Lifestyle

It’s the dead of winter in Charleston and many of us are missing the beach, riding around with the convertible top down or simply being comfortable going about our daily lives. While it is certainly not “North Face” weather here on most winter days, despite the attire some Charlestonians wear, it is cold, rainy and gloomy. It can leave many of us depressed, unfortunately contributing to a surge in suicides in the springtime. The Charleston Daily recommends being proactive to fight the Winter gloom with the following tips.

1) Add some color to your life, or kitchen. Think about heading to your nearest paint or hardware shop and pour over the wide array of colors available. From Sunburst Yellow to Caribbean Blue, a color will likely call your name. Buy a gallon, a brush, and give your favorite room a new glow. If you can’t commit, sample paint colors are available for under $3. http://www.valsparpaint.com/en/explore-colors/sample-store/index.html

2) Make your own springtime. Garden centers have started displaying seeds and starter pods. My experience has been that most garden center employees, particularly those at Royall Ace Hardware on Coleman Boulevard, are enthusiastic about educating new gardeners. In just a few days, you may have adorable spouts of green herbs and flowers, in your own home.

3) Warm up around the fire. So many folks pass by the woodpile outside the grocery store without giving it a second thought. It’s easy to forget about the fireplace or fire pit in our own backyards. Consider buying a bundle and making a fire that friends and family can gather around. Safety first though… http://www.fireplaces.com/Fireplace-Safety.aspx

4) Get your own glow. While the risk of skin cancer is real with tanning beds and sunning at the beach, a spray tan holds little risk. Long gone are the days of the orange tinged “fake bake.” Some brilliant scientists have learned how to create a natural appearing tan for your sallow winter skin. The spray tan lasts for at least 7 days and can give you a huge confidence boost that may make these last two chilly months easier to bear. Lulu at Sun Station Tanning in Mount Pleasant can give you a great lesson in sunless tanning.

5) Don’t waste a pretty day on a colonoscopy. Take one of these gloomy days and spend it inside prepping for one of the most important preventative health exams you can offer yourself, a colonoscopy. Over 50? Get one. Have a first degree relative with colon cancer? You need one at age 40 or ten years earlier than their age at diagnosis. 1/20 Americans will be diagnosed with colorectal cancer and it can be deadly if caught late. The good news is, many cases can be prevented with routine screening and surveillance colonoscopy. The procedure itself is not without risk, but I witness and perform this life-saving, routine procedure every day. For more info about risk, check out: http://www.cancer.org/cancer/colonandrectumcancer/moreinformation/colonandrectumcancerearlydetection/colorectal-cancer-early-detection-acs-recommendations

Have any other tips to fight off the gloom? Let us know.

Until next time, stay warm and healthy. ~ Dr. J

It’s not hard to find something to do in Charleston when company comes to town. What is hard is deciding on where to go and what to see. Fortunately the latest guest at the Mensch house was a Marine who served in Vietnam. Patriots Point here we come. Down I-26, over the Ravenel Bridge and $5 later we were in the parking lot at Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum. Mrs. Mensch had discovered a two-for-one Groupon which made treating cousin Frank to a tour a no-brainer.

There is plenty to see and tour at Patriot’s Point: the aircraft carrier USS Yorktown, the submarine Clamagore, the destroyer class USS Laffey, a Vietnam Support base exhibit and a cold war submarine Memorial. Our time was limited so we opted for the self-guided tours on the Yorktown and the Vietnam exhibit.

A snowbird volunteer named Al greeted us on the hangar deck with a “Semper Fi” and Cousin Frank smiled for the first time all day. It was a Jethro Gibbs moment. Al explained the self-guided tour, handed us the flyer with the admonition to follow the yellow arrows and we were off to Hangar Bays #1 and #2.

There were the F4F Wildcat jet, F6F Hellcat, F-9 Cougar and other fighter aircraft on display. We opted not to take the flight simulator ride after seeing it in action. We needed to keep our lunch under control.

