Tammy was gifted a ceramic wine cup for Christmas that she really enjoyed. Well, she broke it and needed another. So she Googled-up the place where the cup was purchased, and we piled into the car and headed to Lexington, Alabama, population 912.
I assumed we were going to some random gift shop in downtown Lexington. It seemed a little too much trouble just for a ceramic cup but it was a beautiful day and I have a new car that is great fun to drive so off we went. As we followed the GPS into increasingly-rural country (nowhere close to downtown), I wondered who in the world would open a gift shop way out here and expect to make a living?
The GPS took us on a dirt road (I had JUST washed my new car!) spotted with disintegrating old barns and a mobile home or two. The dirt road followed a meandering, crystal clear creek for a while until we came upon a little slice of paradise. Situated in a forested hollow just a few feet from the beautiful creek was an old wooden pottery shop. Beside that was a REALLY old log cabin. “Well, I’ll be,” I thought, “Someone actually does have a charming gift shop out here in the middle of nowhere.”
Kitty enthusiastically met us at the door to the shop which had a sign that essentially read, “If I’m not here, just take what you want and leave the money in the jar.” How quaint is that? Kitty recognized me behind my mask as the “Computer Skeptic” and said she read all my articles. I get that alot and it never gets old.
The inside was a neat, rustic, pottery gift shop. All the pieces were kilned by Kitty herself. The items were neatly arranged and interspersed with framed arrowhead collections that always capture my attention. I inquired about them and Kitty called in her husband, Jim, to answer my questions. Jim is a Santa Claus-looking guy with a cranky, sarcastic, yet endearing air about him that I immediately connected with. Jim was a kindred spirit. Perhaps a hint of me in another 20 years.
Jim asked if I’d like to see some other items he’s collected over the years. Well heck yeah, I would. He took me into their house, the log cabin. The inside was EXACTLY as one would expect. It was charmingly cluttered with books and antiques and quilts and wood-burning stoves and well-preserved 1940’s-style kitchen sink and stove and just . . . perfect. Everything one needed for a fulfilling life was there in that little slice of paradise. It was a cool reminder that if I lost all my modern conveniences tomorrow, I could be perfectly happy with far, far less. Thanks to the internet, people like Kitty can do a decent business while living on the edge of technology. Thanks for the inspirational visit, Kitty. For anyone interested, Google “Worthy Vessels Pottery” and all will be revealed.
Jim Fisher owns Excel Computer Services in Florence. Reach him at www.ExcelAL.com
