“I know the color blue when I see it, and the flavor of a pear when I taste it; I know an inch when I move my finger through it; a second of time, when I feel it pass; an effort of attention when I make it; a difference between two things when I notice it; but about the inner nature of these facts or what makes them what they are, I can say nothing at all. I cannot impart acquaintance with them to anyone who has not already made it himself. I cannot describe them, make a blind man guess what blue is like….”

Why try. Fellow holds his peace long enough til one day well maybe you think he growed accustomed. Telling don’t help. Folks believe most anything or some will. But then dying creeps up and so here I go again writing it down don’t ask me why. Wrote it once. Words cant never be the same as what it is.

It was back when I was working for mister Eugene Doggitt of Crystal Branch Alabama. Now he was a good one. We had a government contract for surveying Spaniards hell but not all of it. We didn’t want none of that no sir. Not further than the loggers already drove. We were finding witness trees and section corners. I was pulling chain. Now I am thinking I was 21. It was pretty wild back then.

We used to pass 2 weeks in the swamp. Sometimes 3. Mister Doggitt would pack in salt meat. We all carried water. But mostly we trusted to what we did find. It wasn’t hardly ever bad. Liked rattlesnake meat best and they was plenty. Folks say they cant eat it but thats just prejudice. Tastes sweet. Gator dont taste much. Possums greasy. Coons good too. Fat ones. Mostly we shot dinner while working. Like I said it was pretty wild back then. Sometimes we had to hunt. For water you trusted to springs. Looked for it clear and fast moving. You feel it cold you know it was a spring.