Over in Hanger Bay #3 was the Jimmy Doolittle display and a B-25 bomber hanging over the Sticky Fingers Smokehouse Express snack bar. We got a kick out of the Doolittle display when we read the front page of the San Francisco newspaper: there was a front page story way on the bottom about the Brooklyn Dodgers winning eight in a row. For a couple of Brooklyn natives, that was a hoot!

We followed Tour #3 yellow arrows up to the flight deck through the pilot’s ready room, air operations room, air traffic control room, and combat information center and emerged on the flight deck. What a marvelous day in Charleston, blue sky, temps in the 50’s and slight breeze. We were better off in the sun. We wandered from plane to plane. Here’s the link to all the aircraft at the USS Yorktown: http://www.patriotspoint.org/explore_museum/aircraft/.

To see the Corsair, Intruder and Skyhawk and helicopters on the flight deck was great.

After wandering on the flight deck, we made our way to the chart room, pilot house, captain’s bridge. It is a wonder to see the Admiral’s Bridge and Sea Cabin on level 5. We passed the radar rooms on our way to hangar deck to end our tour.

We made a brief stop at the USS Laffey to read the plaque and moved on to the Vietnam Experience Exhibit. Cousin Frank thought he was back in Southeast Asia at this exhibit.

From the brown water navy, to the latrines and helicopters, cousin Frank applauded the authenticity of the exhibit. The Mensch applauded cousin Frank’s service to his country.

The Spring Street Experience is an urban shopping, lifestyle and dining experience built on patience and perseverance.  It is a journey that is a number of years in the making.  Spring Street has an eclectic mix of residents and bystanders from all walks of life.  With a melting pot of backgrounds, this street opens the door of possibility for a unique living and shopping experience.  Over the years a number of business has strategically plotted themselves on this evolving street.  Now, Spring Street has found a permanent home for shoppers and lifestyles for all needs.  From yoga, to wedding dress design, to Vietnamese food to vintage clothing, Spring Street has started a grass roots effort to continue expanding the evolution of Charleston.

With a comfortable and safe urban setting built for the upscale shopper, hipster or back packer, Spring Street is becoming one of the most unique and enlightening places to spend a day.

For years, Charleston has relied on a few neighborhoods to sustain its economic growth for locals and tourists.  From the Market to King Street, Charleston created consolidated fronts for shoppers and activity seekers to find refuge.  Now Spring Street is testing the boundaries and inviting you to expand your thinking and territory and experience this new thriving urban shopping and activity center.  Now with thirty plus establishments, Spring Street is thriving.

If you have not taken in the Spring Street Experience, now is the time.

Spring Street Experience Directory

Clothing and Design

Maddison Row Bridal Chic – 171 Spring Street

Innovative Interiors – Interior Design – 139 Spring Street

WED – Wedding Event Design – 123 Spring Street

Carolina Fine Art Framing – 76 Spring Street

Read Brothers – Stereo and Designer Fabric – 593 King Street (Corner of King Street and Spring Street)

Food and Beverage

Wild Flour Pastry – 73 Spring Street

Parlor Deluxe – 207A St. Philips Street

Wine Awesomeness – 94 Spring Street

The Vegetable Bin – 96 Spring Street

Sunrise Bistro Xpress Restaurant – 116 Spring Street

Artisan Meat Share – 33 Spring Street

Bon Bahn Mi – A Vietnamese Sandwich Bar – 162 Spring Street

Cannon Green Restaurant / Wedding Reception Hall – 103 Spring Street

Octobachi – Sushi Bar – 119 Spring Street

Charlie’s Grocery on Spring – 119 Spring Street

Xiao Bao Biscuit – 224 Rutledge Avenue (Corner of Rutledge Avenue and Spring Street)

Sweet and Savory Cafe – 100A Spring Street

Seafood Alley – 35 Spring Street

Toyko Crepes – 62 Spring Street

Warehouse – 45 1/2 Spring Street

Art and Galleries

Sanavandi Art Gallery – 66 Spring Street

Karpeles Manscript Library / Gallery – 68 Spring Street

Lodging

Not So Hostel – 156 Spring Street

Salon

Salon Vari – 101 Spring Street

Yoga

Mission Yoga – 125 Spring Street

Bikram Yoga Charleston – 137 President Street (Corner of President Street and Spring Street)

