Bank of Holly Springs

Letter to the Editor

An artful Saturday night, with guilt

To the Editor:

Last Saturday night, there was a party at the Kate Freemen Clark Art Gallery. It was well planned and well executed. A good time was had by all. The purpose of the event was to raise money for the restoration of paintings.

Carolyn J. Brown’s recent biography of Miss Clark has resulted in renewed interest in her work; and several museums have asked to show her paintings, which require some restoration. All who worked to make the evening a success are to be congratulated.

I attended the party, and I’m afraid some of my conduct fell below acceptable norms. I have committed a despicable act; and, in confession, I seek an undeserved absolution. What did I do? I stole someone’s parking place.

Many times I have waited patiently for someone to vacate a spot, only to have some sociopath cut me off and steal it. On such occasions, the first thought which goes through my mind is homicide. I’m certain that if I could get just one person on the jury who has ever had a parking place purloined, a verdict of Not Guilty would be assured. Then, last Saturday, I stole a spot.

I confess my sin in order to ease my conscience, but also I confess in an attempt to avoid any potential unpleasantness in case my victim might be planning to send “Eddie and the Boys” around to my house some night to conduct an Attitude Readjustment Seminar.

In my defense, let me say that I did not intend to sin. As I approached the gallery last Saturday evening, I noticed both sides of the street lined with parked cars; and thought it might have been better to walk. Then I noticed what I thought was an empty space right in front of the gallery, and a large black car backing and filling in order to line up for what I thought was the space in front of the gallery. Then I noticed a space available in front of the first house east of the gallery. I quickly pulled into a driveway, backed out and began maneuvering to back into that space. The large black car was still not moving forward. I then realized that what I thought had been a parking space in front of the gallery was really about half a space, and further realized that the black car had been intending to back into the space I was taking.

I tried to get out of the space and let him have it, but it was too late. He drove off and turned left at the corner. I thought he would be coming back, but he did not; and I still do not know who it was whose space I had stolen. Therefore, I am apologizing in the blind. I’m sorry!

To make matters worse, after parking, I noticed an empty space across the street in front of the Yellow Fever Museum. It would have been a better choice if I had seen it; but it was outside the tunnel of my vision.

Very truly yours,
J. R. Dunworth

Holly Springs South Reporter

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