Happy 20th Anniversary, DI News!

“Writer’s block?” my lovely wife Grace inquired as she refilled my coffee cup. 

 

I nodded and replied, “A little, but I’ll get it.”

 

“Another piece for The Daniel Island News?” my Aunt Toogie asked, looking up from her Sudoku puzzle. “How long have you been writing articles for them?”

 

“Twenty years,” I answered. “In fact my column won one of the first South Carolina Press Association awards the paper received, although they have won a ton of awards, for all aspects of their operation since then.”

 

“How many columns have you written?” Toogie asked.

 

“Not exactly sure,” I mused, pausing to come up with a good guess. “Maybe three or four hundred.” 

 

 “In 20 years,” Toogie observed with a sly smile, “I’d think you’d get the hang of overcoming writer’s block.”

 

“Hey, it took Margaret Mitchell 10 years to write Gone with the Wind,” I retorted, before realizing the trap Toogie set.

 

“So,” she pounced, putting her finger on her forehead perhaps to signal the ciphering going on within, “You wrote 400 one-page columns in 20 years and Margaret wrote a thousand page book in 10.” She paused for effect, before adding, “I’d say you better get unblocked and pick up the pace.”

 

Grace, always the pacifier, came to my rescue attempting to change the conversation. “The article Dalton is working on is for the paper’s 20th anniversary edition.” 

 

The diversion worked. Toogie leaned forward, “What are you trying to write?”

 

Before I could reply, Grace jumped in. “As you know, we collaborate on his articles. I offer ideas, Dalton writes, and then I edit.” Grace continued, “We thought it would be fun to write about some of the things that are new or have changed here during these 20 years, as well as some that have remained the same.”

 

Toogie rubbed her chin. “I could give you a few ideas.” Soon she and Grace were off and running. I began typing as fast as I could, holding my hand up at times to motion for them to slow down.

 

New or changed: More houses, apartments and condos – a lot more! Dogs, too. Golf carts galore. New coffee shops and restaurants. The Daniel Island School and Library, with swarms of children and bicycles. St. Clare of Assisi Catholic Church. Clements Ferry growth. Traffic. The Duck Race and Field of Honor. Waterfront,

Guggenheim, and Commemorative parks. Governor’s Park and the Rec Center. Displaced deer. DI social media. Home prices. Pickleball. Concerts at the expanded stadium.

 

Not Changed: Almost everyone came here from somewhere else. First, from the Midwest; lately from the Northeast. Getting a windshield broken by debris thrown up by trucks on I-526. People are friendly and eager to meet others. Publix is the same size, but plans to expand. Laura Alberts great food and wine. Houses popping up

in places you never guessed there could be one.

 

“I need one more that hasn’t changed,” I stated, looking at my lists.

 

“The Daniel Island News,” Grace offered. “It is still the best source to find out local news and flavor. By far!”

 

“Got enough for your article?” Toogie queried. I nodded yes and stood up.

 

“Aren’t you going to finish it now?” she asked, giving me a skeptical look.

 

“I think I’ll finish it tomorrow,” I replied, and then added softly and sweetly in my best imitation of Scarlett O’Hara, “After all, tomorrow is another day!”