Bank of Holly Springs

Fielder’s Choice

Paving work and patience

Last week a paving project was happening on a street adjacent to the newspaper office, East Gholson Avenue.

A morning or two, believe it or not, I actually had to take a different, few-minutes-longer route to the office.

And in the afternoon, I had to also take a different route home.

And one day, believe it or not, even a portion of Chulahoma Avenue was blocked, too, as some street work was being done.

I had to actually drive out toward KFC and take the new road around. It took me at least four or five minutes longer to get home.

I actually started to get frustrated. But I didn’t follow through with it. I didn’t complain.

It’s progress.

Sure, it creates some hassle around town. Customers have a harder time for a day or two getting to businesses.

Some folks going to the cleaners or the newspaper or the printing company had to actually make U-turns and go back out on South Center Street. Others used the alleyways off of South Center.

I had to help the driver of an 18-wheeler actually back out of South Center Street because he couldn’t cross over East Gholson.

The truck driver just smiled and asked for assistance. I obliged – making sure traffic on East Van Dorn was halted long enough for him to back out.

People want the streets improved. Then when the work is being done, they want immediate access. There’s never a good time to pave a street – as far as most of the public is concerned.

One person walked into our office and said, “This street paving is causing problems, isn’t it?”

I replied, “Maybe so, but it sure will be nice when they’re finished.”

I don’t like driving over rough roads.

Then when traveling, and I see a sign on the interstate that says, “Road work ahead,” I start getting frustrated and looking for perhaps an alternate route.

We’re in a hurry. We have to be somewhere at a certain time. And it’s a must.

I’ve never been patient concerning much of anything.

I truly believe “patience is a virtue,” yet I am still trying to achieve it.

But I really believe more folks were more patient years ago. Times were just slower when I was growing up in the ’60s and early ’70s.

I recall, at about age 9 or 10, watching paving/road projects that went on from time to time on a busy Highway 278 adjacent to our house in rural Marion County, Ala. That was before the much busier I-22 around Hamilton, Ala.

The road workers would be busy in front of the house, on a very hot summer day, and my mom would have me walk out there and ask them if they needed something to drink or eat.

We’d have a hard time getting in and out of our driveway, and then getting back and forth to town, too, but instead my mom chose the more patient, kinder approach.

And gosh, I really hate getting some of that tar on my vehicle. That really makes me mad.

At age 58, maybe I still have time to grab ahold of some my late mother’s understanding – in all situations.

Holly Springs South Reporter

P.O. Box 278
Holly Springs, MS 38635
PH: (662) 252-4261
FAX: (662) 252-3388
www.southreporter.com