history lesson

This evening, the bfe and I did something completely different! The Georgia Historical Society had a famous author in town to give discourse on one of Georgia's famous bastard sons. No, really. Actually, I'm not quite sure they were aware that was how the biography would be presented, especially as the talk was held in one of the old churches downtown. Then again, maybe that was deliberate, too.
The author, who had made Forrest Gump as well-known as Huckleberry Finn once was, had taken on a real Southern character for his latest tome. The book concerned the taming of the American West in the mid 1840's and featured the exploits of John C. Fremont amidst its pages. Fremont, the "Pathfinder", was in his mid-30's when he and Kit Carson led expeditions toward the Pacific Ocean, charting safe passage through snow-laden mountains and arid plains.
Today, a famous tourist attraction in Las Vegas bears his name. The first paved road in Las Vegas, and home of the Golden Nugget, Fremont Street now hosts a moving light show in the ceiling over the paved road and has concerts to get feet tapping while eyes are heavenward. I wonder what old man Fremont would think of that? Would he think it a becoming legacy?
No way to know those answers, so maybe I'll make up my own tale to tell.
Answers or not, the lecture in the old church was a nice way to close out an evening that included a trip to the vet for one of the bfe's dear cats and a fairly quiet dinner at one of my favorite Mexican joints.
A definitely nice Tuesday for me.
And it wasn't even raining.