Evince Magazine March 2022

Christy Harper Building Community, Finding Place p5

Page 2 March 2022

Evince Magazine Page 3

Editor’s Note

W

hat made you? This community and its people made me. In these pages, I get to share two of those people with you.

Christy Harper and I worked together for almost five years. At the office, Christy showed me the impact that openness, curiosity, and flexibility can make on people and programs. She introduced me to people I never would have met (including her aunts, uncles, and cousins, because she invited me to her family

reunion), despite living in the same town. Christy helps me be kinder to myself.

Corey Williams has taught me to be less cautious and more bold. Watching him grow multiple successful endeavors from scratch has inspired me more times that I can count.

Without Corey, I would still be tempering my enthusiasm while waiting until I had more experience. I often refer to him as my “Danville Development Buddy,” because he’s who

I get with to dream and scheme about ideas for our beloved city. Corey Williams helps me dream big.

This month’s Evince is about making—making community, making travel plans, making theatre. As you read these pages, I wonder: what can you make?

Kendall Ratliffe is editor of Evince Magazine and a results coach with Try One Thing, www.tryonething.co.

CEO / Publisher / Andrew Scott Brooks Editor / Kendall Ratliffe kendall@evincemagazine.com Contributing Writers Becky Donner, Linda Lemery, Telisha Moore Leigg, Kendall Ratliffe, David Slayton, Becky Donner, Corey Williams, Mack Williams Art & Production Director Demont Design (Kim Demont) Finance Manager Cindy Yeatts (1.434.709.7349) Advertising For ad information contact a marketing consultant listed below.

Lee Vogler Director of Sales and Marketing (434.548.5335) lee@evincemagazine.com

On the Cover: Photo of Christy Harper by Michelle Dalton Photography.

Kendall Ratliffe Account Executive kendall@evincemagazine.com

March 2022

Content 3 Editor’s Note

7 Return to Performers Grateful to

the Stage

11Stillborn

Fiction by Telisha Moore Leigg

12 What’s in Your

Prosecco?

by Dave Slayton

by Becky Donner, with Kendall Ratliffe

8

March Calender

Kim Demont Graphic Design, Marketing (434.792.0612) demontdesign@verizon.net evince\i-’vin(t)s\ 1: to constitute outward evidence of 2: to display clearly; reveal syn see SHOW

How do YOU make tea?

Send your writeup of no more than 150 words (pictures encouraged!) to kendall@evincemagazine.com.

Deadline for this and all other stories, articles, and calendar items is Wednesday, March 9 at 5:00pm for April issue.

Editorial Policies

Evince is a free monthly magazine with news about entertainment and lifestyle in Danville and the surrounding area. We reserve the right to accept, reject and edit all submissions and advertisements.

5 Christy Harper Building Community, Finding Place

by Kendall Ratliffe

and 10 Teas Towels

Treading the Warpath to Order

by Linda Lemery

Ready for 13 Get Travel Season

by Corey Williams

14 Stone Tablets

by Mack Williams

EVINCE MAGAZINE 753 Main St. Suite 3 Danville, VA 24541 www.evincemagazine.com 434.709.7349 © 2022 All rights reserved. Reproduction or use in whole or in part in any medium without written permission of the publisher is strictly prohibited.

Page 4 March 2022

Evince Magazine Page 5

Christy Harper

Building Community Finding Place

by Kendall Ratliffe photo by Michelle Dalton Photography.

C

hristy Harper’s spark for bringing a community together began after a planning meeting for Danville’s River District Festival. Harper’s best friend invited her along. While she knew nothing about the meeting beforehand, seeing the ideas for the festival hooked Harper in. “It really felt like my thing,” Harper added. “I wanted to be on every committee they had.”

Harper settled on coordinating the street performances. She saw a huge possibility in the time and location—downtown Danville on a Saturday. Although there would be logistical challenges, “I realized we had a great possibility for connection: linking merchants, our community, and top-notch performers. We had an opportunity to amaze, and I was dreaming big,” Harper said.

Harper booked a juggler, bellydancer, a reggae band, a salsa performer, hula dancer, jazz singer, DJ, and a living statue.

