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Uncle Ivory
- University of South Carolina Press
- Chapter
- Additional Information
100 Uncle Ivory 1993 Johnny Chapman IwasneverexactlysurehowUncleIvorywasr elatedtousC hapmans, onlythathewas.Iknowhewasn’tmyfather’sbrotheroranycloserelation .ButIknowhewasrelatedtoussomekindofway,thoughhewas aWilson.AndthathisrealnamewasIvorandthatw ecalledhimUncle IvorybecausenobodyeverheardofarealpersonnamedIvor.Itsounded likesomecountorsomething.AndIknowthathehad the finest birddogs anybodyhadeverseenandthathekne whowtotrainthemlikenobody could.Itwaslikeheandthedogskneweachother’smindsonsomekind oflevel. Ialsoknowthatheha dnotmovedbacktoSouthCarolinauntilafter heretiredfromhisjobasaprofessorupinVirginia.Heandablackfellow nameofEricfromChicagoboughtupabunchofland—paidcashforit thoughmosto fthemo neycamefr omtheb lackfellowEric.Theywere gonnaraiseandtrainsetters,evenmakeahuntingplantationorsomething. MybestteenagememorieswereofhuntingwithDadandUncleIvory andLarrie,myolderbrother,andEr ic—afterDad finallystartedletting megoalong.SometimesElvinwouldgoalongtoo,buthewasmostlytoo youngthosedays.Thosehunts—itwaslikewalkingamongthegods. Dadwastheb estshotIe versawuntilthealcoholstartedtohurthis steadinessandhisspeed,andLarriewasjustaboutasgood.Theyhadthat UncleIvory 101 famousChapmansteadiness,hand-eyecoordination,whateveryoucall it—perhapsitwasa byproductofthemuleheadedness,somethingelse theybothhadalotof. Icouldneverkeepupwiththem.Iwasalwaysslowontheuptakeor leadingtoomuch.Slowandpat ient,Iwas,likemymother.Iwasm uch betteratsquirrelhuntingbecauseyouhadmoretimetosetupyourshot andall.AndoldUncleIvorynevercaredmuchfortheshootingpart.He justwentalongtobewiththedogsandtobesurethattheydidallhehad taughtthemtodo. ButEric,oldEric,hewasthepatientone.Hewouldspendtimeworking withmewhiletheotherswentonahead. “Whatyoudoin’standinglikeyouDavyCrockettorsomething.Hold yourcheekagainstthatbar relandsig htdownit.Yeah,yeah—that’sit. Makeitsoyoucanturnandmoveandstillkeepitinlinewithyourcheek andyoureye.” Hetaughtmehowtohitaquail,somethingmyfatherprettymuchexpected metolearnonmyown.ButeventhenIknewI’dneverbeasgood ashotasDadorLarrie.Theyjusthadthatnaturalhand-eyecoordination. NowDadislonggone,molderinginthegroundforyearsrightbeside Motherandprobablystillarguingwithherabouthisdrinking.Ifanybody tookanythingtothegravewithhim,thenDadtookabottleofJimBeam. AndnowLarrieandIaremen,andElvinhasmovedofftoAlabama.And oldUncleIvory—hemustbepushingnine ty.AuntMolly,hisp rimand properwife,hasbeendeadfor at least fiveyears.Andwedon’tgobackto what’sleftofthefarmuponthePiedmontnearSpartanburgtohuntas muchasweoncedid.Factis,it’sbeenyears. SoIcalledoldUncleIvoryupandtoldhimthatwe’dbecomingoutto thefarmtohuntthisNovember. “Allright,”hesaidwithouthesitationandjustasclearasabell.Itwas asifwedidthiseverytwoweeks.Then,“YouknowIdon’tcookbreakfast anymore.” Truthwasheneverhad—AuntMollyhad. “That’sallright,”Isaid.“We’llstopatDoug’s.” [3.17.5.68] Project MUSE (2024-04-26 08:51 GMT) UncleIvory 102 “Andyouknowtheyain’tasmanyquailasthe yusedtobe.Id omy best,buttheyjustain’tthereliketheyusedtobe.Toomanyfarmershave sold...