Author Archives: Gary Wright

About Gary Wright

Gary Wright grew up in the cotton fields of northeast Arkansas where he acquired his deep sense of love for the South and for country living. Always a son of the South and an ardent student of Southern history, culture and lore, Gary Wright found himself tugged by many different cultures and traveled all over the country and other parts of the world. But he always found his way back to his Southern roots. He served a stint in the Viet Nam war as a helicopter pilot, with the U.S. Army’s Studies and Observation Group, then four years abroad for his government as Assistant Customs Attache in Mexico City. He rounded out a thirty-five year career with federal law enforcement with the U.S. Customs Service as a criminal investigator and retired in Mobile, Aabama. He served a six-year stretch with the federal Drug Czar‘s Office. He retired in the small town of Eclectic, Alabama near Montgomery where he lives with his wife Carol and his beloved Great Pyrenees dogs, Sampson and Goldilocks. He remains active in the Episcopal Church and plays country and gospel songs on the keyboard and sings at the Eclectic Senior Center and nearby Tallassee Rehabilitation Hospital. Gary continues to write songs, stories and blogs about a variety of subjects, especially about Southern topics.

OLD’ HANK’S CARR

Old’ Hank’s Carrby Gary Wright “Everything is so random there must be a pattern.” As the sun was rising on New Year’s Day about 65 years ago, a beautiful, shiny blue Cadillac pulled up the Hill, West Virginia hospital in … Continue reading

Posted in Exploring the South | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

Okefenokee Monster

Okefenokee Monster by Gary Wright “If you want to live through the night, let the devil sleep.” —John Verdon, ‘Let the Devil Sleep.’   Okefenokee is believed to be a Muscogee (Creek) word meaning ‘shaking water.’ Aptly named for the … Continue reading

Posted in Southern Folklore | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Okefenokee Monster

Mobile Mardi Gras à la Joe Cain

  Mobile Mardi Gras à la Joe Cain By Gary Wright     Often, things are not as they seem; usually, but not always, more so than ever   Joseph Stillwell Cain, Jr. October 10, 1832–April 17, 1904 Widely known … Continue reading

Posted in Exploring the South | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Mobile Mardi Gras à la Joe Cain

A FAR CRY

Part three of The Last Slave Ship. Click here to read part two. http://porchscene.com/2017/01/09/unbroken/ A Far Cry by Gary Wright     An 1861 federal court case, the US v. Byrnes Meaher, was brought against Timothy Meaher and John Dabey, … Continue reading

Posted in Exploring the South | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Unbroken

Unbroken by Gary Wright   “Unbroken” is part two in Gary Wright’s three-part series, “The Last Slaver Ship.” To read part one, “On a Distant Shore,” click here: http://porchscene.com/2016/11/28/on-a-distant-shore/ The rich, fertile savannah coastal area of West Africa became known as … Continue reading

Posted in Exploring the South | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Merry Christmas, Navy!

Merry Christmas, Navy! By Gary Wright  “Atta boy, Clarence,”    —It’s a Wonderful Life   In order to ascribe the fullest meaning to this story, you have to know that every word of the account is true. Christmas 2014 was a … Continue reading

Posted in Exploring the South | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

ON A DISTANT SHORE

In a three-part series, Gary Wright tells the story of “Clotilda”—the last slaving ship On a Distant Shore by Gary Wright   “You cannot play God without becoming acquainted with the Devil.” —Jonathan Nolan, ‘Westworld, the Series’ (Remnants of the … Continue reading

Posted in Exploring the South | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on ON A DISTANT SHORE

Pearls of Great Price

Pearls of Great Price By Gary Wright “So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.” — F. Scott Fitzgerald, ‘The Great Gatsby.’ Hernando de Soto was the first European to venture into the southeastern … Continue reading

Posted in Southern History | Tagged , , , , , | 5 Comments

More Southern Speak by Gary Wright

Gary Wright continues to share his “Southernisms” with us in MORE SOUTHERN SPEAK! Please feel free to add your own favorite “southern speak” in the comments section at the end of this post. Thanks y’all!

Posted in Exploring the South, Gary Wright | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

More Southern Speak by Gary Wright

If it were easy, then everyone would understand Slap my head and call me silly is not an invitation to produce the physical action called for, rather, to call attention to the fact that I have overlooked the obvious and … Continue reading

Posted in Exploring the South, Gary Wright | Tagged , | Comments Off on More Southern Speak by Gary Wright