THE SAGA OF THE CHICKEN HOUSE

Some time before I came into the world, my older brothers operated a roadside stand in front of our house. I presume that my Papa encouraged them as he later encouraged me in setting up my bicycle shop. I am not sure of all the details. Papa was a business man early in life and wanted to encourage his boys to develop their own interests in business.  The roadside stand was really a substantial building out near the street in front of our house with a opening in the front with a big flap that could be opened to serve customers. I am not sure what they sold, but I presume their stock included candy, cookies, and cold drinks.

 By the time I came along it was an empty building. I do remember exploring the building.  I discovered that my brothers had used a rubber stamp and decorated the inside with various designs included one of a hand with a pointed finger. I gathered that they also had a small printing press, which I thought was a great machine.
 I do not know how long the little store stayed in operation but it was later unneeded as my brothers began to go off to college and leave home. Sometime along the way it was moved to the back yard.  Since Papa was a building contractor with all the needed equipment, that move was possible. After Papa sold his interest in the contracting partnership to his partner Mr.John McLemore, Mr. McLemore   received a contract to build a new stadium at the new Senior High School.

RAY STADIUM MERIDIAN SR HIGH SCHOOL

One summer my brother Donnell needed a summer job and arrangements were made to move the little store building out to the construction site where Donnell sold refreshments to the construction workers. He had a portable cooler hung with a strap around his neck filled with bottled drinks  that he could pedal out to the workers.  He also made the little store available for some of the workers to hang their coats while they worked. I went out once and volunteered to help Donnell and discovered that cooler was very heavy on my shoulders.

At the end of the summer the little store building was moved back our back yard, where it served a chicken house for years.  That's the saga of the chicken house as I remember it.