By: Chuck Paggett
Theo Lanier, 79, sits under the shade at his watermelon stand in Statesboro, Georgia. Greenman's Corner has been a staple in the Statesboro community for decades. "I sell a whole lot of everything. I made a Greenman babydoll, I made a collard green cake and I'm famous for shooting a slingshot from Ripley's Believe It or Not ... everybody know me," Lanier said.
Herman Lanier, 86, scrolls his phone sitting in a pickup truck while waiting for customers. The elder Lanier lets baby brother do most of the talking for sales and it's because Theo has the gift of gab.
Dozens of ripe watermelons lie in the bed of the Lanier's truck. The brothers have sold watermelons in Statesboro and other southern states (like Florida and the Carolinas) for 52 years.
Theo Lanier scoops up some boiling peanuts in a large pot. Along with watermelons, boiling peanuts are a top seller for Greenman's Corner. "Say they h-o-t – cause I ain't been long took em out the p-o-t – but they melt in ya mouth not in ya hand … cause they come from the green man. So what you gon do? Man if I was you I'd buy me a bag or two. You can not go wrong cause they good and fresh and they straight from the farm," Lanier rapped.
Boiling peanuts are scooped and dropped back into the pot. Lanier undergoes this process every so often to ensure the peanuts stay hot and fresh for customers.
A customer smiles after purchasing a watermelon as Theo works to give her proper change back. Greenman's Corner sells watermelons for $6 each or 4 for $20 and accepts cash payments only.
A customer rummages through the truck bed of watermelons to find the one she wants. After purchase, Lanier lets customer's pick whichever watermelon they desire. This process often involves a lot of thumping and feeling of ripeness for customers.
Theo (left) and Herman Lanier relax at their stand waiting for more customers to stop by. Theo loves interacting with other people and said he's had his picture taken by many journalists over the years including the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Statesboro Herald, and WTOC.
Theo Lanier smiles wide after making a sale and showing off his gift of gab in the process. "Guess what? Straight from the vine and red to the rind, they real sweet girl, I ain't lying. It's so swee-eeeeeet! Taste like a fat piece of bear meat," Lanier rhymed. Theo said he's been rhyming since he was young and he has a lot of them saved to memory as evident by the numerous raps he recited while at the stand.
Herman Lanier rests in the driver's seat of the Greenman truck. Theo says his older brother, Herman, was tired of sitting down around the house doing nothing so he comes out to help with the watermelons because it gives him something to do.
Theo Lanier begins to pack up as rain threatens to shut down Greenman's Corner. Lanier said he normally stays out at the stand until 6 p.m., but an impending storm will likely close business for the day.
Theo Lanier wraps up his large umbrella in preparation to shut down for the day. "Well, it's picked up by the Fourth of July. Sometimes it goes down in the winter, but I do it year-round - I'm a non-stop. When I stop here, I go back into the collard greens, pecans and then right on back down to the stuff here again," Lanier said.
Herman Lanier helps his younger brother pack up equipment. The Lanier's used to have five spots where they set their stand up with five different trucks, but because of difficulty in finding help the brothers do it themselves now.
Herman prepares to scoop up boiling peanuts as the brothers continue shutting down. In addition to watermelons and boiling peanuts, the brothers also sell bottles of fresh cane sugar syrup.
A customer (left) points to the boiling peanuts looking to make a purchase. The Lanier brothers put in long hours nearly everyday at the stand, usually getting up around dawn and staying out til near sunset.
Theo Lanier pours boiling peanuts into a reclosable plastic bag for the customer. Today's sales have been a little slow, but the threatening rain hasn't stopped everyone as a couple cars pull up to the stand while closing shop.
Herman Lanier prepares to cover and put up the boiling peanuts as rain begins to trickle. The brothers use a propane setup to keep the peanuts hot and begin to work a little more quickly to get things done.
Watermelons rest in the back of the Lanier's pickup truck as storm clouds approach the area. Greenman's Corner is set up at the corner of North Main Street and Northside Drive in Statesboro, Georgia.
Herman Lanier gets into the passenger seat of one of the watermelon trucks as rain begins to downpour. The stand's hours may be cut short today, but the brothers will wait it out first to see if the rain subsides before calling it quits.
The Greenman's Corner sign showing contact information. The Lanier brothers will be back at it tomorrow in the same old spot - selling sweet watermelons to Statesboro locals all summer. "Ain't nothing to it but do it, baby you can do it but you gotta hold him up to it," Theo rapped.
