My sister Claudelle (on the left) around 1950 at our home in Claxton. She is the second eldest of my blended family. That's my sister Linda on the left, she is 7 yrs older than me
Oddly, that pic on the wall behind them made it all the way to the house I grew up in, and was there when I gave everything away; Drugs and alcohol make you do not so wise things.
So yesterday, my niece Michele, who lives about 4 miles from me and is 2 months younger than me told me they were taking her mom (my sister Claudelle) out for dinner for her birthday. She wanted "Crispy Fried Chicken" so Michele googled the best fried chicken nearest to us.
"South City Kitchen"
(!worldmappin 33.84982 lat -84.49015 long d3scr)
was what she found and was decided upon because her mom wanted "crispy friend chicken" and we didn't want to take her to any fast food place for this.
Note, none of us looked at the prices on the menu
We also didn't call ahead for reservations, as this location because
A. it didn't open until 5 PM (we were planning on arriving at 5 pm)
B. the website said reservations were "recommended" for parties over 14 people (we were only 4)
My sister and I have had a rocky relationship over the years, and now that she is basically living her life again from 50 yrs ago, how SHE remembers it which is not necessarily how it really was, and since although I live on a fixed disability income, I still make more than my niece per month, I insisted that I pay for this meal for all of us.
After some difficulty at the door (my sister in a wheelchair) because we had NOT called ahead, we got seated.
- They didn't have napkins on this table, so I got up and got 4 off a nearby table.
We ordered "Fried Green Tomatoes" from the "to share" side of the menu
(they brought FOUR slices of fried tomatoes for $14 USD)
My sister got her fried chicken, I think it was a ¼ chicken (breast and thigh) $26
Now the other three of us all agreed we'd never had "Wagu Beef" in any form, and I for one wanted to taste it.
So we got three entree's at $38 a pop!
After a time and our orders had been placed, I asked Michele "No one has asked us how we wanted our beef cooked?"
They all came the same way, and I swear to you we could have been eating barbeque beef brisket from any number of places I've been to but for far less cost
↑THAT↑ was my portion of Wagu Beef Cheek for $38.
The carrots were basically raw, couldn't cut them with a knife.
The meat WAS incredibly tender, so much so that I dropped a large chunk that didn't quite make it to my lap, getting caught between the tablecloth and my shirt.
I ate it anyway
Everyone enjoyed it, except that my sister had grown very much weaker as the time passed by, so much so she had trouble sitting up in her chair.
This was not normal for her, even in her condition now.
It took the two of them about 5 min to get her into the wheelchair we brought
Even longer getting her back into the car.
This was my cost for the 4 of us
Michele and Valerie paid the tip
(Notice they show the fried green tomato as a DINNER, not a sharable appetizer, which is what WE thought it would be, and we DID get ONE slice each)
So before I even went over there to Michele's house, I got a card, some flowers and brought a tub of boiled peanuts from here.
She absolutely refuses to smile because her teeth are ugly. Even at 91, "Vanity thy name is Woman"
So in 2 weeks, I will be 70, will I care what people think of how I'm dressed or how my teeth look in a picture?
Only time will tell, but I kinda don't think so.
_91st "Birthday Dinner for my sister"
by
Jerry E Smith
©07/23/2025
All images are original or family property
