When you look at today’s photograph, with its painterly effect applied, an effect that has created a soft, wavy, almost mystical mixture of browns and greens, it is probably easy to imagine that a story might go along with that inviting ambiance. And one does. You will need to use your imagination to follow this tale. The story and the photo are years apart. Same place; different time. My old, creative brain has fused story and photo together, for reasons that may become clear as you read further.
Read MoreA Recognizable Truth
be watchful
be wary
listen closely
to what they say
and what they have said in the past
glean
not the truth
but the willingness
the need
to deceive
The Young Man and the Lake
“Well, look at that. I ain’t been here since I wuz a boy, myself. It ain’t changed much. My daddy used to bring me here.”
They parked on the little hill under some trees, grabbed their poles, and headed down to the lake.
“There’s gotta be some big fish in there.” Daniel stood on the bank, looking into the water.
Read MoreCrashing Waves
Yesterday evening, as the sun was setting, the water was easy to navigate, its soft rolling waves giving no concern to a seasoned boat captain, like me. My boat may be small, but it has traversed these waters from the island back to the mainland on dozens of trips without incident.
It was time to pick up another month’s supplies. I do it twelve times a year; could do it with my eyes closed; no reason to think of potential danger out on that water. I tied up to the dock and headed toward town. I picked up my check at the post office, collected some of my supplies, and spent most of the night having a little fun. Okay, I might have gotten a bit drunk, played a little poker, and lost my limit. I got a limit; I ain’t no idiot. I did get in a fight; beat the crap out of that guy. But he knew he was in the wrong and didn’t say nothing to nobody. If I’da been cheating, I’da been winning (at least, as far as he knew).
Read MoreSunlit Trail
Probably an old access road, created back in the early days of Lake Conestee, and now a part of the park’s trail system, this sandy pathway curves through an open field on the edge of the forest and then curves back into the woods, headed down toward the lake, or what is now a remnant of the lake.
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