DAVIDSON

From page A4

grocery store in Fordyce, Arkansas. This one hit close to home with me because I personally knew the Mad Butcher and he was a friend of mine.

Now, the purpose of writing this column is two-fold — first to commend and brag on the good people of Fordyce.

These good people have really stepped up to the plate and have taken care of the families who lost loved ones. They are still doing things to show their love for them.

While it may sound like bragging, this is the spirit of many, many communities not only in Arkansas but also across the Bible belt.

It’s just a simple fact, that people who know Jesus are kinder, more helpful and more loving than others.

My other reason is to talk about the Mad Butcher who was a friend of mine. Allen Bellamy was his name, and he lived in Pine Bluff, Arkansas.

He’s gone now but he and his mother, Mrs. Nugent, started a grocery store in Pine Bluff back in the 1950s.

One day he was standing behind the meat counter chopping neck bones with a meat clever. The company selling neck bones had just had a price increase, and Allen was mad about it. As he chopped down on the neck bones he said, “I’m mad, I’m a mad butcher,” and it stuck when they built their first store.

Allen was big on customer service, and at the time I was working for the Nightingale, Conant Company, producer of training materials. We had a program called “The Boss” and the boss is the customer.

Allen bought $2,600 worth of these materials from me.

Good man.

Jim Davidson is an author, public speaker, syndicated columnist, and Founder of the Bookcase for Every Child project. Since its inception in 1995, Jim’s column has been self- syndicated in over 375 newspapers in Arkansas and 34 other states.