Saw the news release announcing that a contract had been approved for the demolition of one lane of the Cape Fear River bridge, thought back to last winter about all the confusion expected because that portion of the bridge would be closed during lake season … remember? Thinking about the thousands of folks, that would be inconvenienced … Then the coronavirus came calling and two lanes of bridge has been enough capacity … One more example of ‘why worry’, all will be OK…
I still miss the tobacco markets, would be going full blast this time of year. The auctioneer chanting, selling to buyers following along each row of the golden weed. It was a real treat as a youngster to go with my dad to the market and even in my early days at WBLA, the opening of the Clarkton market was still a big deal. Many times the Governor would tour the area, NC State Secretary of Agriculture Jim Graham would always be in the area … again, promoting the number 1 cash crop … tobacco. Local merchants knew better days had arrived. Back to School sales were everywhere. No big box stores, unless you considered Belks and Rayless big box … Even the bankers would be smiling, expecting the growers to come soon and ‘pay up’.
It’s a different world today … Blueberries are the ‘top money crop’ today … A few ‘big time’ farmers plant corn, beans, peanut and cotton … and a little tobacco, most, maybe all contracted for … no more tobacco markets…
Remember when Back to School sales were county-wide? Mostly local retail merchants … Fowler-Simmons, Leinwand’s, Mann’s, Fishers Men’s Store & The Ladies Shop, Bridger Cooperation, Collins Department Store, to mention a few … and a couple of clothing stores in the Clarkton area, including the Farah Brothers store … Those were the days my friend, I hoped they would never end … but they did…
Hope your Wednesday is good … on this August 12, 2020. Weather … mostly sunny, high temp near 90 and a 30% chance of rain…
“Summer bachelors like summer breezes, are never as cool as they pretend to be.” Nora Ephron
“The summer night is like a perfection of thought.” Wallace Stevens
“Summertime is always the best of what might be.” Charles Bowden
robert g hester
rgh4612@gmail.com
910-876-2322
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