Charlotte, NC

9:44 AM

As my lunch companion said yesterday, passion is contagious. I sat with Fred Story, one of my first interviews, and as of right now, the first chapter of the journey. We got caught up on what’s been happening with each of us over the previous 18 months. His passion is making music and he is making a lot of it. He showed me one of the TV shows he is working on. It is a 65 show kids’ series that will be running in Australia in the near future. I can see my niece’s singing and dancing to the music Fred and his team created. They also wrote a song for the Charlotte Bobcats that has been sung in front of the crowd and accompanied by a 350 person children’s choir. He is living it up and having a blast. It was awesome to meet back up with an interviewee. He reminded why I did this and how much it has taught me.

After lunch I went to the downtown library in Charlotte and read some Time and Newsweek. I had a group meet me at an old stomping ground and I got caught up with a lot of the folks I left behind in Charlotte. Once the book is done Charlotte may be the place to settle.

A bonus for the day was Tony’s extra ticket for the NBA Bobcats game. He also had 4 more extras for some of the group. I am much more college than an NBA fan, but being there is much better than TV. It was great to see former Tar Heels Felton and May. In a surprising blow out, the Bobcats crushed the Pacers 122-90. The price of games have gone up considerably. There is no way I or a large percentage of the population could afford $75 a game. But, the tickets get sold.

I’m back at my old roommate’s house, the kids have gone to school, and I am packing to head back north. Gettysburg today and then Rochester tomorrow. No more trips planned until the book moves.