Two Epic Macon Nights (Even Weekends)
Oh wow, Macon, it happened again. Yet another epic weekend with so much going on. Junior League Touch a Truck, the annual Jay’s Hope fundraiser, T-Rex world at the National Fairgrounds in Perry, the filming of a locally produced movie, the wedding of some amazing friends, and a lovely birthday party.
This was one of those weekends that I knew would be exhausting even on Thursday. There was just no way I would be able to make it to everything.
I’ve got to be honest, I’ve been really thrilled to split my time between Macon and Atlanta here lately. Mostly because the dating pool in Macon is nonexistent for me. And because there is a lot more in Atlanta than there is in Macon. But then there are moments when I’m reminded there’s still no place like home.
I tell my new bosses with The Southern Weekend about this type of thing, and I swear they must really question what I say sometimes. I tell them frequently ” All Roads Lead Back To Macon”. For instance, when it was time to tweet about the Masters, there was that first day when Russell Henley was up there on the leaderboard- and I got to tell my boss ” Hey…. so that guy right there? Guess what! He’s from Macon!” Or when Percy Sledge passed away this past week, ” Hey guess what? He ALMOST lived in Macon, and was signed with Macon-based Capricorn Records, and I got to meet and interview him…. when he performed in Macon.”
Then there was yesterday, during my friends Gary and Betsy’s wedding when Otis Redding III sang at their wedding. And last night during my friends Canaan and Brooke’s birthday party, when Canaan and his mom Michelle performed Tina & Ike Turner’s “Proud Mary”. Did I mention that Michelle is one of the top Tina Turner impersonators? She also plays Oprah on the road. And after that, the band performed my absolute favorite Otis Redding song “Try A Little Tenderness” with his daughter Karla dancing in front of them. With all of us dancing in front of them.
But you know, as cool as all of this is- it wouldn’t be possible without the awesome people and their soul behind it. As was discussed in a conversation at that same party, another set of friends of ours had commented on Facebook regarding their partnership. Carey spoke of his loving relationship with Chris, how the past ten years had been the best of his life because of Chris and that he hoped the Supreme Court would make the right decision in allowing gay marriage to be legal. He then told Leila and myself, after we told him how much we loved that status and the comments that came from it, that he had multiple people reach out to him who had gay children. Gay children who were bullied in school- hell even in college- for living their lives. And Carey said something that was profound for me. I am paraphrasing him, but he said it’s easy to forget how amazing our friends are. That we don’t discriminate against him or Chris or anyone else who is different from us. And that the rest of the world isn’t always that great.
That stuck with me. Oh Macon, just when I start to get exhausted with you, you and your people bring me back in. And I am reminded just how amazing my friends are. I’m grateful for this new job which lets me see so many other amazing places around the South. I’m grateful to meet these awesome people doing awesome things. I’m happy to leave a part of my heart in all of these places.
But this weekend reminded me, yet again, that there’s no place like home. There’s not another Canaan with his awesome style, I mean seriously one day I’m doing a style profile on him because he’s the definition of “being on fleek”. There’s not another Michelle, the number 1 Tina Turner/Oprah impersonator. There’s not another Brooke, who has impeccable taste and always greets everyone with a big hug. There’s not another Betsy and Gary, with their love that is inspiring to watch.
I slipped out of the party just late enough to not miss much of the epic awesomeness, but still early enough to to get home to my sweet babies. My sweet babies who I hope will also appreciate all the possibilities that lay before them here.
And then the following weekend, while half of it was spent in Atlanta, I still came back to have a random night out and about. Dinner at one of my oldest hangouts, Tic Toc Room, catching up with the returned Chef Michael. Drinks (just an espresso for me) at Dovetail, running in to another set of old friends reminiscing about when we used to hang out at Dea (who out there in Macon remembers that place?!) and just general fun.
Macon, you always manage to reel me back in….
Love to all y’all,
Molly
