I had always harboured the notion of a road trip in the USA. I thought if it ever happened it would be up the eastern seaboard or the west coast or maybe even the famous Route 66. As it turned out, my daughter decided to spend a year of her degree at the University of South Carolina and that was my road trip sorted. We travelled through Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee and Alabama. The cultural gaps were many but this photo will always remind me of one of those moments when you feel 2 feet tall. After leaving our daughter we started off on the Cherokee Foothills Scenic Highway (Highway 11). I had seen a few signs for boiled peanuts and was feeling peckish since we hadn’t had any breakfast that morning. So when I saw this colourful roadside stand, I had to stop. Being Irish, i usually only eat nuts once a year at Halloween. Monkey nuts. The ones that you crack the shell open and eat the nut. The friendly peanut seller explained that they boil them until they are soft enough to eat but you have to let them cool down first. I paid for a cupful and, with Mr peanut seller looking on, I proceeded to blow on my first ever boiled peanut. When I was satisfied that it had cooled down enough I popped it in my mouth. As I chewed the fibrous mulch I wondered how anyone could eat anything this disgusting! But not wanting to offend the man, I tried to disguise my grimace as a smile. “You like that”? he asked. “Yes” I lied. Then in a typical southern drawl he said “ain’t never seen no one eating em shells an’ all! But if it works for ya…”. My humiliation complete, I bade him farewell and went on my way. You can take the man out of Belfast but you can’t take Belfast out of the man!
Bleeding Dove 