Rabbit Box this May was proud to present Silver Box: Stories from Our Elders. This night of Living History was strong because of multiple threads woven together: the passing down of wisdom through stories across generations, multiple storytelling workshops, the culmination of Mary Whitehead’s practicum in Gerontology, and our largest audience to date. Word had spread around town that something special was happening, and the magic was again in the air.
Why Silver Box? As with our themes each month, we try to leave things open to interpretation, much like our name: Rabbit Box. It’s the silver lining of dark clouds, the precious silver passed down through the family, a sly silver fox and other meanings equally valid.
We heard parallel tales of Martin Luther King Jr., glimpsing different sides of the man — one part the attentive listener to people from all walks of life, and the other part the impassioned speaker stirring the soul of his public audience. We learned how a Guinness record for streaking helped Athens “peak” well before its current party city designation; how an Alabama girl found happiness roller skating through a simple life with a large and close family; how one of the first two black police officers in Athens did more than “protect, serve and incarcerate” by blazing a trail and earning the respect of one drunken white sailor; how far a dollar could take you with the spoils of rabbits caught with real rabbit boxes; how the dream of being a barber on Hot Corner was realized through a plan of protection, accumulation, conservation and distribution; how a grandchild’s business advice is not to be ignored particularly when it comes to Depression-era comic books; and the courage it takes to put your own neck on the line for what is right by joining in the march toward equality and justice for all people.
Our crackerjane took to the stage for four minutes of impromptu storytelling on the theme “Turning Point.” Her turning point from fear of nature to a new passion for it came through an experience that left her thanking Jesus for a miracle — she had become a beekeeper.
Rabbit Box will be at it again June 12th with Guns: A True Story From My Life.
July 10th – Down the Rabbit Hole
August 14th – I’m With the Band: Tour Stories and More
Rabbit Box is proud to be Athens’ storytelling forum dedicated to fostering the art of storytelling as diverse as Athens itself. Until next time!
Rabbit Box 