Pointer Brand - A Reminder of Home

My Grandpa Caveny wore bib overalls – everyday – all the time. I’m sure he wore regular pants from time to time, but I have no memory of it.  He was a high back, blue denim man.  But, he didn’t just wear any overalls – he was exclusive consumer of L.C. King’s Pointer Brand.

It would make for a better story to say that he was a fan of Pointers because of brand loyalty or due to their hunting/work wear heritage.  It would be even better if he had sold a bird dog to Landon Clayton (LC) King during the Great Depression and was paid with a lifetime supply of King’s overalls.  My imagination could easily brew a fantastical story.

The fact is that Grandpa probably bought what was locally available and never saw a need to change.

Maybe that is the story.

After I became a wildlife officer and moved away from my community, I found myself looking for little things that reminded me of home.  I decided I wanted a pair of bib overalls and of course those had to be Pointers.

Over the years, I have stuck with Pointers.  I gave the low-back version a trial once, but they didn’t feel right.  And I do wear another brand for hunting.  I write that in a whisper out of deference to Grandpa Caveny.

***

In recent years I have become captivated with storytelling.  Specifically, I’m fascinated with how stories define and reinforce culture.  We tell stories that help us make sense out of things that are otherwise difficult to understand.  Those stories are foundational to our beliefs and we hold to them tightly even when science may disprove our storied versions of our philosophies. 

We tell other stories that identify the values that define the principles we must adhere to be a part of our tribe.  I often found myself in difficult, sometime dangerous, situations when I was a wildlife officer.  When I was with another wildlife officer, I knew I could trust them to “have my back” because we shared common values.

Beliefs and values are at the core of culture.  Those attributes define who we are and what we believe.  Those components drive our actions and how we interact with the world.  We like to view them as impenetrable and unwavering, but the fact that many of us experience a shift in what we believe and value over the years show that these bedrocks of culture can shift or change.

To resist that change, we engage in a variety of binding practices.  These rituals, traditions, symbols, various art forms, and relationships are like cords that wrap tighter and tighter around our beliefs and values to keep them intact.  When I felt like I was losing my connection with home and family I bought a pair of Pointer overalls.  This symbol had such a profound impact on me that I bought a pair of Pointers for my grandson, Jackson, last year.

All of this was refreshed for me this week. I wore my bibs last weekend and during the wash, the hook on one of the galluses broke.  Although they have a small tear on one of the legs, the overalls still have a lot of wear left in them.  I hated the thought of throwing them away over a broken hook.

So, I took a chance and called L.C. King’s factory in Bristol, Tennessee.  The phone rang a couple of times and was answered by a chipper woman.  I told her my problem and asked if it was possible to get a replacement hook.  She said, “Sure,” and then asked for my address.  I asked about payment.  She said there was no charge and that she would get it in the mail that afternoon.  They arrived two days later.

Now, Pointer has taken on additional meaning.  The brand not only reinforces family and community, but adds service and trust.  It means something when I wear them.  It reminds me who I am.

We buried Grandpa Caveny in a white dress shirt and a new pair of Pointer bid overalls.  It was the perfect choice.