Jan 5, 2022 I ate barbecue and rode around

 About every ten years the first day Bridges BBQ in Shelby NC is open I try to make it. A biennial tradition times five, maybe a decennial tradition. Its always a Wednesday cause Bridges on the Bypass isnt open MOnday and Tuesday. In the year 2000 Billy Graham was there on the first Wednesday, but I didnt show up till Saturday. And same in 2013 when the whole family went, or there was there was that one year we didnt go till Monday and went downtown.

    Well whatever I had to go Wednesday with a start west of Dacusville SC so it was an hour before I ever got to Campobello. There I figured I was practically in the back door but was another hour to go as I took a left other side of Cowpens just twelve miles from Gaffney on Alt 221. Hit the Boiling Springs NC connector in Cliffside NC, a mistake. Winding road slow cars, when I coulda stayed on 221 and hit 74 then easy peasey into Shelby. But my shortcut was a disaster as when I got to Hwy 18 I was still nowhere and slow forever seven minutes to Bypass 74.  And Boiling Springs was no piece of cake as GWebbU is spreading out since Artis Gilmore was there and David Thompson showed up in his blue Jean shorts as a 14 year old kid to wow some semi pros in a summer basketball camp.

     But I got there and got the 24 dollar that feeds six, pound of cue, pint of Slaw and all the hushpuppies you could dream. Ate some, got full and had enough to take hom for at least three more meals.  But they have you when you walk in the door, you cant outsmart em.

     First time there was the Spring of 62 when my Dad had become the new pastor of Bethany baptist church in Gaffney. Deacon Floyd Worthy and his wife Pete took us and we went back at least twice a year sometimes four or more till we left in 78. With the exception of a few years , Ive been back at least once a year since then, four times in the last six months.

    A friend showed to talk through lunch. left about 2 30 headed for Gaffney searching for a 18 year State champion football tee Triple X.  Took an adventurous path by Providence Baptist Church where HS Classmate Diane Sarrat Smith is the church pianist to Chic Fil A. Met Anne, homeschooled and young manager of the Gaffney Chic Fil A . She met Dan Cathy himself in Florida for a funeral for an Uncle who was a CFA manager. Says her grandmother lives in Murval Tn, where my Dad was born so she is gonna read Time in the Woods in Oxford American about Cormac McCarthy.

    A fellow in the parking lot picking up his younger brother told me where the shirt place was so I took a right toward Pleasant Grove where my 8th grade teacher once lived and hit the frontage road almost directly across from the Peach around the corner from Buckson Street where my friend Johnny Dawkins and his nine brothers and sisters were raised down the street from George Smith.

    Negotiated a price on my big Tee which ended up being what they asked for to begin with.

  Headed toward town on the Buford Street Extension passed the old Jr High where I couldnt recognize where the old bus pick up used to be. Into town where the Hardees has repositioned itself, but saw where Irene Little Ball Field is still there, where in 1940 a bloated Shoeless Joe Jackson himself hit a home run in a textile league exhibition.

    Took a left on Limestone, Main Street to John Hamricks office the other end of Town and passed Hartzogs Jewelers and Elmores BBShop both ways and the street where Jimmy Bakers Dad had the auto repair, Bernanke's apothecary where I asked Bobby Richardson a question in 76 and Tommy Martin's Chronicle.

    Turned around at Jolly Park to Central School on College Drive up to Skyla Henderson house even though we never went dancin in Spartanburg past the Childers and John Raymond Keller and Miss Jones my eleventh grade English teacher who introduced me to the word Transcendentalism to Sunset Drive.

   Sunset Drive home of Dr. Preston Edwards and wife Faye and my classmate since fourth grade, Charles, all the way through Furman class of 75. Took a strong look at John Hamricks burned down mansion, and then down the hill to Ricky Bailey's house which has been renovated around the corner to the Cooleys and up to Bruce Thompson, the basketball coach from Presbyterian College at Gaffney High through 69. End of an era he left same time Coach Prevatte and Wayne Whiteside departed the legendary football program.

