school so I could attend a college somewhere. Between Denver and Jess Newman I got the message. I ran into Denver last week at the post office. Denver was the biggest fan of Roy Orbison I ever met. When I interviewed Roy just a couple of months before his death all I could think of that I wish my friend Denver Morgan could meet the gentleman from Wink, Texas. Mother would have turned 87 this coming Wednesday. I sure miss her. Dear readers call your mother. I sure wish I could call mine.

Rhubarb Jones is a Tallapoosa native and a serves as Director of Special Projects in the Office of Development and Distinguished Lecturer in the Department of Communication at Kennesaw State University. Previous columns can be found at www.tallapoosa-journal.com. Comments my be sent to P.O. Box 1001, Tallapoosa, GA 30176 or via email to rhubarbjones@aol.com or professorrhubarb@gmail.com