Talk Derby to Me!

Last night at around 7:30, I walked about 75 feet to the oyster bar across the street. Awful Arthur's is rated one of the top ten oyster bars in the nation and the place gets packed pretty tight for dinner. The bar had one seat at the end and I happily took it since all I was wanting was a couple of cold beers. I had a front row seat to the shucking show behind the bar and their domestics were only $2!

I was seated next to a sweet couple in their early sixties and I was trying not to interrupt their meal despite their conversation about the marsh areas of the island sparked my interest. I sat silently for about five minutes taking in my surroundings and before I knew it the christmas sweater donning couple were engaging me in conversation. Everyone here wants to talk to me, or anyone else around for that matter, and it makes it way easier to get comfortable. I had noticed this earlier at a thrift store when every single person that passed me asked how I was doing. This sweet couple was no exception and they told me all about their rental property on Nags Head and what they do for the holidays. Before I knew it, they were saying goodbye and wishing me luck on my adventure here in Kill Devil Hills like we were old buddies.

After they left, the bartender started talking to me about what neighborhoods I could look into as far as annual rentals go. We talked about the National Park Service (who I am volunteering for in the Outer Banks), roller derby (since I had been skating earlier that day) and freelance writing (his wife is a writer). As we talked derby, we caught a man's attention that had just emerged from the kitchen. He asked me how I found the local derby team here in KDH and I told him about some videos I had seen on Facebook of their team starting up. Turns out, he shot that footage. I always thought Knoxville seemed small but being in a town with a population of 5K makes it possible for me to have connections with lots of folks and I have not even been in town for a full week!