Obery’s Dare by Steve Tweed – Tuesdays with Tweed
Hi, Folks!
This week’s article is going to be pretty short. For some of you old enough to remember, it should remind you of the late Paul Harvey’s “The Rest of The Story”.
Decades ago, the Shelton Laurel Community of Madison County, North Carolina was very remote and isolated. A night on the town was a local affair with trips to Marshall or Hot Springs.
Asheville, which is right next door in Buncombe County, might as well have been on another planet. Asheville was visited once a year by some and that was when it was time to take tobacco to market.
When one traveled to Marshall, the Rock Café was the happening place to hang out, as well as the old Madison Grille.
The events of one particular event sometime about 1950 was told to me by a family member as follows:
My late uncle, Obery Tweed, had traveled to Marshall for a night on the town.
Unfortunately, Obery had partaken of the drink a little too much. He became rowdy and belligerent.
Now, from what I have been told, Obery was a hoss of a fellow, standing about 6 feet 1 inches tall and going about 190 pounds.
Normally, he was friendy and very well liked.
However, on this particular night, whiskey had put him in a fighting mood. He dared anyone to fight that was willing to step forward.
One lanky and unassuming young man stepped forward and said “I’ll fight you, Obery”.
Unbeknownst to Obery, the young man who stepped forward to face his challenge was a decorated WWII veteran who had served in the Pacific Theater while a member of The United States Marines.
By the family members account, the young man who stepped forward put a whipping on Obery in short fashion. There were no hard feelings.
Normally, this wouldn’t even be a story worth telling. It would just be an event that involved two young men from the mountains trying to find their way in the world.
However, the identity of the young man who stepped forward to meet Obery’s challenge adds some significance to the story:
He would wind up serving as North Carolina’s Speaker of The House from 1981 through 1989……….. Liston B. Ramsey.
However, Uncle Obery would have a much different fate.
See y’all next week!