Having a time keeping asleep in the guest room of my dad’s house in Goldsboro, North Carolina. The sunlight comes through moving me to wake up.
Egg. Raspberries. Coffee.
Outside Patty and dad give me a tour of the garden and yard. They’ve got blueberry bushes and a variety of plants and decorations. Dad describes a recent encounter with a snake and woodpeckers in this tree. He got out a gun and shot the snake dead. Sometimes I am reminded how southern my dad really is. He’s not any kind of redneck whatsoever but the southern ways definitely run through his veins.
Later on, we hit the road. Dad takes us on a 2-hour drive to Columbia, North Carolina. This is where he grew up and spent most of his childhood and teenage years. Just cruising down the street we run into an old buddy of his, Chris. Meanwhile, Chris’s grandkids stomp around in a nearby puddle.
Dad shows us a few houses where there are good and bad memories alike. One of the places is inhabited by an old man, Raymond. He lets us in and enjoys the company. He also remembers my dad. It’s all so surreal I’m sure for him to be here revisiting his past like this.
Columbia is a super small town but when my dad was around it was hopping and jiving. Down the street (on Main Street) he shows me a blue building where my grandfather has a renowned jewelry business – the local movie theater where he remembers there being a separate entrance for “colored people” during the time of segregation. The two of us sit down in two chairs where a gas station used to be. He recounts all the times when he was a teenager and everyone hung out in this exact spot.
We find a local Mexican restaurant open for a late lunch. I order Shrimp Tacos with Beans and Rice – very impressed with the food.
Later on, visiting one of his cousins, Joey, over by the Albemarle Sound, a body of water that leads to the Outer Banks. It’s absolutely peaceful and beautiful out here. Joey is a funny character with a lot of stories to tell.
Back at the Goldsboro house, the three of us go for a walk. I bounce the basketball around. Chillin’ out in the driveway for a while.
Herring. Spinach. Blueberries and Yogurt.
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