I took Becca to the doctor a few days ago and as we were waiting in the exam room we were privy to an amazing conversation between a nurse and patient.  We didn’t mean to eavesdrop but we couldn’t help but listen with fascination as this older black gentleman told his story.  I honestly could have listened to him all day.

He started out talking about his knee and the upcoming surgery and his 5 year plan for his retirement and how his job takes him from playing place to place all over the country.  The nurse replied that she’s not a traveler and would never would be able to travel like that.  He loves it and told of some of the p laces he’d been and how no matter where he was, we’re all the same. Then he told his life story…

He was born in the 1950’s in Chicago, which he Said was similar to Salisbury,NC, now in size.  He said it was very much like a small town when he grew up.  His parents taught him to never go to the South because we were horrible here and it was a terrible place for them to live.  Can you imagine what growing up in the 50’s and 60’s would have been like for him, for his parents?  He vowed he would never move to the South.

Well after a bad divorce and needing a change of scenery he took a job that had him travelling all over this country of ours.  That job took him took him to the South.  He fell in love.  He said it was not at all like he had been told.  All the fear he had about living here subsided.  What his parents told him wasn’t true, he loved it here.  It felt just like home.  The people were warm and friendly and yes, there were bad people, but they had those in Chicago too. He said,”You see, people are the same wherever you go. There’s good people and bad people.  We’re all the same.”

He told of recently staying in Iowa and how spread out everything is and that there