TRAVEL & LEISURE Magazine Article Feb/Mar 1973 Part 1

Before I tell this story which will be somewhat long, it also will include (in part 2) an article from the magazine Travel & Leisure Feb/Mar 1973. I find it interesting that my Dad's name was Philip and he grew up on St. Philip Street in Charleston, S.C. and had an office on Church Street with a church named St. Philip's Church. (shown above). The church is also in the area where we met a gentleman by the name of Albert Goldman. Nonetheless, I was very lucky to have grown up in such a wonderful city. I know everyone loves and values their hometown, but to have grown up in Charleston with its generous amount of historical information is a real treat. (images)

One day, during Thanksgiving of 1973, I was 11 years old at the time and my Dad, sister and I were walking on Church Street. My father had his office on Church Street, so we were taking a leisurely stroll on the street that is the icon of Charleston itself. While we were out for this walk a man and his girlfriend asked my father for directions. People ask for directions all of the time, but this man, well he looked like he was an MOT and he sounded that way too. What's an MOT? An M.O.T. is a Member Of the Tribe. What tribe? Ah, well that would be the Jewish tribe.

So he was Jewish with a northern accent. Immediately my father wanted to be helpful but was also fascinated by this person. What do you do? Where are you from? Who are you!? How can I connect??... We did not often meet northern Jews in Charleston and if you did they were probably related to someone local. Southern and Northern Jews are different from one another, but that will have to be discussed in another entry. On some level it may not even warrant another entry but I digress...I had to tell that part of the story as it is important later.

Nonetheless, this tourist gentleman turned out to be Albert Goldman, professor and author. He wrote many books that caused a stir after 1973; these books include The Lives of John Lennon and Elvis. At the time we met Goldman in 1973, he was a freelance writer and the editor of the music section of LIFE magazine. It was a crazy time with the Vietnam War affecting many Americans and Nixon in office. Anyhow instead of giving Albert directions, Dad told him to hop in the car and he'd show him around... and oh - please come to our house for dinner - Thanksgiving Dinner!