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| George 'Buster' Singleton |
(For decades, local historian and paranormal investigator
George “Buster” Singleton published a weekly newspaper column called “Somewhere
in Time.” The column below, which was titled “Mountain offers peace,
inspiration,” was originally published in the Jan. 31, 1985 edition of The
Monroe Journal in Monroeville, Ala.)
During the closing days of 1984, when everyone was glued to
television sets watching the final playoffs of their favorite football teams, I
decided to slip away for a few minutes of peace and quiet.
Since December is the month of “The moon of the popping
trees,” according to an Indian legend, I decided to go to a spot where time and
setting would be appropriate.
I chose one of my favorite spots, atop Nancy Mountain
overlooking the river and the great valley through which it flows.
I carried my usual equipment: a small survival stove, a
coffeepot that makes only one cup of coffee, and a canteen of water. As an
afterthought, I hung my binoculars around my neck. I mounted my trail bike and
headed north.
A graceful bird
As I arrived atop beautiful Nancy Mountain, the warm sun
suggested a quick nap there among the trees. But I decided against this and
proceeded to get my stove and coffeepot ready.
As I settled back waiting for my coffee to brew, I noticed a
huge bird sailing gracefully over the valley below me over near the river. Its
movements were not that of a common vulture that is seen in abundance
throughout the area.
I reached for my binoculars and focused them on the huge,
sailing bird. To my amazement, I realized that I was watching a large, golden
eagle. I couldn’t believe my eyes.
The eagle would sail slowly across the flats, gracefully
riding the air currents, maneuvering its way to great heights. Then, like a
reckless child at play, it would fold its wings and plummet straight down
toward the earth at great speed.
Across the valley
At the last moment, when I thought maybe it had forgotten to
open its wings, the eagle would spread its beautiful, golden trimmed feathers
and sail at a reckless speed at treetop level across the valley. The graceful
creature would then gradually let the currents return itself to the desired
height, where it would repeat the previous performance.
This breathtaking performance went on for almost 40 minutes.
It seemed that the great bird was performing just for my entertainment and
pleasure.
I had become so involved in the great spectacle before me
that I completely forgot about my stove and coffee making. Needless to say, my
coffee had boiled over, putting out the fire and messing up my stove.
I knew that there would be other times for making coffee,
but I knew that another such performance as I had just witnessed would be rare and
a long time coming. I realized, too, why many of the biblical writers had used
the great eagles in their comparisons of strength and beauty.
Isaiah’s inspiration
That day I didn’t see any of the football playoffs on
television. Neither did I hear any on the radio. But I witnessed something far greater
and more beautiful than all the halftime performances combined. And I knew,
too, that day, where the prophet Isaiah had received his inspiration when he
wrote the following:
“But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength;
they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and
they shall walk and not faint.”
(Singleton, the author of the 1991 book “Of Foxfire and
Phantom Soldiers,” passed away at the age of 79 on July 19, 2007. A longtime
resident of Monroeville, he was born on Dec. 14, 1927 in Marengo County. He is
buried in Pineville Cemetery in Monroeville. The column above and all of
Singleton’s other columns are available to the public through the microfilm
records at the Monroe County Public Library in Monroeville. Singleton’s columns
are presented here each week for research and scholarship purposes and as part
of an effort to keep his work and memory alive.)
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