The Hole In The Wall

 When I was in my early 20s, I used to travel the state of Arkansas to attend any and every popular nightclub.

One of the first places that I attended was a place in the small black rural community of Union Chapel. My stepdad once warned me to be careful going up there because people that he had known in the past had gotten killed there. 

Despite his warnings, my sister Mary Jayne and I went there one night in 1999. In the middle of nowhere, stood this little green building that had cars surrounding it. The cover charge was $10. 

When I entered the building, the place was packed with beautiful women from wall to wall. The atmosphere smelled of whiskey and fried chicken. It was here that I got my introduction to "Mama Lucy". Mama Lucy is a homemade alcoholic drink that was served in that region of the country. I paid $2 for my first drink. I had several cups of it throughout the night because it tasted like a strong version of Kool-Aid.

It was also here that I met and danced with the finest woman in the room. Her name was Nicky. I danced for what seemed like hours with her. At the end of the night, she gave me a nice kiss on the cheek and her phone number that I had written down on a napkin. 

I was so lucky that I had my sister with me because as soon as the night air hit my face, I ended up crawling back to my car. My sister drove us home that evening. I never saw Nicky again and I lost the phone number that she had given me. 

In 2004, I was told that the little green building was raided by the cops and has since then ceased to exist.

Whenever I hear that song called Hole in the Wall playing, I can't help but be reminded of that autumn night in 1999.