OK true story. Halloween 2016. I was working for Hillary in Elizabeth City, NC. Everyone went to OBX to go out but I was tired and had to be at work super early
I tried to order food around 11 but it was too late. Someone sent me to the only bar in town, only place still open
1/
I tried to order food around 11 but it was too late. Someone sent me to the only bar in town, only place still open
1/
So Halloween, or Saturday before. Everyone was in costume. Small town hookup scene, they all knew each other and everyone ignored me, which was fine.
I sat at the bar by an older gentleman dressed as Santa Clause. Not exactly, though, like Santa in street clothes- see above.
2/
I sat at the bar by an older gentleman dressed as Santa Clause. Not exactly, though, like Santa in street clothes- see above.
2/
Turns out it was not a costume, that was his every day look. So we started talking. He says drives a shuttle van to take drunk people home at the end of the night.
Quite a racket, too. Cabs are illegal after midnight, bars close at 1, when this guy is the only game in town.🤑
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Quite a racket, too. Cabs are illegal after midnight, bars close at 1, when this guy is the only game in town.🤑
3/
*In October 2016 I had my hands full. It was kind of nice to be hiding out in rural NC (No, I'm NOT driving three hours just because you ended up here too RB😜)(@TheRichWilkins )
So I had him write down his number. His name is Oday. Oday Betts. He's obviously a local celebrity bc everybody knows his name
He doesn't drink, says he did plenty of partying in the 70's when he drove the tour bus for his cousin's band
STOP ME IF YOU SEE WHERE THIS IS GOING
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He doesn't drink, says he did plenty of partying in the 70's when he drove the tour bus for his cousin's band
STOP ME IF YOU SEE WHERE THIS IS GOING
4/
Seriously, no one? Ok lemme spoon feed you.
So he told me about the band. When he was a kid his cousin came to visit one summer. Oday introduced him to his best friends, two brothers, and the three of them started a band. (Oday wasn't musical, see aforementioned tour bus.)
5/
So he told me about the band. When he was a kid his cousin came to visit one summer. Oday introduced him to his best friends, two brothers, and the three of them started a band. (Oday wasn't musical, see aforementioned tour bus.)
5/
So yeah, that was his cousin Dickey and his buddies Gregg and Duane. He is responsible for getting the Allman Brothers together.
So every night after that I would get him to drive me home (being responsible🍻) and I would just ride around with him asking questions.
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So every night after that I would get him to drive me home (being responsible🍻) and I would just ride around with him asking questions.
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I couldn't get him to volunteer for Hillary but he let me put a placard in his back window and he let me look up everybody's polling location as we were driving around.
It's hard to stay in touch, he doesn't have email, but I'm gonna text him this picture tomorrow and say hi
7/7
It's hard to stay in touch, he doesn't have email, but I'm gonna text him this picture tomorrow and say hi
7/7
"ended up"
Some of the best things in my life have happened because I talk to strangers.
