I wish I could turn back the clock when Tallapoosa had gas wars. Ralph "Greek" McBurnett's Gulf Station, Burran Robinson's Amaco, John Phillip's Standard Station, E. D. Lively's Texaco and the Anchor on the west end of town would see just how low they could go in selling gasoline. I have seen gas at 17.9 cents a gallon during those times. 

I can remember going riding around with chums like Bink Dawson who had a V W bug and we could fill up on dead empty for about two dollars. I remember that gas stations gave away dish towels, drinking glasses and such to get people to come in and fill up the tank. Today a small loan must be taken out to keep our cars filled up. Gasoline at four bucks a gallons is something we should get used to for a while. In Europe fuel is hitting about an all time high too about twice as much as we are paying here in the United States. I am trading my Dodge Dakota for a Western Flyer bicycle if we all don't get some relief from the ridiculously high prices we are paying at the pump.

I have decided that the family vacation this summer is going to be limited to going to Six Flags but only if the Japanese guy from the television commercial will stop shouting.

My first trip to Six Flags Over Georgia happened while in high school going over with friends Ronald McSwain and Joel Mabry. Joel had a souped up Chevrolet with an 8-track player with a reverb unit that made Otis Redding's "Live In Europe" tape come to life as we drove eastbound up U.S. Highway 78 in the days when Interstate 20 began and ended for us on Georgia Highway 5 in Douglasville. Joel got us there in 45 minutes violating various rules and regulations of the Georgia State Patrol.We got to the theme park with hearty recommendations from Ronald McSwain that Joel move to Charlotte and go to work driving in the NASCAR circuit. We had a blast riding the various thrill rides that were pale in comparison to Joel Mabry's driving.  I remember the three of us being outraged at a Coca Cola costing fifty cents. It was a good time. The next time I went was June 2, 1974. I recall the date because I had graduated from West Georgia College that morning. Bill Daly of the "I Dream of Jeannie" and "Bob Newhart Show" was there that day signing autographs and visiting with fans. Six Flags suffered various negative public relations nightmares over the years but it seems that those days are over. A rumor a couple of years ago was the entertainment complex would close its Cobb County location and would be moving over to Jackson County in the eastern part of metro Atlanta. Thankfully it was just a rumor. I bought a family pass earlier this year in anticipation of my girls wanting to go to a place they could have fun about 400 miles closer than Orlando. Six Flags seems to have had a major overhaul in the attitude of its employees. I have never seem such customer focus at any theme park including the ones owned and operated by the Walt Disney Company that I have a deep love and respect for. We have gone a couple of times to Six Flags so far this year and it now rivals Orange County, Florida's "happiest place on Earth"  as far as friendly park employees.

The mountains seem to be another popular vacation destination. I saw on television the other day that Paula Deen has a buffet at a casino up in Cherokee, North Carolina. I don't think her corn bread is better than my grandmother's and I would not risk dropping thousands just to find out for sure. Am I the only one who is over the kitchen queen of Savannah who you can see 24/7 on satellite and cable television and on the the cover of every publication except the "Masonic Messenger"?

I also am pondering a trip to the beach or to the mountains. With gasoline at an all time high it will have to be Beech Creek or Tally Mountain.

My oldest daughter Presley begins first grade soon and I introduced her recently to the only person I know that went from first grade through high school without ever missing a single day of school. Larry Shealey never missed a day of school ever and it is quite an achievement in my view. He now never misses a day of sitting on the bench out next to the CVS drug store.