October 30, 2020 - I grew up in the part of Texas that was notorious for its moonshine distillers. In fact, while in college in 1955, my roommate was the son of a family known for their moonshine making. I had never encountered real moonshine until *Jim began bringing a gallon of the stuff to our boarding house every Sunday afternoon. It would last our residents an entire week.
This clear liquid was brutal. In fact, it would blaze up if touched by a match. About the only way it could be consumed was a few ounces added to a bottle of Cola. Then a pure Cola served as a “chaser” to kill the burn. I don’t know what “proof” this stuff was...100 proof I would guess. I do believe that it could be burned by any internal combustion engine.
One Saturday afternoon, Jim said to me, “Neal, why don’t you go home with me and spend the night?” I was surprised at the invitation, but it seemed better than sitting around the boarding house and watching the grass grow.
So, we took off to San Augustine County, across the Attoyac River, then a right down a dirt road to his house.
Jim’s extended family lived all around him in the back woods, accessible only by gravel roads. We enjoyed a nice supper, then summoned his coon dog and walked around in the woods in search of a coon, rabbit, or possum.
Sunday afternoon when it was time to drive back to the college campus boarding house, Jim said, “We need to make one stop on the way out.” He drove down a logging road deep into the woods. He stopped and walked over to a tree stump, reached down inside the hollow, and pulled out a new gallon of white lightning. This was our week’s supply.
On the way back he explained to me that his grandfather, and his father, had manufactured moonshine for many years, and were still at it, even though their residence was in a “dry” county. I kept a sharp look-out for any state troopers or deputy sheriffs on the way back. Had we been stopped with the moonshine; we would have been arrested.
I am thankful that I never did develop a taste for the stuff, and have never tasted any since then. I thought later that I should have asked Jim to take me on a tour of their brewery. You think he would have...?
*Name changed to protect the guilty.
