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October 26, 2009
Goodland, Florida: 'You got a problem with that?'
The people here? They make even Australians seem a bit uptight and sober.
The Buzzard Lope Queen? Okay, so there's no pretense, not much Internet (a good thing), but no real problems, either. No money (bad thing)--but so what, Mister? Home of the buzzard lope, Goodland is a living caricature of working people with too much personality, powerful appetites, and Flowers on Mama's Grave back in the Ozarks. I know these people. WAC? comes from about fifteen generations of them in Virginia, Tennessee and southern Missouri, from towns like Springfield, Mountain Home and Mountain Grove.
One day nearly 90 years ago, one tribe member (my grandfather) escaped Missouri for the University of Chicago and Yale. DNA, however, is hard to beat down with education. For example, I like it here--and am eternally One with the Hillbilly Cosmos, at least while in town. But two years ago, the late Holden Oliver, ex-WAC? writer, then a snooty New England-bred law student at Stanford, refused to finish his dinner at one of the local bars here. The Mayflower crowd could never grock Goodland.
Buzzard Lope people
Anyway, about 300 souls. Half the adult population in this tiny town is said to be "non-voting" due to drug transport-related convictions. Lots of old--but extremely fast--boats. Trial lawyers like NYC's Scott Greenfield get the picture. If Scott mails me some of his cards, I will pass them out at Stan's or The Little Bar. Goodland is also very, well, white--but more fun and certainly less sterile than Naples or Marco. This is a gritty Key West for the Gulf's gold coast. The people here make even most Australians seem a bit uptight and sober.
It's fun. The most button-down clients insist on going to dinner here--just like they insist on a quick trip to Mexico for lobster in Puerto Nuevo or near Calafia when they are in San Diego. Goodland is a fine place to write sonnets, briefs, novels, letters, settlement contracts, short stories, articles, limericks, Dear Jane letters and marginal haiku--all of which I have been doing down here off and on for over 20 years.
"Hey, you guys from Connecticut or sumpthin'?"
Posted by JD Hull at October 26, 2009 12:32 AM
Comments
What were the family names of your Ozark ancestors?
Was your grandfather's road to Yale paved by Clyde Hill of West Plains and later Yale University's Education Department?
And, Mountain Home is in Arkansas
Posted by: John at October 26, 2009 02:22 PM
It was Hull--yes Yale Education, where my grandfather J. Daniel Hull Jr. also got a doctorate ....don't know Hill (but I can ask my father when I have time...yes I know MH is in Ark.....love that name.
Posted by: Hull at October 26, 2009 05:07 PM
It confusing. Arkansas has Mountain Grove, Mountain View and Mountain Home and Missouri has Mountain Grove and Mountain View. I get them mixed up all the time.
All are lovely places.
Posted by: Harry Styron at October 29, 2009 10:42 PM