“EXCLUSIVE” — Now, I don’t mean to boast, but I am a member of a very special “club.” It’s the Pamlico River Chapter of ROMEO.

Perhaps some of you are not all that familiar with this “organization.” ROMEO stands for retired old men eating out. And this we do just about every Wednesday.

Gaining membership in this august body of “mature” souls has one requirement: you have to show up any Wednesday and join us.

We have no dues, no office holders, no programs, no structure at all. Each of us has been there, done that.

The one thing we don’t do is delve into political discourse where there may be different perspectives. We are respectful of one another’s assumed viewpoints, and just don’t “go there.” Our purpose is simply to share a meal, good fellowship, keenly aware of our manifold blessings. And that’s it.

SECOND THOUGHTS — This space was originally my lamentation about the deletion of “Pam” from “Pam Pack” and referring to the WHS girls’ athletic teams as the “Lady Pack.” My point was that “Pam Pack” is unique among all sports nicknames. You know, tradition, heritage, history. One of a kind.

While we may not agree on this, it in no way diminishes my respect for, and appreciation of, our Sports Editor, who does a splendid job, almost by himself, in providing coverage, features, sidebars and excellent photography of the local and regional sports world. The hours and effort put in by “SportsMike” are many, both day and night.

He is to be commended.

THE PARISH HOUSE — In my youth, Saturdays during basketball season would find bunches of boys coming together to play a little hoops at the Parish House.

This gathering place had a nice basketball court, even one side of permanent bleachers, and was on the second floor of St. Peter’s Episcopal Church.

At one time, high school games were played there, before moving on to the armory.

The Parish House is no longer there, having been destroyed by a fire in the late ’50s, I believe. And the armory is now a multiple apartment facility.

As they (whoever “they” are) say, “The only thing that doesn’t change is change itself.”

DIDACTIC ELOQUENCE — For well over a half century, I have had a genuine love, even passion, for eloquent use of the language, written or spoken. And over these years I have managed to amass an almost bewildering amount of written material. My files are bulging (cluttered).

So. Let me leave you with the following, written by Alexander Hamilton when he was 17 years old.

“O ye who revel in affluence, see the afflictions of humanity, and bestow your superfluity to ease them … Succour the miserable and lay up a treasure in heaven.”

We know what book he had been reading, do we not?

And I love that word “superfluity.”

Peace, my friends.