Weekend on the Pamlico

What a wonderful weekend. First time back to the river since our dear friend Jim Pinkney had passed away this spring. It was a good healing time for all of us. When I say "us", I mean the usual river group that comes. It was hard to be in the cottage and not imagine that I was hearing his kind voice and expecting him to walk through the door to the porch at any time. Our dear Jim had just retired from East Carolina University, as celebrated professor there for many years. He luckily came to Greenville by way of Nebraska from Minnesota, his home state. Seems he had two job offers, one in Michigan and the ECU job. His wife Kathy being from SC, and the warm weather here sealed the decision making process. They bought a house near our friends, Tony and Paula, and the friendship began. Jim had two seasons, baseball and football. The beautiful river house helped him through the summers and the winters always seemed way too long for him. Jim was deadly at Scrabble, Crossword Puzzles and the final answer on any Trivial Pursuit game. He spoke Korean and was a translator during his service years and was our original "Google". He knew everything and if he didn't he made you think he did and no one would argue. His Sunday morning Bloody Marys were killer, made with love and enough stuff, olives, onions, celery, and lime to cover several vegetable servings on the food pyramid. A true gentleman, Jim always made everyone feel as though they were the most important person around. How we all miss him. Even Millie, the dog that lives next door. I sensed she was walking around the house this weekend as if to look for Jim. I watched her as she scratched to go inside the cottage and then walk to his bedroom, look on the bed, turn around, come out and continue to look for him. Jim was always sneeking bits of food to Millie. Her diet is limited but he would make sure she had a few tasty morsels discretely given during our wonderful porch meals. She always stayed close to him waiting. Millie is a good judge of people cause she sure loved Jim....and so did we. The river is still beautiful but it is missing someone very special.