There it was, touchdown in Myrtle Beach, which is a resort town in South Carolina. But why? Because an old friend was being consecrated in the Orthodox Anglican Church and I flew out to support him. He's a good man and's had an interesting life.
Naval enlisted, went back in with a commission, did mysterious, arcane things, left to become a DC lawyer, left that to be a priest in the Anglican Continuing Church and's now a bishop. Well done, perhaps a movement from dark to light?
Regardless, we set up at the Hampton Broadway, which is a hotel in a kind of ersatz boardwalk tourist development a mile or so from the actual beach, complete with artificial lake and everything else. I'd imagine the Broadway's an intolerable, heaving nightmare in season but it was pretty much empty this week, which was fine.
Stroll around around the little thematic shopping zones and wonder at the glory of it all as you ask, "Why is there a Japanese steakhouse in 'New England Village'?" Puzzled, swing by the Key West "Hangout," ask yourself why it's empty and how can they afford to keep this place running.
Baffled, take rum meets rum meets fruit juice solace at Margarataville before falling back to an RV at the hotel, life is good. The next day, go to your pal's consecration at a small mission church a few blocks away and feel genuinely blessed by the experience.
And now? Back in the great state of Texas, which is a country in itself, and a good one. Off topic though it seems relevant, somehow. Never, ever, ever, ever give up. I say that most seriously.
Your Old Friend,
LSP
