American Christmas: American Saturday

Certainly not a typical Saturday in America, but the flags are at the top of the flag poles again, and the son of God is about to be born.  Things are looking up.
Today we went into Auburn to have a look around the University and the town in general.  We had heard the story of the oak trees at Toomers Corner last night.  Follow the link to read the story for yourselves.  The trees are not dead yet, but they are certainly not flourishing.  We got a lemonade from Toomers drug store and walked around the University campus, especially their 87,000 seat gridiron stadium.  We saw a statue of Bo Jackson among others.  We had watched a TV program about him the previous evening.  He is a unique individual, the like of which we are unlikely to see again.
It was a pleasant, if chilly morning, but the sun was warming up the air, and the people.  We drove around the outskirts of the campus to see some of the student accommodation. Then off to Countries Barbecue for lunch.  It looks like it could do with rebuilding, a wooden shack - just the type of building we get told exists all over the south.  Smoke drifts out of the roof, as you enter the building you can almost taste the smoke.
It is dark and smokey, but not unpleasantly so.  We are greeted in the usual friendly American way and seated at a basic table.  I have asked for typical Southern food, and am recommended to order corn bread.with the Barbecue.

Here is what I got - the huge portion was something I had expected to see in America all the time and was pleased NOT to see, because I can't leave food on a plate.  It was a lovely meal, the corn bread reminded me of a slightly dry cupcake - it had a sweet taste.  This nice meal got even better when the waitress came to our table and informed us that our meal had been paid for. Amazing! So, thank you very much to the kind person who paid for us, I hope you get to read this.  So often we only hear of the bad things people do, but its these little acts of graceful kindness that show what people are really like. America gets better, these people are the best of America.
We went to Tiger town to get some Christmas presents, it was not too busy.
In the evening, after deciding the drive-in was too far, we went to Ruby Tuesday's.  It looks like a cross between TGI Fridays, with the bar in the middle & Harvester with the serve yourself salad bar. The salad choice was rather limited though.  I tried sugar snap peas - fat mange-tout, but very tender.  I was finally defeated by the quantity and had to return some food.

Things I like about America - in no particular order 
Cheap parking - 25 cents for 30 minutes
Friendly people

Things I don't like about America - in no particular order
Dollar bills of different denominations that are all the same size.