# Mrs. Sally: She Put the Gold in the Arches

By Will Cupp (@willcupp) · Published 2026-10-28

Canonical: https://voce.com/@willcupp/mrs-sally-she-put-gold-arches-gi5wyr

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Sometimes you meet someone for just a few minutes, and somehow, two years later, you still remember their smile.

Mrs. Sally was one of those people.

Over two years ago, I walked into the McDonald's in Kodak, Tennessee, just outside Sevierville in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains.

Now, I've lived around here long enough to know that some of the finest people you'll ever meet aren't necessarily sitting behind a big desk or driving a fancy car.

Sometimes they're standing behind a cash register, asking if you'd like fries with that. Lol.

And that's where I met Mrs. Sally.

I remember this little lady peering up over the cash register. She had the sweetest face, a little mischievous smile, and a look in her eyes that told me there was probably a whole lot more to this woman than met the eye.

Well, you know me.

I couldn't just order a hamburger and behave myself. Lol.

I said something silly, trying to get her to loosen up a little.

I believe she asked me if I was from around here.

I looked at her and said, "Now, Sally, first of all, I'm a married man, and I'm beginning to think you're flirting with me."

She laughed.

And just like that, we were friends.

Now, I don't know if Sally was flirting with me or just trying to get me to hurry up and order my food. But I'm going with flirting. It makes for a better story. Lol.

We started talking, and she told me a little about herself.

"Will, I don't like sitting at home. I've been here six years. I like to work."

Folks, this lady was 88 years old!

Eighty-eight!

Still getting up, going to work, meeting people, and putting up with characters like me.

I thought to myself, what a wonderful little woman.

She reminded me of the women I grew up knowing here in East Tennessee.

Strong. Determined. A little feisty.

And if you gave them just a minute, you'd find a heart full of that mountain kindness that seems harder and harder to come by these days.

I wish I could remember everything Mrs. Sally and I talked about that day.

I can't.

But I remember how she made me feel.

I walked away smiling, and I believe she did too.

We even took a picture together. There I was, waving at the camera like I'd just won an election, and there was Mrs. Sally, smiling beside me.

And I went on about my day.

Over two years passed.

Then today, someone commented on that old post and told me Mrs. Sally had passed away.

I sat there looking at that picture again.

And you know what?

I smiled.

Then I got a little sad.

It's funny how someone you only spent a few minutes with can leave such a lasting impression.

You see, I've spent more than 30 years in real estate here in Sevier County. I've met thousands of people, walked through countless homes, and heard more life stories than I could ever remember.

But some people just stick with you.

Mrs. Sally did.

And I think there's a lesson in that.

We're all in such a hurry these days. Hurry to work. Hurry to get home. Hurry through the grocery store. Hurry through the drive-through.

Sometimes we're so busy looking at where we're going that we forget to notice who's standing right in front of us.

That person behind the counter has a name.

A family.

A lifetime of memories.

And maybe, just maybe, a story worth hearing.

Mrs. Sally had 88 years of stories, and I'm thankful she shared a little piece of one with me.

To the folks at McDonald's in Kodak, thank you for giving Mrs. Sally a place to work, a place to belong, and a place to share that wonderful spirit with the people who walked through your doors.

I don't know how many hamburgers she sold over those years.

But I can tell you this.

Mrs. Sally put the gold in those arches.

And as far as I'm concerned, she alone was worth the price of admission. Lol.

I hope somebody reading this remembers Mrs. Sally. Maybe she made you laugh, took your order, or simply greeted you with that sweet smile.

If she did, you know exactly what I'm talking about.

God bless you, Mrs. Sally.

Thank you for those few minutes, that wonderful smile, and a memory I'll carry with me.

Sevier County lost a good one.

Rest in peace, sweet lady. ❤️

"Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares."

Hebrews 13:2 (KJV)

Will Cupp

Realty Executives Associates, (865) 983-0011