“She was my favorite!” Harper recalled. “I saw her perform in Asheville, North Carolina, and

thought I have to book her. She loved performing here and wants to come back.”

It was an amazing lineup, but for Harper it did not quite reach the diversity she wanted. What was missing? Cloggers, bagpipers, and a mariachi band were sadly lost to the limits of time and money.

Harper says what she loved about the festival was “building something for people like me. It’s knowing that you have a place in your community.” Through her work with Middle Border Forward (MBF), Harper has helped residents in Danville, Pittsylvania, and Caswell find a place in their communities as well. Particularly meaningful was Community 500, wherein Harper helped residents conduct small-scale projects that supported schools, veterans, children in foster care, community gardens, genealogy, and more.

One person Harper impacted was Caswell genealogist Karen Williamson. Harper helped

Williamson create a ten-week genealogy course. “Christy saw what I was trying to do before I even saw it. She guided without belittling, would say things like ‘why don’t you think of it like this.’

Without her help, we wouldn’t have graduated 26 people our first year,” Williamson says.

Williamson went on to partner with Dr. Fred Motley, and create Caswell History Speaks, which features stories about notable figures from Caswell’s history. “I have tremendous gratitude for Christy,” Williamson says. “The positive changes in my life are a direct result of how Christy introduced me to community work. The experience catapulted me.” Williamson’s story is one of many that Harper treasures. “It is a dream to see ordinary people move from idea to action to impact. I truly love the people here,” Harper says.

While working for MBF, Harper learned local history that she had never heard while growing up in Danville. Milton, North Carolina is home to not just Aunt Millie’s, “THE

BEST pizza place,” Harper says, but also to Thomas Day. Day was a freed Black man and worldrenowned furniture-maker who moved to Milton in 1817. His work is still in use at The Oak Tree Tavern at Virginia International Raceway, and his pieces are highly sought after for their technique and craftsmanship.

Harper has found many places for herself in our region. She wants everyone to have that feeling.

“There is so much more I want to learn about the people here.

Come out, get involved, and I promise you will be impacted,” she says.

What would she say to the hesitant? “I know we all have fears. Just take that first step out and observe. It may take more than once, but you never know when you will find your place.” Or go stand next to Harper. She can help you find you place, like she has for so many others.

Page 6 March 2022

Evince Magazine Page 7

Performers Grateful to

Return to the Stage

by Becky Donner, with Kendall Ratliffe photo provided by Halifax Little Theatre

S

ince 1955, Halifax County Little Theatre has entertained South Boston and the region, performing plays, musicals, and children’s productions. It is an impressive longevity, given the work behind the scenes to create a production. Rent, royalties, licensing fees, printing costs, advertising, and production costs have to be paid. Lumber, nails, paint, props, make-up, fabric, and costumes must be bought.

But these purchases would only amount to a pile of stuff without people. Volunteers bring a production to life. After two years of closed curtains, this month the volunteers behind the Little Theatre triumphantly return to the stage. Junie B. Jones the Musical Jr! will introduce South Boston to new directorial talent, sisters Elisabeth Brogden and Sarah Brogden. Co-director

Elisabeth Brogden comments, “I am so excited to be making my directorial debut with my sister Sarah. We work really well together, so directing with her has been the best.” Josh Glasscock joins as the musical director and Deion Muse choreographed the production.

The cast of 37 includes members from Halifax County as well as Danville and Clarksville, all excited to be back on stage entertaining audiences. The Little Theatre brings together people of all ages to develop their talents and express their creativity, and this production will highlight youth talent in particular. Portraying Junie B will be Danville native Georgia Sobacki. Junie B is joined by her friends Herb (Chris Mosher), Lucille (Dora Slagle), May (Meredith Duffer), and Sheldon (Nathaniel Filler).

“These kids have so much talent and have made this experience so much fun! They make me so proud,” said Brogden. “The cast has worked so hard to bring these classic characters to life, and I cannot wait for our communities to enjoy live theatre again.”

