It just so happened that Sybil Weaver was born and raised in Andalusia, Alabama. She’s lived in this same small town all 87 years of her life…. well… all but one. It was about 70 years ago when Sybil’s father had a job change which led him to uproot his family and move them 51 miles away to a different world…. Brewton, Alabama. Sybil was in high school at the time and had to change schools her junior year. Understandably, as a 17-year-old girl, she was not too excited about the move.
It just so happened that her family moved next door to the Weaver family in Brewton. And it just so happened that the Weaver family had a son…. It just so happened that Sybil and the boy who lived next door took a liking to each other… and it turned into much more than that. It just so happened that 68 years ago this month, Sybil and the boy next door drove across the state line from Alabama to Mississippi to pledge their love to each other “till death do us part”. It just so happens that this couple is my uncle and aunt – Roy and Sybil Weaver…. and it just so happened that Cavin, my mother, and I were in Andalusia, Alabama this past Thursday night and just so happened to stop in for a quick visit.
We had been hearing about Big Mike’s Steakhouse in downtown Andalusia, so this just so happened to be a great time to combine our restaurant hobby with an opportunity to visit family. It just so happened that my uncle and aunt were thrilled to see us and insisted that my mother stay with them while Cavin and I Sampled the South at Big Mike’s.
As we drove the short distance from their home to the downtown area, the town of Andalusia was alive with activity. There just so happened to be a campaign event in the park, kids practicing sports, and a group of friends chatting on the sidewalk as we parked and made our way to the front door of Big Mike’s.
For a Thursday night, I would say there was a decent crowd. It just so happened that almost everyone there was celebrating or being celebrated as we heard the team of servers sing the happy birthday song four times during our hour-long visit. Who knew singing was a skill needed to work at Big Mike’s?!
Big Mike’s is known for steaks so Big Cavin really didn’t have a choice in his menu selection for the evening. He ordered the Big Mike Ribeye with a baked potato and I chose the grilled chicken sandwich with seasoned potato wedges. Before the entrees arrived, we were presented with warm yeast rolls served with soft cinnamon butter. These were a great start to the meal and they quickly disappeared. Cavin’s salad arrived next and I ate that for him as he is not much of a salad eater.
Within a few minutes, the steak arrived and BIG was an understatement! Big Cavin was ready for the challenge, but as he began devouring it, he was not enjoying the taste of the marinade. It was also severely undercooked, as he had ordered it “medium”. Upon closer inspection, he noticed that the tab in the steak read “rare”, even though he was certain he had requested “medium”. He contemplated sending it back but decided to take it home and turn it into steak fajitas the following day. By this point, Cavin was already full, so the idea of recycling it was very appealing to both of us! As for my grilled chicken sandwich, it was tender and juicy, but a little heavy on the marinade. I enjoyed the potato wedges and Cavin enjoyed his baked potato.
It may not have been the greatest meal we have ever eaten, and we were a little disappointed in our overall experience at Big Mike’s Steakhouse. But you know what…. that’s okay. Every meal is not going to be a feast. Every day is not going to be perfect…. But…. it just so happened that Cavin and I had a chance to slow down and enjoy some time together in the midst of a busy week.
It just so happened that the candidate in the park felt the support of those who believe in him. It just so happened that those kids playing sports were being encouraged by their coaches. It just so happened that the friends chatting on the sidewalk were building stronger friendships. It just so happened that those four people to whom the birthday song was sung got to experience the love of those surrounding them on their special day.
And… It just so happened that three 80-something-year-olds had the chance to reminisce about 70 years of memories… living side by side in Brewton, Alabama, raising their children, and the ups and downs of life…. And maybe, just maybe…. that was the real reason that we just happened to go to Andalusia, Alabama on a Thursday night in April. I was reminded of what we are told in the book of Luke by Jesus Himself …. “life is more than food…”
And in case you haven’t figured it out by now…. it just so happens that I don’t believe that things just happen!
Sampling the South…. is not always about the food, but we did just so happen to have beef fajitas for dinner the following night – and that Big Mike Ribeye was absolutely delicious the second time around! I know because Big Cavin said so!
