Malcolm Memories

Happy Mardi Gras!

 

 Someone who didn't know my history said I noticed the blog said your brother was killed in 1983. That brought up a lot of memories.  Momma ruled the house and education was the king.  We all were expected to finish college. We befriended a family in Mexico the summer of 1968.  Another story another time. Malcolm's dear friend Hector visited Alabama and when Malcolm was headed to college he chose the University of the Americas in Puebla, Mexico. Malcolm had worked construction in the summers to pay for his education. Christmas, 1974 a school bus that had been converted into a glorified Hippie RV grunted up to the top of the hill.  Out popped Malcolm and a couple. After many hugs he started bringing out wooden boxes, probably hundred boxes.. He opened them and they were filled with African trade beads, and an array of colored and shaped beads no one could  imagine.  He then told momma and daddy he had used the money for his last semester of college to buy the beads and he was quitting college. He had one semester to complete his degree in Anthropology.  Momma stood in shock.  Daddy who rarely got involved in these sorts of things looked at momma and said, Well Jane what do you think? She was silent. He quit and never returned to college.  He and Virginia Cobb were dear friends.  When he was 10 he worked for Mrs. Cobb going into the woods to gather ferns she would put on the fountain. Guests would eat their chicken supreme and other treats to the sound of the bubbling fountain. Another blog for later. Dr. Clayton owned the Victorian house going up the hill on 20th street and it was going to be torn down for parking for Cobb Lane.  Malcolm told Dr. Clayton he would restore the house if he could open his gallery and sell his beads he turned into exquisite necklaces. The Signature House was born.  He gathered artists and and potters and weavers and glass blowers who needed a place to sell their wares and gave them a home.  The second floor became a gift shop known as The Different Drummer. Malcolm was very active in Southside and found a grant that would revitalize the community.  Horror stuck and Malcolm simply did not come home. His car was in the parking lot but no Malcolm.   We became front page news and nothing turned up.  Momma and I were frantic. The people in the gallery were dumbfounded.  A man in Shelby County was looking for coins and spotted his body and Malcolm had been found dead.  The man who confessed to murdering him had hugged my mother and told her he would return.  I can't go into this now. We decided to complete the Five Points project which was almost complete to have a fountain in the spot where a very simple wrought iron fountain had been  proposed.  We set to work and Malcolm's friends came to the rescue. Malcolm was friends with Frank Fleming and Frank Stitt. Frank Fleming had the concept of a lion reading to the animals with the theme of the peaceable kingdom.  Frank Stitt said he would have a fundraiser at Highlands Bar and Grill. Invitations had the design and were mailed to all of Malcolm's customer's and friends and all who loved Birmingham. Elton B. and Alysis Stephens were invited.  Alysis was asking Frank Fleming about the design and whispered to him what about the lion's private parts. Frank gave a little laugh and the lion became a Ram wearing britches.  And that is the story of how the fountain became the way it is.  Never was it a pagan symbol.  All that was absolutely crazy.