A Holwell & Holwell Story

Today I had contact with Buddy Holwell.  Strange how just a few words from an old hometown friend can set your memory cells firing on all cylinders.

Buddy allowed as how Holwell & Holwell was closing in on a century of service to the folks of Quitman and Brooks County, Geoprgia.  My folks had insurance with tyhe Holwells forever.

Anyway, in the 1930′s my Daddy, the one and only original Bill Shiver, worked for Patrick Furniture Company.  They didn’t have a radio station in Quitman at that time but there was one over in Thomasville.  Patrick bought a 15-minute block of airtime on Saturday mornings.  Every Saturday my Dad would drive one of Patrick’s delivery trucks to Thomasville.  Along with his old and rather beatup Kamico guitar Daddy would play and sing a few songs and advertise the specials for the week at Patrick’s.  It’s where I got my love for radio and music.

On this particular Saturday it was raing bullfrogs and on the way back to Quitman the old truck stopped running between Thomasville and Boston.  Lightning was zapping and thunder rolled.  There was only one road between Quitman and Thomasville and that one wound through Dixie and Boston.  Not much traffic in the 30′s.  No cell phones either, so Dad knew the folks at Patricks would be worried.  But all he could do was sit there and flinch each time a bolt would scream through the monsoon.

Then, a big black car pulled over in front of the old truck and a hand stuck out of the driver’s window and motioned for Dad to come get in.  He did, and lo and behold it was none other than W.B. Holwell on his way back to Quitman.  Dad said he’d never been so happy to se a sould in his life.  And, Mr. Holwell gave Daddy a lift to town and deposited him at Patrick’s.  Safe and sound if not so dry.

Oh yes, Daddy said on the way to Quitman Mr. Holwell sold him a life insurance policy.  True stories are the best kind.

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