I ran into a friend while eating out the other night that wanted me to repeat that column about leg cramps. He said he is having much difficulty ridding his legs of night cramps.

I told him this may not work for everyone, but if you remember, I suggested placing a bar of soap in the bed each night and this will cause the cramps to go away. I further stated this was not my remedy, but that it was handed down to me from a long line of friends and relatives. They say it really worked.

I ran into a seaman in Biloxi, Miss., in 1983, while settling flood insurance losses. Beleaguered with leg cramps, he said he buys a bottle of Schweppes tonic and drinks a glass of it mixed with three teaspoons of pickle juice. You see, quinine, which is contained in the tonic, keeps the cramps away. Quinine, which, was taken off the shelves a few years ago, has always been known to help cramps. And, by the way, don’t use any alcohol in the tonic. A lady once emailed me her remedy for cramps. She said take a clothespin and place it on the left finger next to the thumb. But always put a small piece of cloth between the pin and the finger to prevent any circulation problems. Now, I am somewhat reluctant to try this remedy because of the circulation problems it could cause. So, I don’t recommend this method.

Whatever works for you, stay with it.

I sometimes think back to the mid 1980s and hearing a story about a female telephone operator who became immensely rich back in the 1950s. This operator worked at a “switch board,” where she punched incoming and outgoing phone calls. This was very much like what my wife did in her early days at the telephone office.

As the story went, this Florida telephone operator was well respected and at the same, was “feared” by some who believed their phone conversations were overheard by her. Well, one day this lady quit her job because she had somehow accumulated much wealth. It was not “love gossip” this lady was listening to, but it was conversations made by a successful stock broker to his stock office. Yes, the lady used these overheard stock transactions to buy and sell the same stock used by the broker. She earned so much money that she walked away from her job.

Now, I do not believe my wife nor any of the other ladies at our local switchboard listened in to callers. But if she did, I wished she would have tuned in on a stock broker like the woman from Florida did. I did notice back in those days when we ate out, some friends would drop by our table and sheepishly speak to her in a very concerned manner. I remember one friend asked her “do you work Friday nights? Were you working last Friday night? Why would that lady want to know if you worked Friday nights,” I asked Ouida? “Oh”, she said, “she is just making friendly conversation.” HUM? My, My… Harper Valley PTA revisited….

Now, for a little news from 1954.

Escambia County High School Principal R.E. Hodnette announced his retirement after serving here since 1924. He was feted with a gala celebration by former students and teachers.

Four-hundred-and-eight moonshine stills were destroyed in the state. Ironically, most of those stills were located in northern Alabama. Not a one was found in southern counties. (Whew…Baldwin County…what a narrow miss.)

The 1954 census resulted in growth in Atmore’s population. Six-thousand-six-hundred-and-eighteen residents lived here that year, an increase of 1,000 from the 1950 census.

Atmore General Hospital became Green Lawn Hospital and Drs. J.O. Lisenby and C.P. St. Amant renovated their offices to accommodate more patients. I don’t remember all those on the staff of Lisenby, but I do recall some of those who worked for Dr. C.P. They included his wife, and Ruth Brock, Margaret Kennedy and Bertha Nelson. Margaret would frequently call us at WATM and tells to play some “real pretty music today.” Margaret made available WATM for patients waiting to see the doctor.

That was the year that Berny Salter and his family moved to Atmore when he assumed the duties of hospital administrator. I remember very well his young boys and their friends coming by the station rapping on the control room windows, watching us spin records and read the news. And, what a joy it is today to engage in conversations each week with one of those boys at our afternoon coffee sessions. His lovely wife enhances our meetings and adds charm even more.

One other thing you want to keep your eyes on is the gas pump. As some of you probably know, I write quite a bit of oil news, which requires my keeping in touch with “the oil people.” Some are telling me that $1.75 gallon for gasoline will be common later this year. Wow, being able to fill up for $25 sounds great, doesn’t it?

In 1966, we lost three prominent residents in George Stone, Aaron Grimsley and Steven William Hixon. Stone, from Walnut Hill, Fla., died in a Pensacola auto accident. Highly regarded as an educator, he was also a Florida District Representative.

Grimsley was a successful local dry good merchant, and Hixon was a respected prison warden.

What about all this nice warm weather we are having here almost at winter time? A report out of Auburn University states south Alabama azaleas are blooming as much now as they do in spring time.

In Georgia, at a popular Christmas winter park not too far from the Alabama state line, there is a sign with the inscription, “Don’t pick the fresh blooming flowers among our colorful holiday lights.”

I’ll have more news next week.