A Trip to Mentone, AL

I have two girlfriends that I meet every year in the mountains. We stay in a cabin and do girl things. The Wild Flower Cafe there is owned by a woman named Moon who spent years living in the mountain woods with no electricity. The food is all natural and an old bearded man walks around and sings to the tables. The waitress speaks with a strong English accent, but she’s never been out of Alabama. She just like the way it sounds. We eat there every January. It is a dry county, but if you want to bring in a bottle of wine, they allow it.

The waterfalls and hiking trails are amazing! At sunset, us women would head to the brow of the mountain with a cup of hot tea and take pictures of the sun hitting the cups just right. We would crowd in for a selfie just as the sun set and the January cold wind cut through our thin Alabama skin. We laugh so hard we cry. We dance around a fire with Prince playing our favorite songs. We pole dance with the front porch column. We roast an entire bag of marshmallows. We make jewelry and exchange gifts. It is a time when problems seem far away as we paint rocks and leave them around the town.

It is a time of healing and a time for us to discuss plans for the year ahead. Our families think we go to gossip, but what they don’t, they don’t know.

We didn’t go this year. Not because of the pandemic. We just didn’t make an effort.

I took my husband last winter. I wanted him to see and feel the beauty and restoration of the mountains and eat at the cafe. I made reservations at a bed and breakfast next to the cafe and booked us a table at the Wildflower for 4:00 pm. We were going to see the town, eat, then head home.

A large breakfast was served in the dining area with the other guest staying at the home, and we checked out at 10:00. It had rained the night before and was foggy. Too foggy to see the beautiful view at 10:00 am. I wanted to walk through the old city area and browse, but he said he didn’t wanna walk in the rain. I said “its not raining its just foggy.” Feels like rain and its too cold. I’ve pretty much seen all of that if thats all it is. (Paraphrasing) Basically said he wasn’t interested.

I started driving towards the waterfalls. I made the comment that I hated it was so foggy right now because its such a beautiful drive! He responded “I’m bout ready to head home.”

ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME RIGHT NOW.

I could not believe what I was hearing. I got emotional saying, you are seriously ready to go home after I made reservations and have talked about this restaurant and this town for 7 years? His loud response: Why do you always want to start something?? You get so emotional like some girl ON THE BACHELOR. (exact words)

I turned the car around and said we are going home.

“No. If you want me to be here lets just stay.” I have never wanted to be anywhere with anyone that doesn’t want to be where I am. I don’t want you there because “I” think its enjoyable.

We decided to stay. The fog burned off within an hour, we hiked through the woods for miles, saw beautiful waterfalls, ate a delicious meal and I sucked up my disgust and buried it deep in my chest. The fun we had did NOT make up for the hours of hurt I felt as I followed him on the trails telling myself why did I bother bringing him into this magical world of Mentone. By the time we made it home, we were alright. Just alright.