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Another waterfall, another dead young male! I wonder why so many young males die at our beautiful waterfalls in western North and South Carolina . . . I have visited many of them—Pearson’s Falls, Little Bradley, even Niagara—always enjoying just looking at them. 

I suppose young men like to climb on them to impress their girlfriends. Too many give them a real horror to remember! Their fall always makes the news, but I have never seen an account of the girl’s feelings as she relives her sad remembrance of the last time she saw her friend alive. It may be a memory they’d like to erase; certainly not one to cherish!

I am sorry that I did not know Bill Ingham personally. He was certainly a notable Tryonite: known for his coffeehouse and involvement in several civic organizations. I had no idea that Bill was also a plumber, or that he lived at Pearson’s Falls! He will be sorely missed. 

Glad to see that Jackson’s Wrecker Service is celebrating their 50 years of service to Our Area. They have rescued me several times over the years. Somehow I failed to acknowledge my friend David Jackson’s passing some years back, but I did write about his lovely wife Julie when she died, I called it, “Sunshine in a Truck” (Fat Fenders and Reflections, p. 117). My writing was appreciated by her fellow drivers at Fed Ex in Spartanburg.

Ronnie Smith was driving a rollback for David when I wrecked my former Saturn near Gastonia. I had been taken to the ER and tall, lanky Ronnie was leaning on the door facing of my room when I came out of X-ray. I was so happy to see that familiar face from home! We rode together in the wrecker as he took me by our house to get my stuff out of the car before he took it to the shop. They totaled the car, mostly because both air bags had deployed!

Sorry to hear that friend Charlie Stratford has died. He and wife Jean were our White Oak neighbors downstairs. Jean had all the Tryon High yearbooks, including the first one which I edited and helped print. They moved away when Jean needed more care than Charlie could give, but Charlie kept in touch with us.

I wish I had known John Fowler. He loved a succession of Golden Retrievers, which resonates with me because of my late brother’s devotion to his rescue Golden named Chelsea. For Bill’s birthday, we had friend Chris Bartol make a portrait of Chelsea.

Today after lunch we were taken to Pretty Place in the White Oak bus. Driver Christy Rowe outdid herself in giving us a smooth ride on the winding mountain roads that lead there from here. My Uncle Pete Gaines took me there when I was a youngster, and I took Fran there before we came back to Our Area to live. It is accessed through the YMCA Camp Greenville.

I think it is wonderful that nearly all the ladies on TV are wearing their hair shoulder-length or longer. Guys are suckers for long hair, including me!

I once had a girlfriend who loved for me to brush her hair—she sat on the floor with her head between my knees so I could brush her hair with long sweeps of the brush. We both enjoyed that togetherness.

She had beautiful auburn hair. I am partial to redheads, still. I got to marry my “little red-haired girl,” Charlie Brown! 

Garland would like to hear from you at 828-859-7041 or garlandgoodwin7@gmail.com