Everything over there was new to me that year because, despite having gone to Gardner-Webb for three years, I had never been to the yearly classic. I interviewed a man who made fried candy bars. He made me taste one and it was so sweet I nearly went into a sugar-induced coma. And for several years since, he's been there.
That same year, I met Joe Roberts. He sells peanuts with the exchange club. Five years later, he's my next-door neighbor.
This year, I've seen several people I've done stories on in the past - the Buff family (their son, who was in elementary school, started drag racing) and Lt. Wayne Thomas from the Sheriff's Office (he's in charge of Project Lifesaver).
But my familiarity with people in the community pales in comparison to Jeff Melton. I've walked around the fairgrounds with him for two days now and I can't even count the number of people who have hollered, "Hey Jeff!" I swear he knows half the county.
And the half he doesn't know probably knows him.
Maybe 20 years from now I'll go to the fair and be greeted like Jeff is. Because being remembered fondly by people year after year is a very sincere form of flattery.
