Luden SorrellsWhat is it about the smell of whisky that soothes a man’s soul? Recently I went to visit my family, the Robert’s, in the mountains of North Carolina.
The first thing I did when I stepped out of the car was try and smell that glorious aroma. My name is Luden Sorrells. Better known back home as Uncle Luden. I have what some might call a monarch reputation as a drinking man.
I moved away from home at the age of sixteen and headed toward California on my motorcycle. Although I’ve been there for years, the scenery just doesn’t compare to my hometown. I find myself missing home oftentimes but, living with a controlling mother wasn’t always that easy. Once settling in California I became a bit of a lady’s man, but it got me in trouble every now and then. My life is full of adventures and unfortunately alcohol tends to be a part of them.
I know that it hurts my mother to see me struggling with alcohol. While at home visiting I stayed out drinking some good ole whisky one night. At the time it was fun, but when I got back to the Robert’s house I wasn’t feeling so good about it. So I set up my dolls in a line of twelve and shot each one. After shooting them I recited the twelve steps from alcoholics anonymous. The whole time my momma was watching from the porch.
I felt just awful that I had made her cry and I apologized to her for being drunk again. She was understanding, but she wasn’t always so easy to get along with. When I was a boy, she was a little controlling at times. She ran the farm and had me working it for her. I never liked the farm life much. That is why I took off the first chance I got to California.
I got a real job making cash money. Every once in awhile I would send a check out to my momma. I felt bad for leaving her behind on the farm. I thought I might be able to help in some way, even though I wasn’t there. When I moved out to California is when my drinking started becoming more and more of a problem. I started meeting all these beautiful ladies.
Most of them had boyfriends or husband’s, but it didn’t really bother me all that much. Cora, my sister, had to come help me out on occasion. Between all the ladies and the alcohol, I got in over my head. I was thankful for my sister’s help.
I ended up having three wives. As much as I love women, they ain’t nothing but trouble. A man would have to drink a little whiskey to deal with them. No matter what I do or where I go they can smell me coming.
My brother-in-law, Joe Roberts, says that I must give off some sort of musk-odor that menfolks can’t smell. It was good to go home and visit my family. California is great but I missed being home sometimes. They have mountains in California, but not like the ones in North Carolina.
It just wasn’t the same. There’s nothing like eating fried chicken and rhubarb pie on top of Ember Mountain. While at home, in the Appalachians, I took my family on a picnic to that very place. Cora fixed up all kinds of good stuff to eat and I brought along a bottle of wine from Sonoma. I even let my nephew Jess have a sip.
He seemed to have enjoyed it.
