We were talking at Sheps Grill one morning about how I still can remember when shops and banks closed down on Wednesday afternoons. We think they were closed for church that Wednesday night. I remember the railroad tracks going down the middle of Third Street. Who can remember when you could cash a check from another store when you got paid?

When I got to Williamston we had church every Wednesday night. Better not schedule an athletic event on that night. Everyone went to church on Wednesday night.

I fell down on my bicycle and hit those railroad tracks many times on the bicycle daddy bought from Western Auto beside Mecca Poolroom. That store was run by Todd Maxwell and the Mecca was run by Ward Marshlender’s dad. Ward was probably one of the best athletes that Washington has seen. He could shoot a basketball and throw a football a mile.

We didn’t have trouble cashing a check either. It didn’t matter who it was from. I cashed a check at Martin Supply Company in Williamston and everybody knew everybody in that small town.

They sat in Martin Supply Company and solved the world’s problems much like we do at Shep’s in the morning . Oh, you can get coaches fired, politicians fired and even the heads replaced on Mt. Rushmore. Just ask Carl Jones and Jack Mitchell! If you don’t have anything positive to say you better not mess with those two especially, if you are Bill Outland. Shep’s has a good breakfast.

They were the best of times with the best of friends in the best place, Washington N.C., the original Washington.

Harold Jr.