While maple helicopters fly through the air, I listen to pledge pleaders with ducks and geese sunning in the hot spring heat at the river park in front of Netherland Inn.

Meanwhile, a double cheeseburger and fries churn in my belly after a Dairy Hart fuel’d conversation with Teresa Carpenter, a Kingsport Times-News correspondent who writes the Tuesday column “Across The Fence” in the voice of a neighbour who chats with passing neighbours.

She and her hubby, former CTs (crypto techs) for the U.S. military, speaking Spanish (more Panamanian than Cuban) and German/Russian, have lived around the world, including Japan, Vietnam, Germany (two tours for total of seven years), U.S. and almost Italy.

At Church Hill H.S., he dealt with a principal who ruled like a former Marine that he was. In high school, she attended a speech class which operated a mock model government that debated snack food and drink, an excuse to eat and drink in class.

He left Church Hill and joined the military to get out from under the Carter’s Valley shadow of his father, who knew everyone and everyone knew him. She remembers when she was a kid hearing sonic booms in Aberdeen and stopping in Kingsport at a diner with pretty peonies when her family was heading north up Hwy 11W and I-81 to visit family in New England.

They wish for high-speed Internet access in Stanley Valley not depending on bouncing signals off orbiting satellites because ADSL does not reach them and dialup is inefficiently sufficient.

Two kids – one married and one in school.

Thanks to Church Hill EMS, Jackson Lawn Service, Hawkins Co. Gas Utility, Crown Vending, Bullseye Guns and Supply, radio replay of the 1920s Bristol music sessions, Hawkins Co. Courthouse bee movers and Michelle Hensley of Dairy Hart.

Teresa interviewed me -let’s see if she columnises me or mentions me on her blog, http://southernfriedtravel.com.

This is Rick, not Nina Totin’ Burgers, reporting from the streets where you live, as opposed to the rare and fried air of supersized supreme benchsitting judges. Thanks to river game warden patrols.