The sun was just setting as we walked out of Torero’s in downtown Durham last Friday. The cumulonimbus clouds billowed on the skyline, brightly colored with pink and purple and orange hues against the startling Duke blue of the sky. A large group of well-dressed young women stood on the sidewalk, talking and laughing, creating an obstacle course for us to get through. A freight train traveled toward Raleigh with car after car of goods. Boxcars followed by tankers, the inevitable graffiti coloring the sides; the regular clickety-clack of the wheels creating a steady din in the background. The road was busy, the parking lot full, and the sound of people filled the air. It was a magical moment for this city girl who now lives in the country. I delighted in the sights and sounds – truly an assault on the senses. No words can capture the beauty of that moment.
As I took in this scene I exclaimed, “I love Durham!” In that moment, memories came crashing in on me, and I realized I’m not just a city girl, I’m a Durham city girl. As I noticed Liggett Myers on one side I vividly remembered the wonderfully sweet and pungent smell of tobacco filling the air. Years ago, my mom and I sat talking on the East Campus wall just a few blocks away on an equally beautiful night when that smell of tobacco was particularly strong; that was the night my mom became my friend. Looking toward Brightleaf Square I was flooded by more memories. Pizza and more pizza at Satisfaction across the years – such good pizza, such yummy fried mushrooms, such wonderful company! And more recently, I recall a Disciple Bible Study at El Rodeo one beautiful spring evening. There are so many memories of good food, live music, people dancing, deep conversations, and loads of fun with so many friends across time.
After leaving Torero’s, my friend and I headed to East Campus for an evening stroll. Large trees, empty benches, lush grass, beautiful flowers – it’s such a pretty campus. And it is so quiet in the summer time! As we walked, I recalled so many walks with dogs – Helmunth jumping the wall and dashing across Main Street, Jeepers disappearing late one night only to reappear on our doorsteps back home. Miles and miles of walking that wall alone, with dogs, with friends... It was along that wall that I experienced my first really passionate kiss so many years ago. Of course, I’ll never forget regularly putting a penny in the Sower’s hand for good luck.
Stepping out of Torero’s on a Friday night seems like such an ordinary thing to do, and yet on this night the sights and the sounds triggered memory upon memory. Maybe it is a sign that I’m getting old. On the other hand, what an extraordinary privilege to be able to visit these few blocks of downtown Durham that hold almost thirty years of memories! And what a gift to remember so many good friends across time – friends who have made my life rich with beauty and joy and love – a richness money cannot buy.
The fact that I am a Durham city girl at heart has more to do with the people whose lives have intersected mine in Durham than with the city itself – friends who have helped to create so many magical moments. Thanks be to God for this little corner of heaven called Durham, and for the friends who have made Durham so special to me. What a gift to be able to say, “I’m from Durham!”
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