Florist

 Tiger Lily Florist – 131 Spring Street

Rose Florist – 117 Spring Street

Specialty – Sports / Body Art

Continuum Skate Shop – 49 Spring Street

Museum of Living Arts Body Piercing – 47 Spring Street

The Mensch has learned something new: creches are cribs, that is crèche is the French word crib. The Trappist Monks at Mepkin Abbey are having their annual Creche Festival with over 80 displays of creches and the Mensch is just one of a small army of volunteers who make it happen up there at Monck’s Corner.

Over the years benefactors have donated creches to the Abbey; commissioned artists to create them for the Festival and the monks have bought them so that now their collection numbers over eight hundred. The variety is endless.

Along the path from the Gift Store to the The Clare Booth Luce Library, there are creches made of wood, marble, recycled materials, and copper. In the library, artists have carved juniper and other woods, glued oyster shells, sewn fabric, woven sweet grass baskets, painted papier-mâché, and hammered brass into interpretations of a creche.

The creches hail from Poland, Lithuania, Italy, North Carolina, Beaufort, New Mexico, Haiti, Ethiopia, and many other foreign places. One of the fun things about the festival is the vote for a favorite. Visitors are asked for their ONE favorite creche at the end of the tour. It is always a tough choice. The Mensch’s volunteer job was to record the votes of visitors. Good thing it was pencil and paper and a big eraser. Some folks had no problem choosing a favorite: number 75, number 8, number 14. Others had a tough time: Not sure, it is between 14, 75 and 80, can I pick three?

cribs1

When the festival is over the Monks will tally the votes and the top three vote getters will be announced on the web site, www.mepkinabbey.org. Next year the winners are guaranteed a spot in the festival. A little competition is good for all.

There is no politically correct way to say this so I’ll just blurt it out: this is a festival for shoppers who are mostly women. Based on the Mensch’s observations, most of the visitors were women, retirees, and gray-haired guys who carried shopping bags for their wives. The gift store and the creche store are shoppers’ paradise for those who have Christian religious gifts on their gift list. And, yes there is fruitcake baked by the Monks for your giving pleasure.

The Festival ends December 6th and if you can’t make it, here are a few photos of what you missed.

As a film and television graduate with a strong international background in media production I’m always mindful of a city’s character in the lexicon of filmlore when I travel. While I tend to favor the solitude and shinrin-yoko of mountains and forests these days, cities are fertile ground for escapist forays while ambling through mutable streets of strange faces.

My mind makes a game of it − conjuring classic films from the concrete jungle then putting myself in the sequel of my own creation. Call it an indulgent folly of imaginative minds. Although I was immediately struck by the immense beauty of historic Charleston when I first visited, I was surprised that it didn’t evoke an emblematic film, which showcased the city like so many other cinematic cities along the east coast of the USA.

I asked around and got uncertain answers such as The Patriot and Forrest Gump, but I was after a counterpart to Ferris Bueller’s Chicago or the Ghostbusters’ New York. When I recently put the question to Studio Charleston founder, Harald Galinski, he explained that film incentives along with the versatility of abundant filming locations all in close proximity is what makes the Charleston region a desirable filming destination with an extensive filmography.

“The Charleston region and South Carolina offer an incredibly diverse canvas for filmmakers. Dear John is a perfect example where an amazing production designer was able to recreate Afghanistan, Africa, Germany and an Eastern European village all in Charleston – which otherwise would have been shot in Morocco.”

Galinski would know since he was part of the team who brought Relavity Media’s Dear John to Charleston, the last big budget feature to truly spotlight Charleston which was released in 2010.  In a story many newcomers would appreciate, Galinski fell in love with the city during eight months of filming. After deciding to call Charleston home he founded Studio Charleston, the state’s first turn-key creative and functional production space.

