Real Chili

During my travels with Charlie, he created a list of places I might go whom he had served in the past and could perhaps be helped by a visit from me.  On his advice, I set out this morning to my old stomping grounds in Gastonia.  I stopped first at the Gaston County Public Library and was greeted by an old friend, Bob Biggers.  Bob remembered that he and his band (Darrell and Sonshyne) had played for the rehearsal dinner for my son's wedding.  Bob told me he didn't play much anymore and was planning to retire from working at the Library.  The librarian is Jane Kaylor and she was not there.  Since the Library is so close, I'll stop in to see her another time.

I crossed the South Fork River to Charlotte and the campus of Johnson C. Smith University.  I'd visited this HBCU back in the summer.  JCSU was begun by two Presbyterian ministers as "Freedmen's College" following the Civil War.  The name was changed to Biddle University.  Tonight is the start of the College football season and interestingly, the first black football game was played by Biddle University against Livingstone College in December in Salisbury, N.C. The Golden Bulls earned their first historic victory in what today is called the Commemorative Classic, an annual tradition at JCSU.  Charlie told me he thought we might be able to help the University Bookstore but I met a wonderful woman named Robin Sorenson who informed me that the bookstore was owned by one of our fine competitors--Follett.  I guess that means they won't be ordering from us.  While I was on campus I returned to the James B. Duke Library and met with Julie Reed.  Julie is originally from Oklahoma and is a Cowboy from Stillwater, OK.  I mentioned friends of mine in Bartlesville which is the home of OWU and she has a sister who takes adult education classes at Oklahoma Wesleyan University.  JCSU's mascot is the the Golden Bull.  They kickoff their football season this weekend.

My next stop was in Davidson but it was too close to lunch so I stopped in at Lupie's Cafe.  The original location is near downtown Charlotte and they serve Real Chili.  Most of what passes for chili is really "hamburger soup."  The Texas Chili at Lupies has two ingredients--meat and peppers.  You can add beans or sour cream or cheese but it starts out as real chili.  I was not disappointed to find that the second location had gotten the recipe for both the chili and the cornbread served with it.  The original location was hit by an out-of-control car back in November of last year.  It has reopened but I learned that Lupie retired and both restaurants are being run by her daughter.

Davidson College has a reputation as one of the leading academic institutions in North Carolina.  It is a beautiful campus.  I went to the campus when I was in high school to watch a football game.  My aunt, Myrtle Alexander, was the housemother at one of the fraternities--Phi Gamma Delta (FIJI, for short).  A high school student at a frat house was a dream come true.  But since I was never the scholar my brother was, that was as close to attending Davidson as I ever got.  The E. H. Little Library has been built since I was there so I had to ask directions.  A young student, named Carr, was very kind to show me how to get to the Library and engaged in a polite and adult conversation that included no "ummm's" or "y'know's."  I was impressed by young Carr who is only a Sophomore but is thinking of majoring in Economics.  Alison Bradley is the Librarian and although they currently use another book supplier, she was very cordial and helpful.

Statesville is the home of Mitchell Community College.  It had begun to rain and I seemed to be the only person on campus with an umbrella. Once inside the Library, I was greeted by Beverly Rufty and Courtney Wierckz.  Both are young but have a genuine enthusiasm for helping students learn.







My final stop was in Hudson at Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute.  I asked directions of the first person I encountered who happened to be the Director of Student Services.  Consequently, I got a wonderful overview of the school as we walked to the Library.  CCC&TI has a high school on campus that allows highly motivated students to graduate high school with most or all of an Associate's degree.  Once in the Library, I met the new director, Alison Beard.  Although new to the job, Alison is not new to education and I know she will succeed.

It was less than an hour's drive home so I drove through the rain, glad to have spent the day with people who love books and the people who read them.