  Didnt know till last year, Dr Preston Sister married a Morgan who lived next door on Sunset and their Grand daughter Katie Morgan Lester, Furman nineties grad grew up out near Timken on a farm. She has a series of children's books self illustrated she has authored. I got her latest autographed at Furman Homecoming back in October, Raymond the Rooster. got it for my brothers one year old one and only grand daughter, Little Her.

    Right on Anthony passed 129 where we lived for two years before the new parsonage behind Bethany church. Lived on Anthony the day Kennedy was assassinated and I remember a year earlier on way to church on radio hearing Marilyn Monroe was dead. Caught the news right in front of Raymond Harrill home before we took the left on Frederick for the mile out to Bethany.

     John Hamrick was a powerful man politically and in wealth. Was close friend of Roger Milliken who gave more money to Nixon in 72 than any other man in America. Hamrick himself was president of the American Textile Manufacturers Inst in 74 and had a private audience with President Ford that year.

    He was the "shepherd" designate of FBC Gaffney for the mission that became Bethany. He was there with his gorgeous well maintenanced wife in 64 at the Dedication of Bethany new sanctuary and I remember said when he retired at night, he could look out his upstairs bedroom window on Sunset Drive and see the Bethany Steeple, the same Steeple I was looking at on April 4 1968 out my parent bedroom when Sandra Darwin called to say Martin Luther King had been assassinated.

    So I drove out to Bethany passed Lynn Hamburger Stand, another part of my archaeological Gaffney diggings to Bethany church and thought about things a few minutes.

    From there to Limestone College to kill some time at new Riggins Center and Library but it was closed. So the next 35 minute drive to Wofford Richardson Basketball arena took ninety minutes. And I was facing glaring afternoon sunlight going west on 29 and the tea I drank at Chic Fil a talking to my new cousin Anne from Murvall was kickin in and the prostate was announcing itself every ten minutes or so.

   Cowpens , home of Kimberly Jackson of Furman and Atlanta's Absalom Jones Center; and summers in Thicketty Creek for Bobby Kennedy's great friend, also mentor to Hillary Clinton, Marian Wright Edelman was tolerable ride with periodic breaks where I could actually see where I was going in the shank of the day.

   But west of Cowpens, Spartanburg had changed in the last forty years since I frequented the neighborhood. Stopped for gas just shy of Converse College to let the sun go down and decided to go hang out at Hub City Books on Morgan Square passed Trey Gowdy's First Baptist Church. But hit a dead end. Became disoriented and called Attorney Charles Edwards who by this time since Sunset Drive had become a Spartanburg Atty. He said we just crossed on Church Street and to come back to Papas. We talked a few minutes and the Good Dr.s son said Wofford was a piece of cake. Go down a block get on Church and Woffords front gate was about a mile down the road.

   Thats what I did. Except no students on Campus and I got lost, never saw Richardson Stadium, went out the back gate, around the Football stadium twice some how got dead ended on Arlinton St which was kind of threatening, got turned around there with out hitting a couple already dented vehicles. Got back to the front gate, did the same damn thing again,

    Like Paris Trout said I'd do the same thing again.  About forty minutes after I left Papas I had no more self confidence, self respect and was near breakdown and hadnt touched my chic fil a sandwich from Gaffney yet. Was headed north on Church where I saw sign said Panthers Training camp.

    So why the Hell Not, i took a right and there it was all lit up in marble like a heavenly portal, the R|ichardson dont touch my Butt I won't pinch yours Methodist Arena. My ticket my sister got for me online four dollars processing worked and im inside. 

    Great Arena, Delighted for former Trustee Chair Tommy Brittain the Meth Preachers son who  with me discovered a First Grade Andie Macdowell the fall of 64 at Gaffney's Central School. All Socon Wofford Center was Brittain and his sister a strong Methodist minister herself in North Carolina.

    Great game against UTC though the Terriers were on the losing end.

     Went out the back gate to 585 passed Milliken Arboretum and the old theatre plaza where I was first introduced to Cinema that matters, through three red light on the tail end before exit 85 south and sweet ride home.

    Going again next year hopefully for Furman game as was plans for the 22nd, but traditions are traditions and Bridges was calling first opportunity of 22. I was able to fulfill my destiny.