Friday travels and upcoming plans

Friday finds me at the DJ early – looking over my proofs (hard copy, what Saturday’s paper will look like) then heading off in search of stories throughout Northeast Mississippi. Lloyd Gray used an interesting phrase I’d never heard the other day, “shoe leather reporting.” That’s going out on the street and hunting down stories. I  like that. I need to do more of that.

I’ve been a little discontent recently. I’m dissatisfied with my work. I mean the quality of my own work. I’ve interviewed great people, great subjects. My discontent in no way reflects upon them. It’s just that I can do better, I think. I’m convinced the way to do that is to get out on the roads more. I want to drive around, hear more of the great stories that are out there. Work less from my desk. I want to drink a Coke outside a gas station on a dusty Mississippi road and talk to old men sitting on milk crates.

Friday I’m talking with the new minister at St. Luke United Methodist Church in Tupelo. (He’s pretty young. I’m sure he has air-conditioning and chairs, not milk crates.) That will be an upcoming feature, probably. It will be our first meeting. Always nice to make a new friend. Then, it’s over to Oxford to meet with a minister who’s been away from the church for almost 20 years. He’s a blue-collar labor type guy – welder, carpenter, tug boat captain – who’s moved to Oxford and is starting a new church called “Agape.” Pitre is his name. I look forward to meeting this fellow. Sounds interesting.

I’m sure I’ll wind up at Square Books before the day is through. Then, I’ll hit 55 and go on up to Hernando for a while. See my raccoon.

The day holds much promise. (That sounded pretentious and lofty, didn’t it?) Anyway, I’m sure I’ll have fun. Maybe I’ll find a gas station, on a dirt road, that sells Cokes. –– In bottles.

Peace,

Galen