My Southern Soldier Boy

There is a store in Athens called the Civil War Store. I never went there, but I always meant to check it out. I'm sure it's filled with your typically roadside stop goods: Civil War paraphernalia, Old Georgia flags and plates, and your typical redneck t-shirts. Maybe that's why I never made it there, I've seen it already.

Once a year, the store becomes popular with the students. It's when a few of the fraternities and sororities get together and have their own Antebellum days. Milledge Road becomes blocked with countless Scarlett O'Haras and Melanie Hamiltons, but never any Prissies. Ruffles and umbrellas, and petticoats- oh my. The boys all don their Confederate uniforms obtained from the Civil War Store. It's actually quite a sight. Most Greek houses on Milledge are indeed Antebellum houses which makes the setting just perfect.

One night, it must have been a Tuesday because I was at Wild Wings waiting for a table, and I saw him walk in. I'd seen him around a few times at various bars. He was obviously a student, but when he makes his way downtown, he always wears a navy Civil War hat. He walked in the door and the bench filled with black people seated beside me saw him and sharply inhaled.

"Oooh!" One girl shrieked.

I sat in silence, watching this unfold.

The black party all pointed at him and then spoke to each other in a circle. The boy in the hat was oblivious. They became louder and louder as their obvious feelings grew. They leered at him and continued their pointing and hushed talking.

Finally one girl gets up from the bench and walks towards him. His back was turned to the group so she poked him on the shoulder.

She's going to punch him in the face! I wildly thought.

He turned around. "Your hat really offends me," she told him angrily.

He smiled slowly. "Ma'am," he said, "This is a Union hat." She didn't get what he was trying to say, what I knew all along: navy is for the north, and gray is for the south. "This isn't a Confederate hat," he tried again.

"Oh," she said. She just stood there in front of him for a minute and then turned around and walked briskly back to her friends.

I tried so hard not to bust out laughing, but I was unsuccessful. The people on the bench turned to look at me, and I thought, No, they're going to punch me in the face!