I’ve noticed in the past three years living in Charleston the once rare sight of a film crew now seems common. With shows like Army Wives, Southern Charm and Reckless it appears Charleston has suddenly exploded as a television hotspot. I asked Galinski if this was an indication of the growing popularity of the city − was Charleston and the South suddenly cool?

“Reckless was one show written for Charleston, but the producers made it clear that if the new incentives were not passed they may have not shot the show in South Carolina. I can honestly say that since 2006, most of the projects, both film and TV came to SC because of the incentives.”

Galinski helped successfully lobby for the new film incentives after they were dropped in 2012. Along with starting the South Carolina Film Council, which currently has over 1000 members, in a short time Galinski’s efforts have markedly helped stimulate local production.

This growth is evident with shows like South from Hell starting production in Charleston. Meanwhile Walking Dead creators are about to commence filming a pilot outside Columbia. Not to be overlooked in the bright lights of location filmmaking is Moondog Animation Studio.

Moondog didn’t overlook Charleston when deciding on a location with incentives to establish their animation studio last year. Founder/CEO Bryan Ransom said it was Charleston’s international charm, with a mix of low-cost living and high-quality coastal lifestyle that won them over. But since the magic behind animation storytelling isn’t tethered to the reality of location filming I asked Ransom if the city is important where he films.

“Digital animation is a unique medium that blends art and technology and Charleston is a unique area that does the same. Its history of art and design has continued to evolve while in the background you can find a growing tech community. This creates an atmosphere that indirectly affects the film. Charleston let us imagine great things and create beautiful stories with no creative or technological limits. What more could you ask from a town?”

Given the recent spate of local and regional productions I was curious what Ransom thought about the improvement in the local film and television industry.

“Never settle! The SC film industry is in a small season of growth, but this can disappear as quickly as it appeared. Incentives are one piece of the puzzle. We need to avoid becoming complacent and continue to push for competitive incentives. There are literally billions of dollars in filming that can be taken away from Georgia and Louisiana. South Carolina has taken steps in the right direction but they are not there yet. “

While Galinski cites additional production infrastructure is needed to increase the level of local media productions, he says there are more immediate concerns critical to the state’s film and television industry.

“We still need to push for a new SC Film Commissioner as soon as possible, which we have not had since 2010. I am also trying to work with local and regional authorities to create a Charleston Area Film Office.”

The dynamic success of the Charleston International Film Festival, which recently concluded its 7th festival year only adds to the bounty of the local film and television cultural landscape. With increased support from state legislators, along with the tireless and creative efforts of industry leaders there is every reason Charleston should continue to emulate the successful film and television growth in neighboring states.

South Carolina Film Commission

Rather than listen to the town fathers, mothers, brothers and sisters debate the merits of a boutique hotel on a busy downtown thoroughfare in Summerville, the Mensch chose to accompany Mrs. Mensch to an awards ceremony for a friend. I came away from the ceremony knowing I had made the right choice.

Summerville’s weekly newspaper, The Journal-Scene, has a unique niche in promoting and developing community spirit by giving awards for different categories of people. Wednesday, November 12, was recognition night for ten “Women to Watch in 2014”. It was a simple affair at the Holiday Inn Express in Summerville. Who knew the Holiday Inn Express had these great meeting rooms? Not the folks who want new meeting space downtown, apparently.

No expense was spared: there were adult beverages – Kirkland’s finest wines, a few snacks of crackers and cheese, sandwich wraps, salads for the crackers and cookies. What else could you ask for? A brief ceremony? Yes! Short and sweet and to the point, just what an awards ceremony should be.
Frank Johnson, the host and J-S editor, introduced each winner with a few words that succinctly captured her accomplishments to be named a “Woman to Watch in 2014”. The introduction was accompanied by a photograph of the recipient on the big screen. Unlike those blabby “stars” who seem to go on forever thanking people at an awards show, each of these women said a few words of thanks in under two minutes.

What struck me most about each woman was her humility. One said, “I’m just doing my job, which I love”. Another said she was blessed to be able to help people in poor health and to give back to the community. In one way or another they all said the same thing: “what I accomplished was due to efforts of other people”, “it is not about me” and “I’m the beneficiary of good people around me.”

