I spent much of today…well, it started with having to straighten out another mess caused by American Airlines. Having failed in their mission to prevent Sergio Aragonés and me from getting to North Carolina, they decided to try and stop him from getting home. That got solved and as I write this, he is indeed home. I can't wait to see how they're going to try and stop me tomorrow.
I drove from Charlotte (where Heroes Con took place) to Mt. Airy, which is where I'm writing this now. I spent most of the day with my former neighbor, Betty Lynn, who has known me since I was 1.5 years old.
Betty had an amazing career as an actress — on stage, on radio, in movies and on television. She did so many things and doesn't seem to mind that 99 out of 100 people she meets just want to talk about her years as Thelma Lou on The Andy Griffith Show.
Some years ago, Betty retired to Mt. Airy, the city Andy G. grew up in, the city on which Mayberry was loosely based. Since life always imitates art imitating life, the city has taken on some of the show's landmarks and has become Mecca for lovers of the program. They flock there and especially to this place…
I drove Betty over so she could show it to me and we got, of course, the royal treatment. I took a lot of pics inside and you'll see them on this site before long.
Betty is — this is not a secret — 92 years old and she often needs a wheelchair. I was pushing her from my rental car towards the museum when a visiting family approached and asked, pretty please, if Betty would allow a photo of her and the two young girls in the family. Of course she would. She was so nice to those people, answering their questions and appreciating their love of the show. Ron Howard comes to Mt. Airy every few years but him aside, she's the only actor from the series you'll ever catch there…and therefore, kind of the by-default spokesperson for all who appeared on it. That family went home with some lovely memories.
Betty and I spent our time together plowing through our own lovely memories from the decades when we lived next door to each other…and also there was all that catching-up on what's happened to us since. It's been quite a while. I'm so glad I made this trip to see her again and remind her how much I love her.
I intend to come back…and she wants me to bring Amber next time. Of course, that will depend on American Airlines because I can't come back if I can't get home. If they screw up my ticket tomorrow, I may just stay here and get the room next to Betty's at the Assisted Living Home. I'll bet you she's still a great neighbor.