Slack Tide. The Sun rays echoed out from beyond the East. The magical sight of an orange ball rising out of the sea never disapoints. It's been that way since the beginning of time. Fingers of light crept past the sand and lit the old City with a palette of colors yet to named..It was Slack Tide.Sound came in rhythms as the Ocean pulled away, always within reach. She watched and waited, patient, knowing her time would soon come again...It was Slack Tide.The breeze rolled from the Sea and brought with it the fine mist of Salt that seasoned the old town. It settled on everything and everyone,enhancing them with flavors that were as deep and rich as Charlestons 300 year old Soul.It was Slack Tide.For just a while the World had pulled away. It had left its madness and confusion and noise to those less blessed to be right here, right now.For now the world was that of tide pools, white ghost crabs and sound of seagulls echoing off the warm Carolina sand. Small waves gently teased the coast like a mother caressing the sleeping face of her child.It was Slack Tide. Half awake, half in the land of summer dreams. For a moment, for one perceptible moment, all that has been, all that is and all that will be..... meet.It was Slack Tide.R.Sweat

55

I dreamed of no reflection, no one looking back at me.

I could see all too clearly, where 

I'm sure that I should be. 

I heard a voice that wasn't mine and it whispered soft to me.

I was your ghost, of what use to be, when the mirror once could see.

When days were warm and nights were short beside the sounding sea.

I saw your thoughts before they came and knew your hearts desire, but now I whisper soft and low through times and tides of mire.

I hope that when I wake today and stand before that mirror, that it sees myself, with all its flaws and only my thoughts remaining clear.

R.Sweat

54

The Sweetest winds they blow across  the South,  she said these words to me

 I watched her smile with her sad eyes and then she walked away

Still the warm breeze touched my heart and brought to mind Magnolias and the sea and I knew  then I had lost my way

Oh Carolina, I'll see you if for just one day

R. Sweat

53

Summer days, to Summer nights and Summers gone too soon,

Summer breeze near Summer tides cause Summer hearts to swoon.

Summers come and Summers go as seasons  prone to do

When all I ever needed was a  girl to hold it's  moon.

R.Sweat

Angela and my friend Paula Reavis (who owns Babys Away of Charleston)

who posted the great picture  and got my mind churning.  While the picture is by Paula, the poetry and my heart as always are My Angels.

52

Story.

My son and I were driving by the apartment complex on the corner of Orangeburg and South Rhett when we saw a guy stagger out of an apartment and get into a car. Instead of backing out he put the car in drive and ran into the fire hydrant on the corner.

We pulled over to see if he would leave the scene so we could call NCPD.

To our entertainment after backing up, he got out the car and with his rear end on the hydrant, using his legs he tried to straighten up the bent hydrant which was leaking pretty bad.

After one final push he not only moved it, HE BROKE IT COMPLETELY OFF.

The resulting water pressure sent him 8-10 feet in the air and deposited him on the hood of his own car. 

Angry and not hurt he climbed behind the wheel and drove his car onto the 20 foot high geyser that pomptly lifted his front wheel drive car a foot off the ground and immediately tore off his hood.

Undaunted he fought the high pressure water that sprayed out from under the car in a vain attempt to push what had to be the cleanest undercarriage and engine in Northchuck off old faithful. The pressure was so great that it knocked him down several times and blew off his shirt and wrapped his pants  around one ankle, leaving him in boxers and Nike's when the police arrived.

Only In North Charleston :)

51

Its that time of year once again when I start to think of past visitors to our fair city.

 As August turns to September their names keep running through my mind.

Gracie, David, Bob, Hugo, Floyd, while unwelcomed, they certainly left their mark on our town and us. 

As the dog days wane, and the days of summer drift away, soon the first winds of fall will begin to make their way from Africa to our shore,  bringing with them the possibility that we might have to add a new name or two to that list of villains. Our coastal sensibilities put our Southern hospitality at bay as we board up our homes and our lives in an effort to deny the unwanted usurpers access to our fare city.

Anyone who was ever raised near a beach knows to hope for the best but prepare for the worst, respect the weather but never let a little thing like a hurricane change  the way you live your life. Put on Jimmy Buffets "Trying to reason with the hurricane season", check your batteries and water, stock up on plywood and make sure that old generator still works, then put it all in the back of your mind, and hope that eddie or flo or gavin will have other places to be this fall,,,, your not welcomed here.

R. Sweat

50

Its that time of year once again when I start to think of past visitors to our fair city.

 As August turns to September their names keep running through my mind.

Gracie, David, Bob, Hugo, Floyd, while unwelcomed, they certainly left their mark on our town and us. 

As the dog days wane, and the days of summer drift away, soon the first winds of fall will begin to make their way from Africa to our shore,  bringing with them the possibility that we might have to add a new name or two to that list of villains. Our coastal sensibilities put our Southern hospitality at bay as we board up our homes and our lives in an effort to deny the unwanted usurpers access to our fare city.

Anyone who was ever raised near a beach knows to hope for the best but prepare for the worst, respect the weather but never let a little thing like a hurricane change  the way you live your life. Put on Jimmy Buffets "Trying to reason with the hurricane season", check your batteries and water, stock up on plywood and make sure that old generator still works, then put it all in the back of your mind, and hope that eddie or flo or gavin will have other places to be this fall,,,, your not welcomed here.

R. Sweat