KING OF THE WILD FRONTIER

Was it the bear he killed? When he was only three. Now, that's one tough Tennessean. Maybe that's another reason to like him. You know, the way they talk.

Born on a mountain top is pretty cool, too. In a green state, actually the greenest state.

While he was a childhood hero of mine. Yes, I had a coonskin hat. And I played Davy Crockett in my backyard. The Fess Parker movie was a five or six week series on The Wonderful World of Disney on Sunday nights when I was growing up. I loved it. (And a show about a kid named Moochie Morgan who was a Leave it to Beaver type kid.) But I really liked almost all of The Disney shows back then. I never dreamed I might go to DisneyLand (and a new DisneyWorld, yet to be built) someday.

But Davy Crockett was the best. When our son Scott was small and we headed to Florida for Spring Break, we gassed up in Tennessee. The gas station was selling coonskin hats. I don't know if I bought the hat for Scott or me. But I loved it when he loved it. He loved Davy, too and the Little Golden Book. He wore his hat along with other rawhide, Western looking stuff as a Halloween costume. Twice.

But when asked, "Weren't you Davy Crockett last year?" He replied,"Yes." "But this year I'm Daniel Boone."

Long time readers may have read that story before, but I thought it bore repeating. And, I still haven't made it to the Alamo. I hate to see a grown man cry. Especially when it's me.