The Crooked Springs card parlor was strictly a man’s hangout.  It was not an establishment where no women were allowed but rather a place where no respectable woman would be caught dead.  Men who otherwise were stalwarts of the community suddenly found their inner selves and their freedom of speech inside the card parlor.  The F bomb was dropped as easily as a child might set off a lady finger or light a sparkler.

It was also a pig sty.  Chippy, the proprietor, provided spittoons at most of the tables (cuspidors for the more genteel reader) but those who chewed tobacco spat at them more often than into them.  The floor got swept only when the peanut shells outnumbered the candy wrappers and stomped out cigarette butts and the chairs were dusted by the seats of overall britches worn by the card players themselves.  It was not a sight for the faint of heart.

The church’s Friendly Circle Club desperately wanted the place shut down in order to regain the companionship of their husbands and a plot was being hatched to do that very thing.  At a meeting being held at Lulu Thorenson’s house, young Jennifer Allgood, a college student, suggested a radical plan.

“I know this is off the wall,” she admitted to an astonished audience, “but how badly do you want to accomplish your mission?”

“I don’t know,” opined Jeannie Waring, co-owner of the truck stop, “I’d be awfully embarrassed.”

“Me, too,” piped in Minnie Billings,” and for that matter, what would Jesus think?”

The women mulled Jennifer’s idea over for several minutes while Lulu went to the kitchen to proudly get more biscuits and peach preserves and perk another pot of coffee.  About an hour later they took a vote by secret ballot.  There were 18 ladies present…16 voted in favor of the outlandish plan, one voted nay and one abstained.  The plan was adopted.

“Very good,” said Jennifer.  “Any of you who can’t drive or otherwise need transportation just let me know and I’ll take care of it.  Target date:  one week from Saturday.  I happen to believe all the men will be there because Don Eagle will be wrestling Farmer Marlin on TV.”  Chippy had the first television set in town and the men loved Don Eagle because he fought fair and hated Farmer Marlin because he cheated.  They didn’t believe he was a real farmer.