Su De Lou Takes on Papa Bruce

Su De Lou Takes on Papa Bruce

Years ago, my family owned the Western Auto Associate Store in Iva, South Carolina.  We sold a lot of car parts. 

Back then cars had carburetors and part of the carburetor was a very thin piece of rubber called a diaphragm.  These diaphragms came in all sorts of shapes and sizes.  Often when there was a problem with a carburetor, it was caused by the diaphragm.

There were so many different varieties of diaphragms that it was impossible to keep all but the most popular ones in stock.  Those we could not keep in stock we could order from Birmingham Parts in Birmingham, Alabama, and have them in two days via Fed-Ex. 

Once, a customer had placed an order for a diaphragm and he came in the store to ask Papa Bruce if his diaphragm came in.  Papa went to the back counter to see if the FedEx shipment had come in.

Suzanne Gunter McClendon, who Papa Bruce referred to as Su De Lou, was sitting behind the back counter.  She was about 27 months pregnant.  Suzanne was 4’ 11” all the way around at the time.

Papa Bruce said, “Su De Lou, do you have a diaphragm back there?” 

Suzanne pointed to her belly and said, “If I had one of those, I wouldn’t look like this."

Papa Bruce turned every shade of red there was.

Suzanne got a good laugh and Papa learned that she is a force to be reckoned with. 

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