The women had been nominated by their friends and family. What a mix of women and accomplishments: an HIV survivor, a middle school principal, a teacher, a health care worker, an arts volunteer, a community development activist, a school counselor. There were African-American women, white women, young women, old women, middle-aged women, blonds, brunettes, tall, short, thin, not-so-thin, single, married, pregnant, mothers, grandmothers, widows. Ordinary women who do extraordinary things.

What great lessons in leadership these women give to their families, friends and co-workers.

“Women to Watch” has been going on since 2007. With ten winners a year for seven years, there are 70 “Women to Watch” award winners in Summerville. I can only imagine that the boutique hotel would not be the brouhaha it is if some of these women had been involved.  For that, we thank them for their wisdom and courage.

When I first met Sean Fentross he was on the less favored side of the bar at Closed for Business. Son of a Marine and self-declared army brat, Sean moved eight times growing up. His family relocated as far afield as Honolulu HI and Okinawa, Japan before his father retired to a decent amount of land near Aiken in their home state of South Carolina.

Sean says living in a place which his father described as having “a little elbow room” allowed him to focus on music. Sean taught himself to play guitar and bass using dial-up internet connection to find chords to old blues songs, which he then practiced by repeatedly playing the songs on his CD player. As a current member of local outfit Carnaval, Sean shows a clear passion for live, original music, as well as a thoughtful outlook which prompted me to ask about the musical landscape of Charleston.

“Like many places, it’s got an eclectic crew and although there are a significant number of bands, there aren’t too many. Most of the musicians here are extremely approachable as well, and everyone seems to get along knowing they’re in the company of like minded individuals.”

Chatting with Sean made me think of another local musician, Thomas Champagne who pointed out in a recent interview it can be challenging for original, local artists to be heard in a scene dominated by cover bands. So I put the same question to Sean.

“I don’t think Charleston is a hard place to play original music, but it is difficult for bands to be heard by a captive audience – especially tourists whose primary focus is historic Charleston. Speaking personally, there’s a certain amount of authenticity that’s lost by playing other people’s music. I worked very hard at being capable of creating musical ideas myself, constructing something out of nothing. Not that notoriety is what I’m after, but I guess I don’t want to miss out on a potential song.”

Having lived in Charleston for the past six years, three of which have been dedicated to playing guitar and bass with Carnaval, Sean says it’s rare to find tourists in a dive bar checking out the local music scene. But Sean’s difficulty in characterizing the local dive bars is what makes them some of his favorite venues to watch and play shows.

“The Recovery Room is a great place to catch all kind of independent local artists. It’s also the most intimate because the stage is only a matter of inches higher than where the audience experiences the performances. Most of the time at least one member of a band ends up playing right in the mix of the crowd of folks all fighting for a drink and space to see the band. It’s got grit, which adds to its authenticity and beauty for me.”

Sean also cites King Dusko and Big Gun Burger Shop, which like at the Recovery Room, requires musicians to bring their own sound and is why they stand neck-to-neck. Although every live music venue holds a specific sentiment to Sean, when I ask about larger venues Sean puts the North Charleston Performing Arts Center, where he saw Sigor Ros, at the top of the list.

“With theatre seating and a massive eye catching space, an ingenious band like Sigor Ros appeared and sounded awesome. The Charleston Music Hall is also right up there because of its similar intimate setting and location. I was fortunate enough to catch Conor Oberst there when he came to town because two of his backing band mates came into Closed for Business for lunch and offered me two tickets. Also saw Jeff Mangum of Neutral Milk Hotel do an acoustic set there that was incredible to say the least.”

Sean adds The Royal American, which showcases local and less-known travelling acts to his list of favorite venues. Hosting Carnaval’s first album release, Sean says the sound is superior to any other same-sized local venue, and owner/operator John Kenney who is also a musician knows how to treat bands.

