Since my afternoon commute home took me through Tennille (we lived S of town) I got to where I would stop and visit Mr. McMaster 1 or 2 evenings a week. The visit always involved an RC Cola or a Nehi from the old vending machine. I would always buy something: some screws, a drill bit, never anything of real significance. Mr. McMaster's son had a "new" store (which was probably 20 years old) in Sandersville which was doing quite well, but traffic was almost non-existence in the original store. Tennille was founded in the 1870's, and I believe the McMasters had been selling hardware from the storefront facing the railroad tracks most if not all of that time.
Anyway, I would nominate the elder Mr. McMaster as a National Treasure. I always felt uplifted after a visit. The Old Man had a wicked wit and sense of humor. Once, when I was perusing my woodworking catalogues in search of a vise to mount on my workbench to hold boards Rootietoot suggested I see what Mr. McMaster had before I bought from a mail order company. Good idea, I thought, so the next evening I stopped in. Halfway through the Nehi Mr. McMaster asked "What kind of hardware you need tonight?"
"Well, actually today I'm looking for a vice" I reply.
"Umm, what do you need advice on?"
"No, I need A VICE"
"Oh (chuckle chuckle) you need a vice. O.K. (digging in his pockets) I have some cigaretttes, and there's a liquor store across the way. But you'll have to pick one of those..." he paused with a twinkle in his eye "because the last cat house in this area closed after WW2."
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