Cool Things Aren’t Always Planned
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DAVE’S WORLD
By David Howell
I did it again.
I invented my own spelling for Water Valley Assistant Fire Chief Layth Terry’s name.
I know. I know. This is at least the second time this year, and who knows how many times I’ve mangled a name over the course of a 28-year newspaper career.
The embarrassing part is I even looked at Layth’s Facebook page before I typed the story last week to make sure I didn’t accidentally add an “e” to the end of his first name.
My apologies, Layth.
I have an excuse. My brain is running on Watermelon Carnival.
Every conversation, every notebook page and seemingly every deadline has something to do with the carnival. It’s one of my favorite editions of the year, but by late July I develop a serious case of tunnel vision. Some of the other stories and happenings around town get pushed to the back burner.
Thankfully, Karen Turnage stopped by the office Tuesday morning and reminded me that while I’ve been looking toward Carnival weekend, something pretty special has already been happening every Friday night on Main Street.
It began with a void on Friday nights. Justin McDaniel responded by extending the hours at Courthouse Cafe, and Alexe van Beuren added Catfish Friday at the B.T.C.
Karen told me she saw the enthusiasm and decided Turnage Drug Store would stay open until 9 p.m., serving ice cream, banana splits and brownies.
There wasn’t a meeting, a marketing campaign or even a plan. Each business simply responded to what it saw, and before long they were creating something together.
Karen told me families have been eating dinner, then strolling down Main Street for ice cream. Children play with friends while parents visit. People who may have headed to Oxford for dinner on Fridays are instead enjoying the buzz in Water Valley.
The camaraderie also includes older customers who recall when Turnage Drug Store was just as busy years ago. What is most impressive, and this holds true in other areas as well, is the attitude of the business owners. They are cheering each other on. Karen talked about Justin McDaniel showing her ideas. Success wasn’t something to guard. It was something to share.
One of her customers and friends, a Water Valley native who moved back home with her family, summed it up perfectly.
“This is exactly why we moved back home.”
That’s what makes Water Valley different.
A town is healthy when children can safely run down the sidewalk while parents catch up with neighbors. It’s healthy when people who haven’t seen each other in months linger over an ice cream cone because there’s no hurry to leave. It’s healthy when one business owner’s success encourages another with an idea.
Watermelon Carnival will soon bring thousands of visitors to Main Street, and it will be a weekend to remember.. But you don’t have to wait for one weekend each year to experience the best of Water Valley.
And, speaking of the carnival, next week is our biggest paper of the year with the Carnival section. Hopefully I’ll have all the names right. If not, I may schedule the same cognitive test Americans apparently expect anyone seeking the Oval Office to take these days.
