Mack Williams:  I was a ‘Float’ in the Mayberry Days parade

Published 12:00 am Sunday, October 30, 2022

Back in 2014, I got to play the part of Dr. Herman Einstein in a stage production of “Arsenic and Old Lace.” Peter Lorre played that part in the 1944 movie of the same name. Always an admirer of Lorre, I finally got to “be” Peter Lorre,” utilizing my impression of his voice.

I have always admired the singing voice of the actor/singer Jack Prince, who played Rafe Hollister on the Andy Griffith Show, so, this year, utilizing my natural singing voice, I got to “be” Rafe Hollister in the Mount Airy Mayberry Days Parade!

Paying tribute to a character on stage involves “stage right” and “stage left;” while doing the same in a parade involves “stage straight ahead, rolling along underneath!”

My daughter Rachel, and her husband, Richard had been attending the Mount Airy Mayberry Days for the last few years; and Rachel said I should portray Rafe Hollister in the “Mayberry Days” parade. So, on Sept. 24th, Rachel, Richard, my son, Jeremy, and I met up in Mount Airy.

I began a week before by ceasing my shaving. This was an attempt to match up with what TV’s Mayberry Mayor Roy Stoner said about Rafe Hollister not being worthy of representing Mayberry at a choral festival: “He’s unpresentable!” “He’s seedy!” After not shaving for a week, I looked unpresentable and seedy! People think male actors in movies are “hot” when they have stubble on their faces; but in the case of a 71-year-old man, it’s “just an old man who evidently forgot to shave!”

To further look the part, I wore bib overhauls, a plaid shirt, and a fedora to which I had given a slightly “crumpled” look. Since Rafe did some “moonshinin’,” I carried a quart Ball Mason jar filled about one-third full of water to resemble moonshine. Regarding the “Glass half full or glass half empty phrase,” I bet that with “moonshine aficionados,” a 1/3 quart of moonshine is always dishearteningly seen in the negative: being unfortunately, “two-thirds empty,” instead of “one-third full!”).

Just so none of the parade-goers would wrongly assume my jar contained “the real thing,” I taped a homemade label to it, reading “190 PROOF H2O”,captioned with 3 Xs. Even sized to a quart jar, those letters were still more readable than the often-seen “yard sale” signs with letters so small they entice the driver into “ditched oblivion” in order to read them.

In the parade formation’s Truist Bank parking lot, I was welcomed heartily by veteran character portrayers from past Mayberry Days Parades, some steadily, over the last 30 years! There was not one bit of snobbery towards the “New kid on the block”(or “in the lot”). I told “Mayor Stoner” I hadn’t shaved for a week in order to present myself as “unpresentable.” He said “And you’re seedy looking,” followed by a big laugh! I told him that coming from him, it was a great compliment! (we both had a good laugh!).

“Briscoe Darling,” “Andy,” “Barney,” “Floyd,” “Howard,” “Otis,” “Colonel Harvey,” “Ellie, “Mayor Stoner,” “Asa,” “The Man in a Hurry,” “The Fun Girls,” etc. were all like long-lost family reunited!

I was overwhelmed by the response of the parade goers! When I sang “The Lonesome Road” or “Ridin’ on that New River Train,” I was greeted by one of the greatest numbers of smiling teeth I’ve seen, smiles “Busting out all over!” Some people hollered: “Hey Rafe! Can I have some of what’s in your jar?” And some had me pause for pictures with them.

At one point in the parade, a gap was developing. So, a police officer (real, not “Barney”) motioned to me and asked me to move up a bit to help fill in the gap. I thought: “Gosh! I’m a float in the “Mayberry Days Parade”(as was each of the Mayberry tribute characters).

Partway through the parade, I realized something. It occured to me that since a goodly number of those “greatly smiling” parade goers were of the “Mayberry generation;” they were reacting to someone bringing back a beloved TV character from their childhood! There are many of us from that generation who can recite the “Andy Griffith Show” episodes (and we’re also getting a regular “refresher course” from ME-TV). In a way, all of those characters from “Mayberry” were “formative” for us! (and thanks to ME-TV, newer generations are being “so formed!”).

After the parade, we toured the Andy Griffith Museum and shopped. Due to my sciatica acting up while just standing, I had to periodically find an outside storefront chair. Upon striking up conversation with those around me (also sitting), I learned their reasons for sitting was sciatica! During one of my pauses, I received a ticket for “loitering” from “Barney Fife!” I thanked him and told him I would treasure it!

In the last store where we shopped, I saw some jars of “Aunt Bee’s Pickles” for sale. I passed them up, thinking they might contain her pickles with that kerosene taste; and that with all of the hubbub going on in “Mayberry,” Andy and Barney might not yet have had a chance to replace them with the store-bought pickles.

I suddenly realized that Mount Airy’s Mayberry Days had achieved for me that supreme goal of the stage: “The suspension of disbelief!”