The Old Man at the Camp Meeting

The Old Man at the Camp Meeting, a photo by pdw's atelier on Flickr.

There's a story to be told, but I'm not the one to tell it. The story should be told by someone who knows this old gentleman and can do him justice with the details and the memories. His story should include his history, his character, and those personal things which make him beloved to those who remember him with fondness and affection.

To me, he's just the old guy who would be there year after year at the annual 'camp meeting' which was held at the mid-western college campus and camp grounds. He would brighten people's day with his smile and friendly demeanor. He was in no hurry and enjoyed talking... or listening, to anyone who stopped and shared a moment with him. He was like an institution. He seemed to be as old as the camp meeting itself. Surely he had been there from the beginning... so many, many decades before.