Meeting people of consequence and having conversations in Upstate SC

    Yesterday on the 6th I had every intention of meeting my sister at Triune Mercy in Greenville on All Saints Day. They were to recognize my brother and several others associated with the church who passed this last year.

    But the time change got me in a fog and I took a nap thinking I had an hour cushion. But between Meet the Press and church you only have an hour and I got out of the shower at 10 45 looking at a forty minute drive to Greenville.

    So I settled for early lunch at Schlotzky's in Seneca SC. A full table adjacent to the window a young fellow said something about a short story. So I had to introduce myself as an acquaintance of Ron Rash and talk about Lake Jocassee, to which the grandfather in the bunch said I'm Mark Powell's father and here is his sister and younger Brother. It was selfie time

    Mark the Walhalla native, Citadel and Yale Div grad is a beautiful soul. His father said and this was news to me, Mark's wife's Uncle is  Frazier, the author of Cold Mtn on which my Sacred Harp friends from Henegar Alabama own the soundtrack.

   So great meeting them. I told the sister to make sure Mark knows about Matt Potts new book on Cormac McCarthy and the Sacraments.

    Left there for a nice ride on 11, the high road back to the library in Central with time to kill. At Ingles deli walks in Karen Atwater Baker Carter and her Republican husband in a resplendent jacket for some ice cream . Had another photo opp with them as Karen knows Dabo and everybody in the county. We may get Mary Goforth and Penny and hit the Bohemian downtown Greenville this winter.

     Today I'm in Easley to get a tire and hit Jimmy's for a fine take out of their illustrious turkey and dressing three days a week and Sundays. Had intense but civil chat in waiting room with an 80 year old man who said he would vote from Trump over any other Republican who may be on the ballot in SC GOP Presidential primary in two years. Then he said there is nothing you or I could say that will change the mind of the other. I agreed with him on that and we talked baseball for a little.

    Then  a woman is walking out who turned out to be a Furman 63 grad and knew Marshall Frady well. She gave Frady a ride to Sumter in the early sixties cause he didnt have a car. She said Frady was Furman's first rebel and she had a point.

    Then some serious business people come in with BMW, two from China. I asked if they knew Sky Foster and told them Nixon sent my Grandfather's Brother Paul to China in 72. Was gonna tell them the Shah of Iran story but their number came up.

    Last week at Furman homecoming classmate Bob Dickinson was there to sign his book on Jesus and Cigars. Vernon Burton the esteemed Historian was there and Penny Cooper's friend Harry Shucker, Dean of Students who never left campus after he graduated in the sixties.

   So it has all been serendipitous and full of coincidence, but the upside of being gregarious cause you never know once you ask the first question.

   Robbie Caldwell was at Furman homecoming, but didnt get a chance to speak to him. He's a friend of Dwight, and I didnt mention my new friend from London, Wofford sophomore tennis player who is gonna take his family to Bridges BBQ in Shelby when they come over in the Spring.