Becky Donner, current treasurer and former director for the Little Theatre, adds that while it takes huge amount of time and effort to create a production, “You see the reaction from the audience and that makes it all worthwhile.”

Page 8 March 2022

March

Calendar of Evince Mindbender Mansion - Danville Science Center

Abbreviation Key

• AU = Averett University, 434.791.5600 www.averett.edu • DMFAH = Danville Museum of Fine Arts & History, 975 Main St. 434.793.5644 www.danvillemuseum.org • DSC = Danville Science Center, 677 Craghead St. 434.791.5160 www.dsc.smv.org • PA = Piedmont Arts, 215 Starling Ave., Martinsville 276.632.3221 PiedmontArts.org • The Prizery = 700 Bruce St., South Boston, 434.572.8339 www.prizery.com • LHM = Langhorne House Museum, 117 Broad St. Danville, open by appointment for fully vaccinated visitors 434.793.6472 • Wed Club = The Wednesday Club, 1002 Main Street 434.792.7921 www.

TheWedClubDanvilleVa.org • MSAC = Main Street Art Collective, 326 Main St, Danville, 434-602-2017, MainStreetArtCollective.com • GML = Gunn Memorial Library, 161 Main St, Yanceyville, NC 27379 336-694-6241

Ongoing

Danville Farmers’ Market: Saturdays through March 26, 9:00am - 1:00pm. 629 Craghead Street, Community Market Room.

Winter Vegetables, Jams and Jellies, Honey, Baked Good, and Crafts. 434.797.8961.

Camilla Williams Exhibit: Exhibit features her opera costumes including Madame Butterfly.

DMFAH Danville Civil Rights Exhibition: The Movement on permanent display.

DMFAH Attic Sale Donation Drop Off: DMFAH Tuesday-Friday 10am5pm; Sat-12-5pm; Sun 2-5pm no clothes, no electronics furniture accepted with appointment davidc522@comcast.net 305.766.2979.

Mindbender Mansion: an

eclectic place full of puzzles, brainteasers, and interactive challenges guaranteed to test the brainpower and problem-solving skills of puzzlers Gather hidden clues and secret passwords found by solving key puzzles. DSC.

March 2

Meet Danville’s Fire Chief – David Coffey: David Coffey will speak about his role as the Chief of Danville’s Fire Department.

Wed Club. 3:15pm. Free.

March 4

Game Night: 6 pm, MSAC Spring Special Prom Night for Adults with Disabilities: Volunteers and sponsors needed to make this a special night. REGISTRATION FORMS at WWW.INFINITYACRES. ORG; EMAIL TO LAURA STEERE infinityacresva@gmail.com. 136 Joppa Rd, Ridgeway, VA 24148

March 9

Watercolor…Riding the Tiger: Jerry Franklin will present watercolor techniques that he hopes will help demystify some of the challenges of painting in watercolor and give listeners confidence to enjoy working with the medium. Wed Club. 3:15pm. Free.

March 10

Art at Happy Hour: Enjoy a casual tour of the museum’s exhibits and a zoom talk with photographer Timothy Duffy. 5:00pm, PA. Free. RSVP by 3/9 bjohnson@ piedmontarts.org

Book Club: My Sister’s Keeper

by Jodi Picoult. Every second Tuesday at 5:30pm. GML

March 17

Women in Civil War: 11:00am, free, GML

March 18

Rainier Trio Concert: presents a program of Romantic era trios for violin, viola and piano by Sergei Rachmaninoff, Robert Fuchs and Ignaz Lachner. 7pm free Emmanuel Episcopal Church 66 N. Main St. Chatham

March 18 (thru 27)

Junie B. Jones The Musical JR. See ad page 7. Prizery.

March 19

Basket Weaving,11:00 am, $35, MSAC

March 20

March 5

Winter Bird Feeding: Come to learn about all that our wild birds are up to in the winter and help feed them as they make it through the last few weeks of winter! Camp Selah, Sutherlin, Virginia 620 East Hightower Road, Sutherlin, VA 24594, US Tooth Fairy Book Signing: Bring you kids to meet Caswell Tooth Fairy Lori Wilson.

