The group, of well, my age men sat drinking freshly brewed coffee at McDonald’s talking family, farming and a splash of politics. Typical for the early morning hours they were decked out in overalls. Plaid shirts and high work boots completed their wardrobe.

That’s when I noticed the Vietnam Veterans insignia em-blazed in bright orange letters on one of the men’s baseball caps. I didn’t waste time. I never do!

“Welcome home brother”, I said to the veteran hero. No sir, to me this Vet was no stranger.

Yes, there really is a town named after the fabled Native American princess who helped Captain John Smith and his English settler party to survive during those first terrible winters in Virginia. And here in north central Arkansas the town, once an important confederate supply depot during the Civil War, bears the name of this great princess. Trouble is, no one today seems to know how or why Pocahontas [the town] got it name.”In those days the richest person, the one with the most liquor reserves, usually was given the right to name a place”, Chris at the town visitors center told me. Well, perhaps she was right. But, the princess now accompanies me on these frosty January mornings as I trudge along narrow, truck logged, highways.

The Arkansas State legislature really did designate Highway 67 as the Rock N’ Roll Highway. It seems on Lee Riley, from Pocahontas, Arkansas was an early, and well respected Rock N’ roll musician. The wild Jerry Lee Lewis started out played piano with Riley. Elvis memorabilia is everywhere. so here I am plodding up ole #67 dodging heavy traffic and singing “You ain’t nothing but a hound dog”.

“Are you Mr Gee”, the young African American boy asked me as I put a creamer in my McDonald’s coffee. It was chilly in Jonesboro, Arkansas and after walking just two miles, I needed the warmth, and caffeine stimulus. “You just look like Mr Gee”, the young man continued. “He’s a good guy”.

Then he ran out of the restaurant, with a group of his friends, and paraded into the mammoth Jonesboro High School. “We have about 1300 students. Class size is 30 unless you are in one of those big computer classes”, another student told me. And of course life, and America, moves on.