Showers left rainbows and shimmering mists against a hotter sun over our hometown, as we stand in the new week ready to salute the flag on Monday and ponder summer travels.

Last week we left off talking with Dr. Dan Netherland at his martial arts studio and also of my visit to meet the new manager of the Cocke Farmer's Co-op, Justin Thompson. You also saw a photo I made of a metal rooster in front of a mailbox off Indian Camp Road not far from the Cosby Highway. This photo prompted Lucille Samples to call and tell me of something unusual about her mailbox off Holt Town Road. I will be visiting the area to get a photo. It was raining during the week so this stalled my outside photography. There are many unusual mailboxes across the county, and, if you have one, give me a call and you may see the photo one day in the Plain Talk. Several decades ago, when Shirley Elliott was lifestyles editor, she decided to do a feature photo page on unusual mailboxes. There were many to see and more so today with a few of those 1970s models still along the roadsides. Now let me tell you of a most interesting visit that took place.

"Pepsie" Mason has long since been done with preparing his famous barbecue sauce and all the meats it adorned at his small stand off Knoxville Highway. You remember the brick-red building not far from his house diagonal from the entrance to the fairgrounds. Pepsie, retired for years, made a visit to the new Pepsi's Barbecue that opened May 13 by Jimmy Rea and his family. His father-in-law invited me over last week for a taste and I was impressed. The recipe, as closely guarded as Coca Cola or Colonel Sanders spices, had been in a National Bank of Tennessee lock box and out of sight for years. Pepsie shared its secret with Carl Gilland, who tore down the dilapidated old stand dating to the 1970s, and erected a new one, complete with brand new stainless steel cookware and facilities. The business sign carries a different spelling from the way Pepsie spelled his name.

It was a hot day, and let me say I am not the biggest fan of barbecue because it usually has too much black pepper and is something my stomach shuns. Jimmy was cooking along with chief cook Gail Henderson (Brown), who used to cook some at Sunset Grill and other places. She is a half-sister to Jimmy. Emma Rae, who is Carl's oldest daughter, was taking orders. There was a steady stream of folks, and Carl was helping out by sitting under the maple shade trees. Bill Saylor arrived to tell of his misfortune cutting a lawn because the mower blade was not parallel to the ground. (Carl operates a landscaping business.) He showed me a photo of his barbecue crew with Pepsie and his daughters, Patty and Tammy. Patty works at the nearby Fox & Hounds Restaurant. The visit and the photo took place on Memorial Day weekend. Carl noted that he follows Pepsie's special sauce recipe exactly, and the cooks prepare all foods such as potato salad, baked beans, chili, green beans, and Carl's wife's, Dorotha Gilland, equally fine cole slaw. A big catered order to the White Pine Golf Course for the Jack Parton Invitation brought many "oohs" over the cole slaw, Carl said. By the way, I had the pulled pork sandwich and some ribs, both were delicious.

Days later, my visit with Pepsie, who picked up the nickname because he loved the beverage, helped me learn more about him, his family, and career. Arlie Mason will be 80 on September 3, and is now living at Wellington Place. His late father, Cecil, worked for the state, and wife, the former Bessie Nease of Parrottsville, spent many years at the Stokely Brothers cannery in Newport. The list of children reads like a "Who's Who" because they are so well known: Patsy Hooper, Evelyn Rhodes, Vontella Brown, R. T. Mason, and the late Hollis Mason and, of course, Arlie. They grew up in Irish Cut community. Pepsie must have been born working, judging from his productive career. From about 1953-57 he served during the Korean War on an LST stationed at Guam in the Pacific. When he returned to Cocke County, he did two smart things. He married Annette Shults of Cosby and got a solid job with Magnavox at Morristown where he eventually became foreman. That job took him to Greeneville. There may still be some of his co-workers who recall loading up in his VW bus at what is now Milano's Restaurant to ride to Morristown with Pepsie. He worked with the company 35 years, but that is only part of the story of this ambitious man. The young energetic Annette operated a restaurant across from the Magnavox plant. Do you recall eating there in the 1960s? When the new Holiday Inn opened in Newport she became a hostess. The Masons kept their interest in preparing and selling food. Annette also ran the Holiday Drive-in off West Broadway in those early years.

There is a large brick house built in the 1950s by Alf and Kate Miller not far from Pepsi's barbecue. Pepsi and Annette bought it about 1962 and their children, Patty and Tammy, were born shortly after this. Tammy Gorrell, is married to pastor Scotty Gorrell, and she has been a nurse for 22 years at Baptist Hospital (Mercy Partners) in Newport in the surgery dept. Those who frequented the Holiday Inn, now the Mountain Crest Inn, will know Tammy, who worked there for 15 years. She has a strong background and interest in office management. She currently works for Fox & Hounds and lives in the family home.

Pepsi said he has always enjoyed cooking and seeing/greeting happy hungry people. When the Masons did not run a restaurant, they focused on catering. He opened the barbecue stand sometime in the 1970s. What shows his energy is he also ran a small TV repair shop. The abandoned block building can still be seen behind Expressions Salon, near Pepsi's barbecue. Yes, they worked night and day. During those years from 1960s to 1970s Pepsi perfected his barbecue sauce. He wouldn't tell me the recipe. There were other ventures for this active fellow. He ran Newport Package Store after the city was allowed ABC licensed alcoholic beverage sales. Another unusual job involved his long-time and dear friend J.C. Pack. I know him as Dr. Patti Ketterman's Dad. Pepsie and J.C. got to be friends with John Rice Irwin, who pioneered and founded the Museum of Appalachia, and sold barbecue when the museum opened decades ago. They continued to sell barbecue at the annual festivals. In addition, J.C and Pepsie developed a Christmas tree farm in North Carolina and sold trees. Listening to the family, I wonder how he was able to do all these things, and the list is probably much longer. He still has many friends and invites them to visit him at Wellington Place, and he attends where Scotty pastors, Providence Baptist Church off Cosby Highway. You might see him singing in the choir on Sundays. He has lived a life well and full and provided many of you with abundant friendship and fat, juicy barbecue ribs and sandwiches. Let's have another.