Commentary

Did You Know?

Jack Pendarvis

I am sure the editor is ready to bring my neck, rather than the phone. I promised him I would have this piece ready for him by this morning the 18th. I dislike being late in breaking my word and I am short on accepting excuses, this time maybe he will accept my lateness on the case of unexpected relatives coming in and staying overnight. This relative lives in the great city of Orangeburg and only comes up four or five times a year. I really enjoy for him to come because he and I love each other, and he doesn’t mind helping me keep this place in relatively good shape. This trip he helped me remove a downed tree that was stretched across my lawn. He left here about two hours ago and I’m waiting for his call to let me know that he made it home safely. Not much is going on for me, at this time of the year. My biggest problem in fall and winter is leaves! As most of you know Joyce and I not only built our home on the edge of a wooded area, after a year or two we bought the property behind our home so we would have the wooded lots to provide privacy in the years to come. I am sure glad of this because Westwood was established only a year after we secured these properties. Most lots in Westwood are small so we would have had three houses only 50 to 60 feet away from ours. At this time, I’m happy to say I still have a nature preserve refuge from the busy world!

Boy…each time I go into the heart of the city, I see new construction or remodeling. When Joyce and I decided to move here from Myrtle Beach. We were told that we were opening the first new business in 30 some years. In fact, an old cotton gin was torn down so that the small shopping center could be built with our J&J drugstore as an anchor. We were first open, and Warren Taylor moved his jewelry store to the space beside us. I’ve seen the town, now a city, grow from a one-man police force with Chief Godfrey to a bustling place. I am a very proud citizen of Simpsonville, and it will be my resting place soon, remember I am now in my 90th year.

Till next time!
Jack

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