The Coffee Council
A group of senior citizens who know how to unravel a mystery! |
In north central Arkansas lies the tiny town of Mulberry Village, population two hundred two. Subtract twelve if Edna Millhouse gets enough of her husband’s philandering ways and leaves town with their eleven children. While there are no chain stores, Mulberry Village has a train and bus station, a coffee shop, a couple of little stores, and the Hildegaurd Hotline. Most people just refer to this as the ‘grapevine’ but Mulberry Village has Hildeguard Binkins. Hildeguard may not get all her facts straight but she’s the fastest mouth south of the Mason-Dixon Line.
Prohibition, in the United States, was the national constitutional ban on alcohol from 1920 to 1933. Someone claimed they were saving grain for the war effort, others thought this would cure the ills of society. Once the booze dried up it might have cured some ills but tax revenues were lost and there were those – not that we’re mentioning any names – who opted to take another route. The only way to make hooch more interesting is to outlaw it. A sticky complication like the law would not deter those moonshiners. They would simply have to get sneakier. The Coffee Council was born when the men folk of Mulberry Village were spending more time in jail for breaking prohibition than they were making money for their families. When Annalee and Octavia’s men got out of jail, they were put to work while the women took over the transportation duties. Their main ruse was using coffee to disguise their cargo. Their families grew wealthier, their customers happier. In modern times, the members of the Coffee Council keep their activities mostly legal. They raise money and awareness for worthy causes, help people in need within the Fulton county community, and raise a few eyebrows from time to time. Their members are descendants of Annalee and Octavia but also include anyone who is willing to pitch in, do the work, and who are excellent schemers. Let’s face it, nothing would get done in Mulberry Village without the Coffee Council schemes. Be it murder, mayhem the Coffee Council is up for whatever challenge comes their way. |