I made one of my day trips down to the coast on Saturday.  I had two things that I wanted to accomplish:  I wanted to have a Country Ham Breakfast at Helen’s Kitchen in Jacksonville, as I have done many times,… and I wanted to go down to Beaufort and drive across the newly opened bridge.  *The threat of the Flu has severely restricted my visiting family and friends over the past month.  If you have kids, I think you are that much more likely to be able to share the Flu with me, so I am currently avoiding you… even if I love you dearly and miss you.

So, I left my apartment about 6:10 am on Saturday morning heading to Jacksonville, NC.  I use the I295 extension which becomes Hwy. 13 and take that past Spivey’s Corner and do the round about (usually going past my 701 exit to make the complete circle) in Newton Grove.  I then get on I40 and usually get back on Hwy. 24 where the Rest Area and Smithfield’s BBQ are located.  I go through Wallace, and then Kenansville, Beulaville, Richlands and turn by the old “Toot-n-Tell-It” (now a used car dealer) to eventually get on Old Gum Branch Road.   A short distance after Bethlehem Baptist Church, which I rarely go by without thinking of Mary Bell Jarman’s little grandson, who was struck while crossing the road, by one favorite 5th Grade teacher, Barbara DeBerry Newman.  *It was years after the accident when Mary Ann told me who was driving the car and that was a surprise.  So I turn and go the back road and eventually get back to Hwy. 17 N and head back into Jacksonville.  A short distance and on the right is Helen’s Kitchen.

As I drive into the parking lot of Helen’s Kitchen, I see that there are no vehicles parked there, and there is a commercial trash dumpster at the front corner of the building.  I see the business is closed, and there is a sign with the message, “Temporarily Closed” on it.  I begin to cuss and mumble.  I think maybe they are just remodelling, but as I start to back out of the lot, I look up and see what appears to be water damage and some fallen ceiling on the outside awning.

Hubert Grill & Deli

Joe Hartsoe and Kenny Gillette & wife are sitting in the restaurant when I enter and Joe starts waving me on back to their table.

*There was a fire earlier in the week at Helen’s Kitchen, starting while a few customers were in after 6 am.  That was probably a good thing, because the Fire Department was called and they appear to have gotten the fire put out before it did major damage.  Although I am sure, it smells and looks like major damage from smoke in most of the building.

New bridge at Beaufort

Mai Tai