Humanity, Darling

Have you ever overheard or seen something funny or touching and later on told someone else about it? After you got through doing it, did that person kinda squint at you and ask, “Did that really happen?” What did you say back? Most likely you said, while avoiding direct eye contact, “It sure did.” Chances are, though, the incident did not really happen as you described it. Probably, you changed things a wee bit to make the occurrence more entertaining or interesting.

The collection of monologues, dialogues, and the like that you’ll find in these pages came from things either I saw or heard (usually overheard), or someone else saw or heard (usually overheard), and told me about. These pieces, snapshots really, originated in familiar places: the home; the church; the courthouse; the workplace; the hospital; the supermarket; indeed, anywhere two or more people were gathered.

Before you ask me did these things really happen—yes, they did. Well, they, sorta, kinda did. I might have added or subtracted something here and there in fictionalizing them, but I tried not to change their fundamental nature.

Bert Goolsby, a former chief deputy attorney general of South Carolina, grew up in Dothan, Alabama and now lives in Columbia, South Carolina with his wife. He earned an undergraduate degree at The Citadel and law degrees at the University of South Carolina and the University of Virginia.