Todd Paris, Salisbury Attorney and Candidate for Salisbury City Council
♦ Saturday, October 28, 2017 I was in the Livingstone College Homecoming Parade. It was the second time I took part as a candidate. My secretary, Christina and her daughter Taylor consented to drive and help and at 8:00 a.m. we found ourselves parked on the 300 block of North Church Street waiting for the festivities to begin. We had a dozen bags of candy to toss to the crowds from “The Candy Shoppe on Main” (highly recommended) and the truck was festooned with banners displaying “Todd Paris for City Council.”
Being in the parade necessarily prohibits one from seeing much of the parade, however we saw at least three college bands and I did get to talk fellow council candidate Rev. Latasha Wilks who was resplendent sitting on the back of a beautiful red Mercedes convertible. Always well dressed and charming, today she could easily have confused with one of the many beauty queens in the parade. I like her and think she would make a wonderful addition to council. Her ministry and contacts make me think she would be a real voice for Salisbury’s majority-minority community. They are not throwing her a fundraiser over at the country club as they are for one candidate. I won’t say her name, but her initials are “PJ.” I did have few minutes to speak with NAACP President Gemale Black, past President Scott Teamer, and my old friend Gerald Rush before we took off down Main.
We had tossed out a few handfuls of candy when a Livingstone representative told me I had missed a rule on the rules sheet and we were not allowed to throw candy. The city probably can’t afford a street sweeper and pay the $3M dollar per year annual Fibrant deficit. Perhaps that’s also why poor children are charged admission to the Fred Evan’s Municipal Pool. Taylor and I decided to get out and walk the route and hand out the candy. This turned out much better as I got to reacquaint myself with many old friends on the parade route.
The paper banners malfunctioned and tore lose from their grommets and had to be shoved in the bed unfortunately, but we soldiered on. Talking to everyone, I eventually fell behind the truck and was left way behind by the time I reached the reviewing stand at Livingstone. By the time I reached Moores Chapel AME Zion Church on Partee Street, Christina and the truck were directed far away and she was long gone. I then realized that I had left my cell in the truck and her ability to locate me was severely compromised. Thirsty, hungry and tired, I ran into my friend Kenneth Mohammad El in front of the church when I noticed a banner rising from the earth near the church basement entrance reading, “Frankie’s Chicken.” My happiness was profound.
Frankie’s Chicken Shack was a legendary local eatery on Burton Street off of Old Wilksboro Road founded by Benjiman Franklin Cureton in 1942. According to his son, it initially started on West Monroe Street in the shadow of Livingstone College. Even before full integration and the civil rights movement, folks of all races descended upon Frankie’s dailey to savor his famous dip chicken which is basically fried and then dipped in his proprietary dip which many have attempted to copy and all have failed. It closed in 2004 and there is some animosity regarding the City of Salisbury having a role in that closure. “The Shack” is sorely missed by the community and well celebrated.
http://gardenandgun.com/articles/dipping-into-a-fried-chicken-tradition/
I saw Frankie’s daughter, Linda Cureton Dillard, in the church basement today, though I did not recognize her at first, having removed my glasses. She and her brother hold and zealously guard the original dip recipe and she would like to “Bring Back the Shack,” however she has been unable to find investors and friendly bankers willing to help her turn that desire into a reality so far. If any of Salisbury’s wealthy folks remember “The Shack” would like to help this happen you might be able to leave a message at this Facebook or call me and I will find her. By the way, it was delicious as always.
https://www.facebook.com/Frankies-534539456706398/
Enjoying the Finest Dipped Chicken on Earth Frankie’s Chicken:
I had a great time today, reacquainted myself with dozens of old friends had had a dozen or more say, “Hey aren’t you that guy that writes for Rowan Free Press?” If all the Salisbury citizens at that parade were to vote in this year’s City Council race we might get a council that is representative of the entire population and move from “cheer-leadership” to actual leadership and begin to fix our many problems.
Gallery of Photos along the Livingstone Homecoming Parade Route in Salisbury, N.C.:
