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I ought to have known better.

But I never thought my actions could cause a man to lose his business and a mother and father to lose their son.

Sam Adams owned a roadside business on 231 south where he sold hot boiled peanuts, ice-cold watermelons and fresh, mule-squoze, cane juice … but all the “bull” was free.

Posted all along the highway, were signs of invitation to stop at Adams Nut Shop: See the six-toed cat, a talking dog and backward flying bird.

Sam was a “character” and he like to do odd things. He grew square gourds and glued a quarter to the floor just to watch people stop to pick it up. He told jokes and “ran his mouth” to the amusement of his customers. He enjoyed all holidays especially those that called for fireworks.

Sam would stock Adams Nut Shop  with every kind of fireworks known to man. The nut shop had the best and most fireworks at the best prices and the world beat a path to Sam’s door  to  buy pyrotechnics.

The shop would get so crowded,  a lighted cigarette could send the first man to the moon.

So, Sam  put up a  fireworks stand in the parking lot to accommodate his customers.    

On one day, little Sammy was with Sam in the fireworks stand. A little boy following in his grandpa’s footsteps.

Just by chance, a little boy came up and with his dad.

Sammy “waited on” the little customer  from behind the counter that  was a-blaze with Roman candles, Volcano’s, Cherry Bombs and Thunder  Rockets.

Just pretending, Sammy handed the little boy two Roman Candles and I snapped the picture. His daddy handed the Roman candles back to Sam and paid for a box of sparklers.

The picture ran in the newspaper.

Then, came an explosion that was heard all around the town.

Someone  contacted the authorities that a little boy was operating a fireworks stand and was selling fireworks to children. The proof was in the newspaper.

A letter immediately arrived from the state fire marshal’s office with notice that the Nut Shop could be put out of business, Sam put in jail and little Sammy Adams could be taken away from his parents, Charles and Mary.

Thanks to understanding local authorities, all ended well.

Ol’ Sam got a lot mileage of the story he told while chewing on a cocklebur.