I first met the Easter Bunny at age 4, when my mother dressed me up and took me to a department store to visit with him up close and personal. To be honest, I was a little intimidated. He was about 6 feet, 2 inches tall, a lot bigger than any rabbit Iād been exposed to, and, unlike jolly old Santa Claus, he didnāt say anything. He just patted me on the head and gave me a … [Read more...]
Pillow Talk: The Truth From Your Local Tooth Fairy
Editor's Note: Children are always talking about the tooth fairy, but not many adults really know the real scoop. That's why we decided to get the name, phone number and email address of a former Mount Pleasant Tooth Fairy from a willing East Cooper family that chose to remain anonymous ā you'll understand why in a few minutesā and ask if she would write an essay for us about … [Read more...]
Surrounded by East Cooper’s Past: Local Cemeteries
What is it about old cemeteries that we find so intriguing? Maybe itās the serenity and natural beauty. Maybe itās the history. Maybe itās thoughts of the hereafter. Regardless, the East Cooper area has more than enough historic graveyards to evoke any of these pondering. Quite a few are in some rather unlikely places. Myrtle Grove is barely noticeable on busy Venning Road, … [Read more...]
Chariot of Firefighters: Santa Gets a Lift from Mount Pleasant’s Heroes
Even school kids who canāt seem to memorize their times tables can name all those mythical reindeer who pulled Santaās sleigh in the iconic poem, āTwas the Night Before Christmas.ā There are Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donder, Blitzen and for just about anyone born after the 1950s, Rudolph, too. Bob, or Tom or Jake or Willie? Never heard of … [Read more...]
Who Do You Love? A Lesson by Valerie the Valentine
Editor's Note: February is the time of year everyone thinks about the meaning of true love. We asked Valerie the Valentine, who's quite a card, to compose an essay on the topic of love and how to feel the abundance of joy inside your own heart this year. Read on, and you'll see why we got the warm fuzzies. My opinion about Valentine's Day has changed somewhat over the … [Read more...]
Southern Gothic – Ghosts East of the Cooper
The Kiln Ghost at Brickyard Plantation Near Wampancheone Creek and the ruins of a 19th century brick kiln chimney appears the startling image of a woman standing in the grass on the side of the road. The woman moves her hands close together in repetitive, spastic thrusts as if in a trance. She is dressed in ragged, dark clothes. Her face is uncleare, tilted down toward her … [Read more...]
Life’s a Beach and Then You’re Laundered
A pair of slender, French-manicured hands reach inside the linen closet and yank me into the daylight so quickly, I blink in surprise at the bright, Lowcountry sun. āWhat a great shade of pink,ā muses the owner of the hands, affectionately stroking my fibers before rolling me and stuffing me into a beach bag. Youād think a beach tote indicates that sheās taking me to the … [Read more...]
Valentineās Day: The View from the Valley
Editorsā note: We asked Bianca the Brassiere to write a clever and engaging essay about Valentineās Day from her perspective. We hope you will enjoy this rare and interesting look at Valentine traditions. Remember, true love conquers all ā even the most confounding of undergarments. Not all bras are decorative. Letās get that straight. I have plenty of relatives ā hell, even … [Read more...]
How NOT to Get Eaten: A Seasonal Guide to Surviving Thanksgiving
Editorās Note: We asked Terrance, a turkey who has lived East of the Cooper for many years and has yet to be captured and turned into a Thanksgiving feast, to explain how he has managed to survive when others have not. If you or someone you know has ideas about rescuing a turkey this year, feel free to pass along this article. Life as a turkey is sometimes odd. I donāt mean … [Read more...]
Over a Barrel – Mount Pleasant, SC: an essay by Darrel B. Barrel
Editorās Note: Darrel, one of the many construction barrels playing an important role in Mount Pleasantās never-ending road improvement program, generously offered to compose an essay about his experiences living on and near the roads East of the Cooper. Weāre grateful to Darrel for his interesting perspective, which we could barrel-ly get translated. We hope that you enjoy … [Read more...]