That Little Sign
Have you ever designated something to be a landmark, even though there is not a bit of historical history attached, no famous sculptor created it, nor does anyone seem to notice it but you?
Surely I am not the only one in Hartsville that smiles when they pass by this sign:
When I drive home from a long day of shopping, this is what I look for. Shopping has always been draining for me, I'd rather just order things from a catalog than to trudge through the mall or in and out of stores- how I am my mother's daughter is a mystery! Coming home to Hartsville and seeing that sign always puts a smile on my face.
Come to think of it, any time I return to Hartsville, whether it is from Florence or a 1000 miles away in Maine, that sign is my little landmark, the reminder that yes, I am home.
Today, a friend of mine commented that Hartsville is a very welcoming place to newcomers. Small city that it is, of course there is another side to a "small town"... and another friend replied, "Yes, but, there are plenty of cliques!"... but all in all, it is a place that you can find a quiet comfort in knowing that it is not a far drive to get a gallon of milk and a loaf of bread.
After living here for a short time, you will recognize faces when you buy groceries, and you will probably bump into your doctor more than once a year. You'll have a neighbor that flies Old Glory and has a story to tell of why he does. A woman will plant annual flowers, and will prune back her perennials. A group of kids from the Governor's School will be walking together, and if you are a female, you may be lucky enough to see some Coker College athletes running by! There will always be someone walking a dog, and there will be someone helping an elderly person change their flat tire. The person ahead of you will hold the door for you, and there will always be an adorable little kid that makes you smile just to see.
The city is growing, and new buildings are being built, but the little sign that proclaims that "JESUS SAVES" still remains just where it's always been. And that gives me great comfort, and a reason to smile.
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Tell me, do you know where this sign is? Do you have a favorite landmark to share? Post it here!
Man at end of Yupon Drive
Growing up, I remember an elderly man that sat on the little brick "wall" at the end of Yupon Drive. (Off Carolina Ave.) He would sit on that wall everyday and wave at people as they drove by. One day, he just disappeared............. I do not know who he was and it has been ten years or more but I still think of him when I drive by.
The sign is on Fourth street, correct????
yup!
Fourth Street it is.
I wonder who the elderly man was? Isn't it funny that you still think of him sitting there over ten years later? That is what those "landmarks" do for you, you grow to expect them and find comfort in their constancy. Thanks for commenting!
Elderly fellow waving
He would be out there for hours too. Even when it was unbearable HOT!!!. He would smile and wave @ EVERY car. Imagine there was someone here in town at one time, that was not so caught up in the chaos of their own life, that he could take the time to stop for a while and speak to a stranger. Have we gotten so busy. I mean people at wal-Mart will not even "nod" back at you these days, much less smile and return the condolence,
I don't know if this counts but..
I remember before i moved to Hartsville i absolutely loved the area in front of what used to be the Culinary. It seemed to be a perfect place to sit on a perfect day under the shade of those vines and read a good book or write a good story. I also thought it was a perfect place for a restaurant just like the culinary. I hate that it closed down. :(
Kim Chafin
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You remember him too??
Yep! That's him. I wonder if he knew what an impression he made just by waving and giving a smile. There were many times I rode by there in a bad/sad mood and he lifted me up!! :0)
A sign of the times.....
One of the many simple things in town that often makes my day is this sign, and it does not even cost a single dollar to make me feel better about matters.
Good post!
Bobby Lucas
as far as i know he still lives on Yaupon Drive.
Correction- Was Holly Dr. not Yaupon
I realized this morning that the home I was referring to is at the beginning of Holly Drive, not Yaupon.
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