Right now Carnaval are recording their second full length album with producer Wolfgang Zimmerman, who is also a drummer for local act, Brave Baby. The album should be available to the listening public in a couple of months. As to what comes next Sean says he isn’t entirely sure. But for someone who values seeking out and creating new experiences over the trappings of financial success he’s enjoying the journey. Finally, I ask for any new, up and coming artist to keep an eye on and Sean mentions Susto.

“They’re a gritty Americana/folk/country band that’s gaining speed quickly. Brilliant song writing and lyrics, and the singer has a voice that just stands out from most.”

Divorce is difficult under any circumstances, but even more so when children are involved. The parents are most likely struggling with their own emotions and trying to adjust to the many changes, which may leave them feeling unequipped to help their children understand and cope with the emotional challenges of their new reality. Divorce can leave a child feeling lost, guilty, angry, confused – a whole range of negative emotions that could considerably impact their life going forward, if they are not addressed.

With the heart of a lioness, or maybe its cub, 10 year old Jaiden Z. Smith has set her sights on making a difference for children who are experiencing the divorce of their parents. In 2008, her parents separated, which produced feelings of confusion, hurt, and concern within Jaiden. The honor roll student began to struggle at school, appearing to be withdrawn and sad. Her teachers took note and before long Jaiden and her brother were participating in a guidance group at their public school for children experiencing separation and divorce. Over the course of nine weeks, Jaiden collected the tools necessary to help her cope with her situation and began planting seeds as she adjusted to her new family life. In journaling her experience, Jaiden decided to write her first book. And she did!!! Inspired by her personal journey, Jaiden worked for nearly a year to write “A Perfect Kind of Different”, which is the story of a family going through a divorce from a child’s perspective. Very proud of her accomplishments, Jaiden is continually motivated by helping other children who are experiencing the aftermath of divorce by sharing her story.

Here she is in her own words:

My name is Jaiden and I am 10 years old. My Mom and Dad got a divorce when I was 8 years old. It was a hard time for me and my two brothers. We went to guidance groups at our school for kids dealing with the same situation. While I was in guidance group, I met lots of other sad kids. I decided to write a book to help kids understand divorce. I plan to donate a copy of my book to all the elementary schools in my district so the guidance counselors will have something to share with the sad kids that will help them see divorce is just a ‘Perfect Kind of Different‘. You can still have a good life after a divorce with love and family time. After this book, I will write more books that will help kids understand grown up things like different religions, bullying, and hunger. I want to be a writer and a teacher when I grow up.

Here is a note from her Mother who wants to help her spread her important message:

I honestly did not realize the massive effect divorce has on children. It was a difficult subject to talk about in our home (initially). Fortunately, we were in a wonderful public school that offered services to children dealing with family separation and divorce. Due the alarming number of divorcing families, our school offered a guidance group where my children learned all of the coping skills moms and dads did not know how to teach. In our quest to find children’s books on the topic, we became discouraged and dissatisfied.

Upon completing the 9-week counselor guided peer group in school, Jaiden decided she wanted to write a book about divorce. A sensitive topic for a newly divorced mom, I didn’t immediately encourage her, but she was determined to share her story. In the evenings, Jaiden would tap away on the computer writing a book in PowerPoint. I noticed as time went on that she got more focused on her writing, even opting to drop her dance class to have more time to write. I knew as her Mom, it was my job to fuel that passion. Once she felt her masterpiece was complete, I asked a former college professor to edit the book and she agreed to without hesitation. I hit Facebook in search of an illustrator and was blessed to find a local artist eager to take on the challenge. A local photographer, Aneris Photography, offered us a free photo shoot and captured Jaiden’s true essence to give us a head start in marketing.

