Friends and a Smaller Marietta

Yesterday I had lunch with Ray Ruggles, a newly found friend.

Ray grew up in and around Marietta too. We are the same age. He lived outside the city limits, therefore he went to the county schools and I went to the city schools. We grew up when Marietta was a small town. I am sure the odds are that we have crossed paths and attended some of the same events and sat in the Strand Theater at the same time.

How we met is that we read that a story teller, who grew up in Cobb County on a certain day give a talk about growing up here. Anna and I thought it would be interesting - so we went. It was interesting.

Wait! I just remember, I made a post about that meeting that was dated January 16, 2009. After his lecture we swapped cards and he looked at mine and said something like “Are you Chicken Fat?” ….. I should have said, “in the feathers!”

So, in time by emailed me he suggested we get together for lunch. And Yesterday we did.

It was enjoyable. We each saw the same Marietta at the same time. One of us would be about to tell something and after the lead-off name was mention the other one would interrupt and say, something like, “He married Betty Blabla.” Or, “He died two years ago!” or "...he was my uncle"… we just about know the same people and the same old businesses, the same coaches in Little League, etc.

Ray is much taller than I – so, he had a better view.