10:00am12:00pm GML Winter Classical Concert: Once Upon a Time, Peter & the Wolf, Sleeping Beauty, Scheherazade doors open 7pm first note 7:30pm free.

Danville Symphony Orchestra www.danvillesymphony.net

March 14

Founders Day: Textiles: Celebrate our textile heritage for Founders Day on Sunday, January 16, 2022, 3:00 P.M., at the Historic Henry County Courthouse. 1 E Main St, Martinsville, VA 24112

March 12

18th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Leadership Breakfast: Enjoy delicious food, and join in fellowship with us in recognizing the legacy of Dr. King. 9:00 a.m. at New College Institute, 191 Fayette Street Martinsville, VA 24112. Tickets for the breakfast are $10.00 each. For more information, contact Brother Ben Gravely (276) 806-0515.

Gnome Statue Painting: 11:00 am, $30, MSAC Liverpool Legends: four lads handpicked by Louise Harrison, sister of the late George Harrison of The Beatles, play in this tribute band. Danville Concert Association. 7:30 pm GW High School. tickets at Eventbrite.com The Purple Piano: A one-man tribute to Prince like you have never seen before. Prizery.

March 25

PAA Opening Reception: Join Piedmont Arts for an opening reception in honor of the museum’s new exhibits.

Free and open to the public.

Complimentary wine and light refreshments will be served. Music

by Juhee Lee. RSVP bjohnson@ piedmontarts.org by 3/22. PA, Martinsville.

March 26

Bird Nest Painting, 11:00 am, $40, MSAC

Evince Magazine Page 9

April 28

VMFA Artmobile Family Day - Piedmont Arts

VMFA Artmobile Family Day: A View from Home: Landscapes of Virginia, featuring paintings, photographs, woodblock prints and engravings from Virginia Museum of Fine Arts traveling art museum. Free. Complimentary crafts and snacks. All ages.

11:00am PA, Martinsville.

Upcoming April 2

Stained Glass Suncatcher: 11:00 am $45, Main Street Art Collective Fused Glass Dish: 2:30 pm $55, Main Street Art Collective

April 7

Earl White String Band: An original and founding member of the famed Green Grass Cloggers, Earl White is one of few Black Americans preserving and playing Appalachian oldtime string band music, which was an intricate part of Black communities and formed the foundation of American music of today. Reception at 6:30 pm. Performance at 7 pm. PA. piedmontarts.org for tickets, $20 General Admission.

Project Literacy Corporate JeopardBee Spelling Competition. Up to 15 preregistered teams will compete for titles of Spelling Bee Winner, Most Creative Spellers, and Most Enthusiastic Team. Fun for all.

Silent Auction. Annual fundraiser for Project Literacy, a non-profit organization whose volunteers provide one-on-one tutoring for adults. Nana Karen’s Food Truck available for food purchase on site. 2 Witches Winery and Brewery, 209 Trade Street, Danville, VA. 5:00 to 9:00 PM. Spelling Competition starts at 6:00 PM.

We’re

on Danville!

Donna Gibson Owner

HOLLEY & GIBSON REALTY COMPANY

339 Piney Forest Rd., Danville, VA 24540

Office: (434) 791-2400 Fax: (434) 791-2122 Visit our website at

www.holleyandgibsonrealty.com

KNEE PA I N ?

Sports Injuries Cartilage Restoration Ligament Reconstruction Outpatient Joint Replacement Partial & Total Knee Replacements

200 W. Wendover Avenue • Greensboro, NC 223 W. Ward St. • Suite B • Asheboro, NC 336.333.6443 • www.SMJRortho.com

STEVE LUCEY, M.D.

Page 10 March 2021

I

Teas and Towels

’d had it with clutter crammed haphazardly into every vacant space in the pantry and the linen closet. We had no order. I was on the war path over teas and towels. Look out, world (and my husband, Steve).

by Linda Lemery

The thing about order was that if we both were to maintain it, we both had to understand the logic behind how and why things were done. Understanding led to compliance, which fostered maintaining order, which provided a calming visual space.

