Joe Fox and family
By Janice Boling
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Joe Fox was a regular at the End of the Pavement.
He wasn't around much in the later years but we saw him every now and then.
Joe, better known to some as Boy, played a Gibson guitar, whittled wood into art, was attracted to campfires, and wrote long poems about life.
Joe Fox
Joe had long hair down his back and usually wore a wide brimmed hat or bandana.
Once, as Joe stumbled around the campfire, his hair went up in flames. After that, he kept it shoulder length.
Jerry, Mark, Joe, and Janice
I think Jerry left for Germany not long after this picture was taken. Mark married Denise and moved to Hiawassee. Joe and I rented a house from Marion Chambers. Life went on.
Ronnie, Joe, and Eddie
Joe's mother put up with a lot from all the people that hung out at her house. Besides eating her out of house and home, we did other stupid things that annoyed her.
One time we were in a hurry and I left my curling iron on. It was on the bed and got covered up by a quilt. It smoldered all evening and when we got home it had burned down into the mattress. What a stink. As we pulled the mattress out into the yard, the whole house filled with smoke. We were glad the house didn't burn down but still got a fussing out from Ethel.
Donnie Burnette and Ethel Fox were sisters.
Mrs. Fox, in her best polyester pant suit, was outside her house fixing to go to town with her sister.
Mrs. Fox used to make us pick up potatoes out of the field. It was hard, back-breaking work but we did it. Those potatoes tasted good with butter and salt.
Joe played the guitar.
Joe and his friends used to get so drunk on moonshine that they were out of their minds. One time Joe pulled the front door off of its hinges and sent it sailing out through the yard. Mrs. Fox called the law that day and Joe was arrested for public intoxication.
Joe played horseshoes in the back yard.
Finally Joe and I rented an old farm house from Marion Chambers. We had some grand old times at that place.
The guy on the couch was named Russell. We met him at Hambone's.
Joe Fox and Frank Nix
Joe had lots of friends and family scattered from Atlanta to Hiawassee.
Joe Fox and Big John
That was Big John with a gold tooth. When he shaved his head, he looked just like Mr. Clean.
I have lots of stories about these two guys. Here is one about Joe since this is his page.
When we first got together, we went to Atlanta for a night on the town. We got hungry and stopped by a burger joint around midnight before heading home.
When we walked in, everyone stared at us because we were the only white people in a sea of black faces.
Well, Joe being Joe and half drunk, walked up to the counter and put on his hillbilly act. He laid it on thick -- entertaining everyone.
The workers, the customers, and Joe were enjoying themselves until things took a turn for the worse.
Someone said something that hit Joe the wrong way. He began cussing and using the N word. He was even waving his fists in the air!
At one point Joe lunged and try to grab a young black man by the neck. I stepped in, apologized for causing trouble, and literally dragged Joe out of the place.
The crowd followed, gave us a hard time, but never became violent. We left in a hurry once I shoved Joe in the car. I bet they laughed about the hillbillies for weeks.
Mrs. Fox with a bunch of Joe's friends
Joe's mother, Ethel Fox, was a feisty little woman. She lived a hard life but managed to raise a whole herd of children. Nothing was fancy but everything was clean and tidy. When the mower broke, Mrs. Fox got down on her hands and knees and cut the grass with a pair of sewing scissors.
Daily staples included biscuits and gravy, bologna or Spam sandwiches, potatoes cooked every way imaginable, lots of green beans, grits, eggs, and other down-home southern cooking. She stretched food as far as it would go.
Mrs. Fox's tales could fill a book. She warned me about a hell hole near Helen, Georgia where demons entered the world. She told tales of traveling by wagon and mule. She also told stories about domestic abuse that would make front page headlines today.
Ethel was gathering touch-me-not seeds.
Mrs. Fox introduced me to medicinal herbs including mullein and yellowroot. I thought she was just repeating old wives tales and did not pay a lot of attention. Later on, I wished I had written down every word.
Did you notice the cat in the picture? His name was Skull Pecker. Joe got the name from Conan The Barbarian. In the movie, skull peckers were big black birds that picked the bones clean.
Janice and Joe
We were so young and inexperienced. We felt like we would live forever.
Looking back, it seems like a million years ago.
Helen Mauney
Helen was Joe's niece. One weekend we had a big Halloween party at Ricky Rich's house. Helen dyed the skin on her face, neck, and hands with red with food coloring. She was a devil for one night but had red skin for a week.
Helen was around a lot until she disappeared off the coast of Florida. She left out on a shrimp boat and was never heard from again.
Joe with two of his friends
This picture was taken at Ethel Fox's house off of Old Blue Ridge Highway.
For more pictures of Joe Fox, his family, and friends, see the Early Days.
Lisa, Sherry, Tammy, Sonya, and Tammy's boy in1983
Sherry and Tammy were Joe's first cousins. We all became very good friends.
Lisa, Janice, and Sonya
I think Sherry took this picture. We were ready to ride the roads and find something to do.
Lisa and Henry
Lisa and Henry visited me when I lived behind Bunker Hill Store in 1984. They were dating at the time.
Joe and I were done by then and I was with Billy Carver.
Sonya and Lisa
Sonya and Lisa were not parents yet but it would not be long. These two sisters were Joe's 2nd cousins. I loved them both.
Lisa and Misty in 1985
Lisa was a sexy young mother with a cute baby daughter.
Misty and Brandy
Misty and Brandy were Joe's 3rd cousins. Look at those lacy, white socks. They were both beautiful girls.
Joe Fox in Hiawassee
Joe moved to Hiawassee to be near his sister.
They say Joe's mom still roams the hill where she lived and raised her children. Her ghost has been spotted standing in the yard looking down towards Old Blue Ridge Highway.
See the Comments page for more of the story. It was shared by SusieQ.