As I wrote previously, when I moved to Greenville, I cashed in my 401k to live on that money. I didn't have a job, so this was my only real income except for selling some of my stuff online. Around November, I started to run out of money. I talked to a friend to tell her that I was thinking about selling my Mother's wedding ring for cash. I had gotten it after she died in 2004. A few days later, I got an email from a friend of hers urging me not to sell the ring and that I would regret doing it.
That friend of hers was Lt. Governor Andre Bauer. I knew that she knew him, because she had talked about their friendship over the years, but I had no idea that she would tell him about my dilemma. He told me that there were ways to get money despite the recession, and that I shouldn't resort to selling the ring. She had also told me what a caring man Andre was, and that most people didn't see that side of him. There were rumors about him, but my friend told me that those rumors weren't true. I believed her after reading the email.
A couple of weeks later, I saw that Andre was going to speak at a church in Simpsonville. Also on the program was Attorney General Henry McMaster. I went to that event and sat close to the front row. The church was packed. Andre spoke about his near death experience in a plane crash, and about how he had grown closer to God. I don't remember what Henry spoke about. After the meeting, I introduced myself to Henry. He knew me through my brother. He was cordial, but a lot of people wanted to speak to him. Andre was standing next to a wall in the sanctuary. I went over to him to say hello. He reached out his hand to me as any politician would. I leaned into his ear and said that I was the one who was thinking about selling my Mother's wedding ring. He brightened up and called me by name, as if we were old friends. He asked me if I had sold it, and I said no. He told me not to. He said the next time I was in Columbia to come by his office.
Soon after that meeting, I found myself in Columbia and called to see if he was at the State House. He was, because the Senate was in session. He presided over the Senate. I went into his office, and we chatted for a few minutes. I told him that I had saved his life twice. He was shocked to hear that and asked how. When he was in the legislature, he was running for another term. His goal was to walk across Newberry County, which was in his district. Once, I was driving from Laurens to Columbia, after visiting my Mother. I was coming over a two-lane bridge, and he was walking on the other side of the bridge. I had to swerve to miss him. The second time, I was riding down US1 in the country coming back from Augusta. There was a blind curve, and I was driving pretty fast. Round the curve, he was walking on the road. I had to swerve to miss him. Both times, I was glad no cars were coming in the opposite lane. Both times, I could have hit him. He thanked me for not doing that.
He asked me if I would like to be recognized as his guest in the Senate chamber. I was honored. He told me to give a short bio to his chief of staff. I told him that I was a nationally published writer and actor. I thought that sounded better than retail. His chief of staff told me to take the Senate elevator to the gallery. He said that there would probably be some Senators in the elevator, so I was not to repeat anything they said. I will take their comments to my grave. When it came time for my recognition, Andre stood at his podium and told the Senators that he wanted to recognize me as a special friend. He had one of the Senators from Greenville to read my bio. The Senator was impressed with it and said on the floor that he looked forward to reading some of my writings. The other Senators clapped. I felt pretty special that day.
As a footnote, it was a running joke with Andre and me after that about asking if I had sold my Mother's ring. We would have a laugh over that. I never did. If anyone sees Andre, you can tell him that I donated the ring to my church years later, because I felt that is what my Mother would have wanted to allow them to sell it and use that money for missions. It was only right.
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