THE TEXACO Food Mart across from K-Mart is a ghost shack ... closed, kaput.

I’m not sure how long it’s been closed, but in pulling through the parking lot Saturday, memories took me back to ...

A towering Texaco sign (tower of power) and a really good friend, the late Perry Canada.

Canada’s Texaco ...

In those years, it was at Perry’s you stopped on Saturday morning to find out what had really happened the night before at high school games around the area.

The authority there was the late Harry Clark, who worked for Perry like forever. If Harry didn’t know what was really going on in high school sports, he might just make up something.

He was a delightful guy and Perry, who left us years ago, was just about everybody’s friend. He was also one fine football official.

I lingered for a few minutes, played with a few more memories ... and left.

IN CASE you haven’t been that way of late, one of the two overpasses out on U. S. 431 at Five Points in Saks is gone. That’s where the eastern bypass (IF it’s ever completed) will end, but it sure does seem strange.

So far, the old railroad overpass hasn’t been touched. Maybe they’ll let that one alone.

Yeah, I know I’m a bit weird, but that’s just the way I am.

RICK BRAGG can flat-out write.

Many of you already know that the former Anniston Star reporter won a Pulitzer while at the NY Times, but if you love football in the South, get online and find ESPN Magazine.

Rick has a long article, “Down Here,” that is simply terrific.

One story I’m lifting is the custom for teams to kneel in prayer before each game. Go with me to a Sunday afternoon and the Bear Bryant Show following a rare loss:

HOST:“God just wasn’t with us, Coach.”

BRYANT:“God expects you to block and tackle.”

IT’S EARLY Thursday and I’m in front of the computer, got the weather on the screen, got radar checking our town and surrounding environs when, whoa!, small cloud pops up just south of Oxford. A half-hour later, it’s pouring rain out where I live.

Sort of reminds me of a time when we didn’t even know if it was raining on the other side of the mountain. The forecast came from your grandfather counting the stars inside the circle around the moon. He would then tell you how many days before it would rain.

I like today a lot better ... and I also like to watch it rain.

So I got a cup of coffee, put a chair in the carport, and sat and watched ... loved it.

QUOTABLE: “A beauty is a woman you notice; a charmer is one who notices you.” — Adlai Stevenson

ME BAD: In noting Troy Kilgore’s 81st birthday in Wednesday’s column, I took brain lock and typed “Young” instead of “Kilgore.”

I once knew a Troy Young, but not like I knew Mr. Kilgore, a really good buddy who goes back to my early years at The Star. Troy, in print makeup of hot lead days, spent years making me look good. An artist in his trade, he made our sports pages as good as any in the state.

I told you that in Wednesday’s column, but I just wanted to set the record straight for a guy who was and is a good friend.

Really I can’t tell you what happened except I goofed, proving once again that a writer is his own worst proofreader. In writing a column, I will go through it at least three times before sending to The Star. Did that, of course, still missed the goof ... until late Wednesday when I went on line and checked the column.

BAM! ... first thing, it jumped right out of middle of page at me.

So, Mr. Kilgore, I at least owe you lunch ...

Thanks for visiting.

George Smith can be reached at 256-239-5286 or e-mail: gsmith731@gmail.com