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ATLANTA – With the passing of time, life changes and brings about an appreciation for old friends—old meaning those of long standing, not necessarily anyone who has reached social security status and beyond.

Either way, friendships that endure are especial.

Truett Jarrard, a cardiologist, who practiced in Newnan for many years, retired and subsequently spent a lot of time at Mountaintop in the North Carolina mountains near Cashiers.  That became homebase, but he often answered the call of the wayward wind and took delight in encamping at other landscapes.

With an appreciation for golf, nature’s inspiring bounty, good food, and engaging fellowship with those who wear the Red and Black on fall Saturdays, he and his friend Susan Thompson might just take off for a weekend at Darien to enjoy the serenity that comes with reaching out and connecting with marsh environment, appreciating docked shrimp boats, the marshes of Glynn, moss draped oaks, and coastal living. 

  Bike rides along trails that meander into the countryside, inhaling the salt air as they connect with the best nature has to offer makes their day. No sooner than unpacking, they are off to an adventure that introduces them to an enlightening sojourn.  

Next, they might find their way to Highlands, where mountain living brings about a swooning for high altitude surroundings.  That is where they express enduring affection for “foliage and fellowship.”

Currently, they make their home in a delightful neighborhood in Atlanta’s Buckhead district where they are minutes away from museums, restaurants, shopping centers, and other attractions.

Truett and I met when we were juniors at the University of Georgia.  He knew what he wanted to do in life which was to become a doctor.  I had no clue, but already had my dream job—being a student assistant to Dan Magill in the UGA Sports Information office.

One summer while at UGA, we landed jobs with the Agricultural Research Service, a division of the U. S. Department of Agriculture.  Our assignment was to search for white fringed beetles.  Sweet potatoes, white potatoes, peanuts, soybeans, and cotton are susceptible to white fringe beetle damage.

Not sure we did all that much to thwart beetle populations, but it was an introduction that led to a lifelong friendship—the centerpiece of our relationship being Bulldog football.  Truett is a doting alumnus, who doesn’t paint his face.  He doesn’t carp on the Internet about the play calling or call for the defensive coordinator’s head when a defensive back makes an error that leads to a touchdown that costs his favorite team a game.  But he hurts when a loss becomes reality.

A member of the Cherokee Club in Atlanta, which was founded by a lady named Pat Williams, he was eager to host us for dinner recently since we were friends with Pat who introduced us to foreign travel.  Pat’s husband, Jimmy, whose nickname was “Horse,” grew up in Athens and was a close friend and confidante of Bulldog icon, Dan Magill.

An evening with Susan and Truett brought about old home week emotions which caused an eruption of flashbacks which intensified with Truett’s ordering a fine wine that heightened the atmosphere of the room named for a longtime friend.

When Truett’s son, Trey, was enrolled at Georgia, Truett was so uplifted and socially compatible with his son’s SAE fraternity brothers that they nicknamed him, “Dr. Party.”  He cried when a granddaughter was admitted to Georgia.  Truett has always been a Damn Good Dawg.

The evening was for remembering old friends and old times.  Truett was eager to introduce his guests to Andrea Johannsen, the Matre’d of the Williams Room along with server Qasim Abukar and the Chef Todd Kelly.  This gave dinner an international flavor.  Pat Williams would have been overwhelmingly proud.

The evening was a reminder that when you pair good food and wine with pleasant memories of the past, that it becomes a buffer to the doomsaying view that the world is going to hell in a handbasket.  Cheers.  Sante. Prost. Salud. Skal. al-hattafat. 

Selah!