After I shared some images from my most recent "Lifestyle" photo session, my friend Doug reached and was like, "Wow, your photos came out great", so I was all like, "Awwwwww, thanks! That's so sweet of you to say!"
His follow-up was, "Where was that brick alley because I want to take pictures of my new Corvette there."
Womp. Womp.
Being the genius I AM with directions, I pointed him in the direction of Southport. Some help I AM! My buyer clients can attest to this; if my GPS isn't on its game, there will be a K-turn (or several of them) in some nice folks' driveways. I was fairly confident that it was along Moore Street, somewhere near Blue Cow and Moore Street Oyster Bar - food is my love language and restaurants are the only landmarks I can hold in this brain of mine.
Well, Doug got his fancy Corvette photos and informed me that the alley is on "I AM" Street.
Then I remembered the story of that unique street name. WRAL does a great job of telling its story: https://www.wral.com/southport-s-street-signs-spell-interesting-phrase/13811221/
Don't feel like a hyperlink? Here's a good synopsis from CoastalReview.org:
One of the favorite origin stories in Brunswick County is how a street in Southport came to
get the name I Am. It’s not always a favorite, though. Steck wishes someone would have kept
to the tradition of naming the streets after notable figures in the town’s history. That was, after
all, how Moore and Rhett streets got their name – as well the reason for streets Lord, Howe
and Dry. Robert Howe Jr. and William Espey Lord Jr. were two of the founders of the town
and William and Mary Jane Dry were among the county’s leading citizens, McKee said.
Along this set of streets, there was a two-block alley in downtown Southport that wasn’t
adequately named according to the telephone company doing work in the area in the
1950s. The story goes that a town clerk decided to have a bit of fun by using the well-known
ditty, “How Dry I Am.”
Lord, Howe Dry I Am! A tale as charming as the town itself!
Doug said the car and I are both bosses. I AM inclined to agree ;)