Christmas in South Carolina, part 5:
The time has flown by. We have played SkipBo every day this week!! Since our shopping trip to Aiken on Tuesday, we've done very little of consequence.
Yesterday, my cousin Debra called and asked if she could take me to lunch at the Pool Hall in Edgefield, SC. I said she could.
Actually, the pool hall is named "Billiards Parlor"...and until about 20 years ago, was a "men's only" establishment". Old traditions die hard in the south.
The place was packed and we had two barstools at a bar table at the entrance to the parlor. A most excellent and tasty hamburger and very crispy and wonderfully edible french fries were served to us.
Before we went to the pool hall, we stopped at a local cemetery to see the graves of two former "relations"...the ex-wife of my cousin Butch and the ex-wife of my cousin Rick. Both ex-wives died over the past 14 months.
During lunch, I asked Debra where her first husband had been buried. She and her first husband had a great relationship but they grew apart when Debra wanted to better her career opportunities and Tom wanted to make fast bucks doing things Debra did not approve of. They divorced amicably. Both remarried. Tom died young in a motorcycle accident. Debra married Tom's cousin Rob. Rob asked Tom for his permission to date Debra a year after their divorce, so there was no bad blood in the family. Thus I have three cousins all in their second marriages and all having deceased ex-spouses. That's on my mother's side.
After lunch, Debra asked if I'd like to see Tom's grave which is near the grave of her deceased brother-in-law Boone who died earlier this fall of cancer. We visited both graves, and I was mindful at the time that I got some satisfaction knowing where everyone was laid to rest.
Following that, we picked up my Aunt Doris and went to the house of a mutual friend to pick pecans off the ground. My aunt and Debra filled two bags, and I filled one and part of another. I guess we got about 15-20 pounds of pecans. All for free. My aunt knows a place that cracks the nuts so my mother and she will probably get that done after I leave on Thursday.
As you well know, tomorrow is December 24th...known in these parts as Christmas Eve. My mom and I will attend the candlelight service at the church at 6 p.m. and then go to Debra's house for our annual Christmas Eve dinner.