With all the chips falling into place, we now turn to the community for help in taking the final steps to get Jaiden’s story into the hands of children of divorce who are hurting. It is Jaiden’s ultimate goal to share her book with every elementary school in her school district, followed by schools in surrounding districts (and across the country). She wants to visit other guidance groups and encourage children to be courageous while reminding them divorce is never their fault. Jaiden is VERY excited about the opportunity to do public book signings as well. We need the books published with hardback covers for durability as they will be passed from hand to hand in the schools. We desperately need your help to cover this expense. We can get 250 hardback books printed and shipped to us for $2,517.96. The additional funds donated will go towards marketing the book to ensure families know there is a resource available to them that will support them and provide understanding to children during such a difficult time. We will also need brochures, flyers, a banner, and books on CD (read by Jaiden) to give as gifts to children in immediate emotional pain. These CDs will be called “Don’t Cry, Just Listen”. Every dollar donated above our targeted goal will be used to increase the number of books we can purchase.

Children often listen and learn best from someone in their own peer group who has had similar experiences. Jaiden can offer a familiar perspective to hurting children who are looking for reassurance and hope. Please consider making a donation that will touch the lives of numerous children who are struggling emotionally and the lives of parents who are overwhelmed and hurting as well. All donations are greatly appreciated through GoFundMe.com.  Be sure to follow her journey on The Blue Jai Project to find out the latest updates.

Photos compliments of Aneris Photography

A Thank you To Byron

I had been very lucky up until that moment. Nothing truly bad had ever happened to me. I have never been beaten, raped or murdered. All of that was about to change.

“Just open the door.” My attacker squeezed the back of my neck and pressed his body against mine, wedging me against the door. I knew who he was: the man who had been bothering me all night at Capone’s, the bar around the corner from my apartment.

A scream caught in my throat and he ripped the keys out of my hand and began jamming them into the lock. I knew I had just a few seconds to get out of the situation and finally my screams echoed up King Street and down Burns Lane. He grabbed my pony tail twisting my neck, but I managed to scrambled away, leaving him with a handful of my hair. By the time I could turn around, my attacker was no longer behind me, but being dragged down King Street and onto Burns Lane by a large, black man. That man’s name was Byron Knight. I ran inside and locked myself in my studio apartment, hysterically sobbing while Bryon beat my perpetrator with his fists behind a garbage dumpster.

Byron was a fixture on King Street in the late 1990’s to 2000’s. Well known for panhandling to scrape up enough money for a single cigarette or a hot dog from King Street Station, few know about the good deeds he did. Byron saved me that night, from certain doom. I cannot say where I would be today if Byron had not intervened. My next encounter with Byron, I sheepishly gave him a corndog and a pack of Newports in appreciation. He accepted gratefully, without further discussion. It became a ritual thereafter. I would buy him a corndog whenever I saw him. We would chat and then part ways. I would study. He would, as rumor would have it, go smoke crack. It didn’t bother me. One summer day, I found Bryon sitting in front of my apartment, with a huge smile and a box of chicken wings. “Hey girl, break bread with me.” I politely declined. “No way lady, you take care of me all the time. Let me give a little back.”

Rejecting his kindness was not an option. His honor was on the line. I knew those wings were from a trash can. I sat beside him on the stoop, reached in for a wing and ate it. I even had seconds. “This makes me legit, right?” Bryon asked.

I moved off of King Street, to the suburbs of Rutledge Avenue and saw Byron a lot less. One bright morning, while walking to class, Bryon rode by on a bike. He saw me and turned around with that famous smile. “Hey girl! Let me give you a ride.”

“Neh, Byron, I’m good.”

“Get on the bike!” he ordered. I immediately acquiesced and hopped on the back, wrapping my arms around his waist. I’m not gonna lie. He was dirty, dirty from living on the streets. He took me to my destination and a thanked him for the ride, suddenly smelling myself smelling like him. “No problem! Hey can I borrow your cell phone. I wanna call my girlfriend.”
I was shocked. “You have a girl friend?”

“Shoot, you must be crazy. I got girlfriends.” He laughed. I lent him my phone and he arranged his date with a lucky lady. He rode away on his bike. That was the last time I saw Byron. I hear someone bought him a bus ticket to go to California. I carry him with me still, in my heart: a homeless man, who shared his meal, gave me a ride and saved my life. Byron had very little, but what he did, he was eager to share with others. He is an example of the true beauty of Charleston.