By TEDDY ALLEN/DesignatedWriters

There were a couple of other things that we knew we’d do on this special annual trip. One was go to the Pavilion and ride all the rides. It was kind of a big deal. Neon and music. All those lights. Salt air. The Swamp Fox at the time was the world’s largest wooden rollercoaster and might still be.

Then one night after supper we’d have Painters Homemade Ice Cream on Murrells Inlet. The sign let you know there was parking in the rear; most of the time, it was needed. I was a homemade chocolate or homemade vanilla guy but they had it all, including peanut butter. And cherry. It was all just so, so good.

To put it in the proper frame of time back then, Painters was basically The Beatles of dairy.

My little sis was there this week with her family, a trip fueled by nostalgia; I wonder if she got a pixie haircut before she left home? She says it might be her last trip there because she wants to go other places. Life’s funny that way: there was a time when we didn’t want to go anywhere else.

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