Treading the Warpath to Order

The best way to involve Steve was to start in on the work, spread it out all over a space, enlist his help, then train him to maintain order. Steve wanted easy-tomaintain systems so that he could do other things with his time. He generally joined in when I shrieked for help because he’d learned to keep the peace.

There were three shelves in the pantry that badly needed work. One held teas, another held snacks, still another held miscellaneous stuff. Everything was randomly shoveled onto the shelves. Steve slept a little later than I did, so I got up, went straight to the pantry, unloaded those shelves into heaps on the kitchen table and all over the counters, and started sorting.

Steve and I now share a cart that rolls into the pantry for storage and out of the pantry for access. Its top shelf is communal; its second

shelf is Steve’s; its bottom shelf is mine. After sorting snacks into open and unopened, only opened went onto the cart. The unopened snacks were sorted into the unopened nuts, protein bars, chips, and crackers boxes and stored in the back of the pantry floor. I explained what I’d done already, turned Steve loose on arranging his teas in an ordered way that he could later explain to me, then ran out of the kitchen. See Results Photo 1 with new unclaimed space that dressed me green with envy, consistent with the happy green glow throughout the St. Patrick’s Day month.

Once I skidded to a halt in the bathroom, I stared into the linen closet. It had originally been designed for wash cloths and towels, but who knew the closet would become a sinkhole, swallowing up decades of medications, personal and travel-sized care products, and small appliances. Now just two cramped shelves held all the washcloths and towels. I scooped up armload after armload of jumbled-up wash cloths, guest towels, fingertip towels, hand towels, hair towels, bath towels, bath sheets, and beach towels and dumped Towel Mountain onto our bed.

Whattamess! I’d already learned to roll rather than fold washcloths and towels – took less space – so now I was really rolling. When I ran across something raggedy, it went into a slightly-worse rags pile or a slightly-better pan protectors

pile, the latter of which I cut up and slid between pans when I needed to stack them while protecting their cooking surfaces.

I’d already trained Steve in towel-rolling, so when he finished the tea penance, we were both rolling. Rarely used bath sheets and beach towels were jammed into a plastic bin stored elsewhere. The other rolled items were sorted by size and color and restored to the closet shelves. See Results Photo 2.

Then, whack, whack, whack! The slightly better worn-out towels were transformed into pan protectors once I’d labeled each towel piece with “Kitchen Pans” in black indelible marker.

After we finished, I looked at the dazzling array of towels and googled the question of just how many towels two people needed. “Six bath towels, four hand towels and four washcloths,” recommended one source. “Add two bath and hand towels and two washcloths per person for families of four or more,” it suggested.

That was depressing. I had order but too many towels. Baby steps, I thought. I had made progress.

Thinning the fabric herd would be a warpath I would tread another day.

About the Author: When she’s not tidying, decluttering, or tearing her hair out, Linda Lemery llemery@gmail.com reads, writes, and lives in Danville, VA. She welcomes reader comments and wishes readers a Happy St. Patrick’s Day.

Evince Magazine Page 11

Stillborn fiction by Telisha Moore Leigg

A

llen, Long before I married you, Allan, back when I was a child, me and my mama were homeless, and we lost a lot of things. Mostly it was clothes, a sense of worth, but we had this old grey-green duffle bag, and we kept most stuff in it that we loved, until the car died in Sustain, Virginia, and we had to walk. It was getting dark and darker and the neighborhood and state we didn’t really know weren’t great, and so we walked with what we could carry. I was 11. Mama kicked that old Dodge car door open and off we started, her stomping to scare the rats and criminals. My mama pulled and jerked my hand, yanking me along when I kept looking back, crying over that duffel bag and all our things.

“Things don’t matter,” my mother said. [pulling] “People matter. [more tugging, me looking back]. “Leave what you can’t carry. [darker night and a sharp slap] You understand, Fallen?”

About four years later she died— cancer, hospital, morphine, didn’t know my name. I don’t look back anymore.

Years later, after our Sara was born but before our Rorie was to be, one night in bed, you touched my pregnant belly, marveling at movement. Allan, you whispered to me she would be strong. What you didn’t say was not like our stillborn son, because we never talk of him.

