In the early 1980s, my cousin and I rented what was once a dry-cleaning operation at the red light in Nahunta and turned it into a pool hall.
Right across the street was Arthur Keene’s liquor store. I couldn't tell you how long it had been in business, but it was a long time and it had some regular customers.
I didn’t drink alcohol. The only thing separating Arthur’s and us was Highway 82. It was two lanes at the time and he kept to his side of the street and so did we.
I actually didn’t know until later on that I was fairly close kin to his wife. I just remember he had this bench on the outside of his building that he would sit on.
He also had this big wallet with a chain attached to it.
He seemed to always have this big mustache. I believe he could put a whole pack of Red Man chewing tobacco in his mouth at one time because his jaw would be sticking out so big on one side.
A school friend of mine said his daddy worked with Arthur later on. He would get off the school bus at Arthur’s and play checkers with many of the “locals” of which none of them could beat him.
In 1989, a log truck failed to make the turn and crashed into the building and destroyed it and much of its inventory/ contents inside.
All I remember was that many people were gathering up the unbusted bottles and cans and hauling them out of there in a hurry.
This was a few years before I started taking pictures, so I don’t have any photos of any of it.
I was told by Veronica Burgess that when her daddy (Brother Arnold) was alive, Arthur’s health was getting in bad shape and his legs had to be taken off.
Arthur started teaching Sunday school on the second floor of the church. Veronica remembered he had to be carried up the stairs every Sunday so he could teach his class.
• Wayne Morgan is freelance wildlife photographer and author.
