Sank Roo Doe Noo...
For my Grandfather Russell Ellis

   

 So today I played golf at the Steele Canyon Golf Club in Jamul, California. Naturally, I’m wearing my red saddle oxfords with the Big A on the side.  After the round I go inside for some liquid libation in the form of a beer. You can no long have a glass of water in Southern California.  I get my beer and go out on the veranda, prompt up my size 11’s on another chair. A “Roll Tide” comes blasting from the steps. “Roll Tide back at you brother”, ask we bumped fists.

    He sits down to chat, and the first thing out if his mouth is “can you believe we have Avery Johnson as our coach? How in the heck did that happen?”  Of course, I tell him. He gets the blow by blow description of the firing of Grant, the big turndown by Gregg Marshall, and the happing ending with Avery Johnson.  He buys us a round. I can tell this is going to be a fun afternoon.   He told me he was from Texas and was a Spurs fan who had watched Johnson play.  He then said he watched him coach when he moved to Mavericks.  “This is unreal , dude, unreal.”  I order the next round, and our waitress suggested a pitcher because would be more cost effective.  That’ Southern Cal talk for cheaper. 

   We had a couple of more, which is about three more than I usually have.  Not one word about football.  We all take football for granted and there’s no need to talk about Nick Saban because the man has football covered.  I get up and head to the men’s room.  It’s a rental agreement I have with beer due to my age.  Back ton the table we are talking about the old days when Wimp coached.  “Let’s have another round for the road?” Road? I could barely see the table as it was. The cute little waitress, who is apparently was studying economics, walks up to the table and asks, “How about another round for you molasses dripping talkers?”

   

   “My new buddy looks at her and in his best Texan says, “honey, bring us two boilermakers and go heavy on the boiler.”  By this time I’m trying to figure out a way to sleep in my compact car in the parking lot. Not being one to temp the fates, I said, “h—ll yes, that calls for a Roll Tide Roll”. We stand up, if stand can be the right description and scream, “Roll Tide Roll.” We got a lot of return Roll Tide Rolls in return.  My new best friend, and a respectable Tide alum, a man of taste, and deep pockets, Said, “Willie, you ever been to Paris?” I told him I had. “Willie, you ever go down to Harry’s Bar in Paris.” I replied I had indeed spent many a blissful night in that bastion of American ex-pats. “And Willie, what is the address?” It is one of those addresses that are well known, and in Paris, and if you know only one sentence in French, it should be ‘Cinc Rue Daunou.

I would like to say that my life had changed, that I had an epiphany, and that all my priorities became clear as spring water. They did for a moment. But it was one of the best moments in my life. I don’t think Auburn fans have moments like that because they are worrying about what Alabama is always doing. We stepped down from our makeshift stage, and our waitress brought over a round of some fined Scottish single malt Oban. My new friend looked at me in all seriousness and said, “Willie, a toast - Too God, Country, and the University of Alabama”.  We both grinned the grins of drunken new friends, and all I could say was “Here, here.”

It had been a fine evening. The air was crisp and the friendship warm. We should all be so lucky once in our life.

** A little side note. I first went to Harry’s when I was 22 years old. I’ve been back many times. My late grandfather, Russell Ellis, told me stories about Harry’s. He was stationed in Paris after the Great War. Older American’s, who still lived in La Lourve, remembered him, told me he always sat in a particular spot, and they took me to that table. To them he was the happy young man who talked like he’d never been out of Dixie. I sat down and had a Blue Lagoon, and imagined my grandfather, the doughboy, drinking and laughing with his friends. The world is indeed a smaller than we believe and we should always treat one another accordingly.