When we left the car, scavengers took everything they didn’t break in the taking but that old duffel bag, and even it was left junked on the side of the road, along with a broken radio that didn’t work even before someone smashed it on the corner of the curb.

Today, it’s a Saturday, and our Sara runs in and then our Aurora Jane comes flying behind into the laundry room, all fire and stomping feet, fingers streaked with God knows what, and eyes crying. I then see our Sara with

silky cornrows that don’t stay plaited and a guilty face. Now Rorie is a daddy’s girl, but Sara wears my sadness and doesn’t know why. So there Sara stops when she sees me, and there is just Rorie running around her grabbing for the candy, this grape and strawberry Nerds box, just out of reach. Without being asked, Sara hands it to her. Rorie sits in the corner scarfing the Nerds down, still glaring at Sara. I go back to folding the wash.

“Can I see him, Mama?” Sara says. She’s learned about me, even at seven. She’s learned how to take my breath.

We had a photo album in that duffel bag. When we went back, we never found that. Not even a page. Couldn’t figure out who would want someone else’s memories, but when we were homeless, we lost a lot of things.

People think it’s strange, the pictures at the back of the album.

I keep this for my family. The entrance to those back pages covered by your daddy’s prayer cloth, yes, that belonged to Old Reverend Martin Ross. He’s gone now, Allan. Our boy is there too, the face quiet, pale, eyes like closed crescent moons. It’s our Sarah who continues to love him.

Talks to the picture. I hand her the album as Rorie carelessly traces the page.

“Careful,” Sara says, and Rorie, looking up to her, obeys. I hear you come in through the kitchen side door. You don’t say anything to me when you see us on the couch with the album turned to the back. You go to wash up, but you can’t because Rorie goes after you chattering about a grasshopper she found and making sure to tell how Sara took her candy. I put my head back on the top of the couch, thinking of my mother’s hand pulling me all those years ago. No matter what breaks or is stolen, you leave what you can’t carry.

Love, Fallen

Page 12 March 2022

Photo by Dave Slayton.

What’s in Your

Prosecco?

by Dave Slayton

P

rosecco, that refreshing, sparkling wine from northern Italy, is often associated with celebrations, like the arrival of Spring. It is made with at least 85% Glera grapes. Like other wine grapes, it can leave the wine with residual sugar (RS).

Residual fruit sugar is natural grape sugars leftover in a wine after the alcoholic fermentation stops. It is usually measured in grams per liter.

A gram of sugar is about a quarter of a teaspoon, and a liter is slightly more than a quart. Imagine a quart of water with a quarter teaspoon of sugar. That’s about one gram per liter or RS = 1 g/L. Prosecco comes in different sweetness levels, most commonly Dry, Extra Dry, and Brut. Let’s say my Prosecco falls in the least sweet category, “Brut,” having 12 grams of residual sugar.

In the article entitled “How Many Calories Are in Wine?” written by Courtney Schiessl for Vinepair, she states that each gram of sugar produces four calories. However, there is another calorie source, alcohol. A gram of alcohol has 7 calories and, “it’s important to pay

attention not only to the sweetness of the wine being consumed but also the alcohol content.”

My 5 oz. pour equals roughly 150 grams of wine, and the wine’s percentage of alcohol is 10%.

So, there are 15 grams of alcohol in my glass. Each gram has 7 calories, so I have about 105 alcohol calories.

My Prosecco also contains 12 grams of residual sugar per liter.

Five ounces roughly equals 0.15 liters. With 0.15 liters multiplied by 12 grams of sugar, I get 1.8 grams. If each gram of sugar yields 4 calories, I have about 8 sugar calories. Add the alcohol and sugar calories together, and I have about 113 calories. Probably fewer than in a large, non-fat, sugar-free, vanilla latte.

Remember, calories in wine come from both alcohol and sugar.

Consume wine in moderation and talk to your doctor to determine what is safe and reasonable for you. I have, and that’s why I’ll have the glass of wine but skip the dessert. Cheers! See you at the gym or on the river trail.

Cheers!

