Close to Nowhere - Linda Jones


Thursday, January 17, 2008
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Close to Nowhere
By Linda Jones

Fried bologna

I had one of “those” phone calls last week. One that is purely Southern in nature.

The first time I spoke with the caller, it was brief -- she asked if we could put her in touch with Rev. Bruce McMillan, the rector of Christ Episcopal Church. She needed some information about Jan Karon’s recent visit to town.

I gave her Bruce’s number, and also told her that he more than likely wouldn’t be at the church at that time, and gave her his home number also.

That’s when she said she was from Atlanta, Ga., and just loved the “small town atmosphere” that knew Bruce wasn’t home and where he’d be.

Naturally, my curiosity was stirred. So, when she called me back in about 15 minutes or so to “tell me the rest of the story,” I was reassured that Southerners are the same, the South over.

Seems like Robertine Michelly, of Atlanta, had been “somewhere” (I can’t remember where she said) to hear Jan Karon speak on her new book, “Home To Holly Springs.”

While there, she and her husband got into a conversation with a lady named Diane from Tucker, Ga. Diane had never eaten, seen or heard of fried bologna and apparently was fascinated with the idea.

Some time later, Robertine was in a restaurant in Roanoke, Va., and lo and behold, fried bologna was on the menu. Naturally, Robertine had to have one of the menus.

Then, she had to find Diane. Hence, the phone call to Bruce, as Diane had said she’d been to hear Jan Karon at Holly Springs, when she was here.

Turns out Diane is probably the cousin of a friend and neighbor of Bruce’s.

Now, let’s all sing together -- “It’s A Small World, After All...”

• If you haven’t read Karon’s latest book “Home to Holly Springs,” you’ve really missed a good book.

I only recently began reading her Father Tim books, thinking I didn’t like them. Last year sometime, Beth here in the office, convinced me to try one again, and I was hooked. I can’t imagine now, why I thought I didn’t like the books. They are wonderful! I’d already collected and read the entire series (two times to be honest) before “Home to Holly Springs” was published. I also love the recipe and “bedside reader” book that goes with the series.

I was anxious to read “Home to Holly Springs” and was rewarded for my wait with an excellent book.

I don’t know if I thought it was wonderful because she was writing about Holly Springs and she caught the town and the people perfectly, or if it was just a good book.

I do know -- I know everyone in her book. And she wasn’t here long enough to meet “everyone.”

I guess it really is a “small world after all.” (Are you singing yet?)

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