Evince Magazine Page 13

Get Ready for

Travel Season

by Corey Williams photo by Corey Williams

afraid to travel anywhere!” or “I don’t know where to start!” Start small. Visit and new city within thirty minutes of your home.

Then try an hour. A couple hours. Several hours. Then take an overnight trip. A multi-day trip. Travel is a journey and a destination.

• Research, research, research.

This is crucial; I can’t begin to tell you the amount of time I could have saved by reading the reviews of cities, restaurants, hotels, hostels and more. If you’re unsure about a city, do you research. Ask a local. Look for a website or social media posts. Look at

A

s the days lengthen and sunlight becomes more available, many folks rejoice at the idea of grilling, yardwork, or more time outside in general, but for me, the early days of spring mean the beginning of travel season. It can certainly be argued that travel is a yearlong leisure, but March is when I officially begin making my travel plans for the year. As a true solivagant, I base all of my travels on a party of one. I love solo travel because it makes scheduling and accommodations easier, it’s a lot more flexible and lowmaintenance, plus traveling leads to stories to encourage others to join me in the fun next time.

Here are some of my biggest tips when preparing to travel: • Set an agenda or itinerary.

As much as I love blindly

exploring a city, I still set a very loose schedule of things I want to do while there; do I want to check out an art exhibit, do I want to visit a new coffeehouse, how many meals will I eat while here?

Know what time you want to arrive and leave. Plan for traffic, delays and busy lines especially on the weekends or near holidays.

• Plan a budget. Travel doesn’t have to be expensive, but know what you plan on spending. Prepare for extra costs such as fuel, food, souvenirs, emergencies and other unexpected expenses.

Nothing is worse than enjoying your travels until you run out of money or have to use an emergency fund.

• Start small. One of the most common things I hear from folks in regards to travel is “I’m

reviews and see if there is a pattern.

Here’s to a season of exploring new places, meeting new people and creating new memories — for more travel tips, follow me on Instagram and TikTok at @ coreyrunswild.

Corey Williams is a local writer, educator, content creator and community activist. When he isn’t grading papers or studying for his doctoral program, Corey enjoys reading, writing, running and exploring new places. Follow his adventures on Instagram @ coreyrunswild.

Page 14 March 2022

Stone Tablets

by Mac Williams photo by Mac Williams

A

fter reading an article about “A whole lotta’ crushin’ going on” (my phrase, and apologies to the late Jerry Lee Lewis) at the old Schoolfield Mill site in preparation for Caesar’s Entertainment, I had to see for myself; especially reading that a gravel operation was being carried on there. I have always been interested in rocks, even when they’re man-made.

So, I set out in my old Alero.

Getting behind the wheel of an old, high-mileage Alero, the word “setting out,” (also applicable to Captain Bligh and company in their row boat on the South Pacific) is not overblown!

Driving down Bishop Road, I first saw three great “pyramidal” piles of gravel made from the crushing of old concrete surfaces where mill employees’ cars had once parked and where trucks had once waited to be loaded with textile wares. I also saw the great machines by which the “machination” of this “gravel feat” had been achieved! This gravel is to be included in the site’s repurposing.

The funny, chance thing about those three pyramid-shaped piles, is that they’re oriented towards each other in the same fashion as the three pyramids of Egypt’s Giza Plateau, said pyramids also

matching the self-orientation of the three brighter stars in the belt of the constellation Orion. But like I said, it’s just by chance.

into those kinds of large, rectangular, monument-sized stones seen in cemeteries; but these blocks were blank.

A little further, I saw a huge pile of somewhat more pristine material in readiness for those machines which would later be “making little rocks out of big rocks “ (old 1940s’ prison movie lingo).

In my mind, I imagined a name upon each of the un-crushed “markers,” along with a beginning and ending date.

When looking at the individual, larger stones in that great pile (while I pulled off of the road), I noticed something about many of them which reminded me of something else: tombstones!

Some had initially been broken

But not the beginning and ending dates of life and death; instead, the beginning and ending employment date of each former worker of that long-gone textile mill.

Evince Magazine Page 15

Page 16 March 2022