VIvian and I went over to Easley yesterday, to call on a prospective client. Can't say who the prospect is, but I can tell you that it was great to be in Easley. There's just something about Easley.

Back in the last century, when I moved here, I was under the impression that South Carolina was made up of the 60 sophisticates that worked with me at Henderson Advertising, and about 1.1 million toothless bubbas. But the longer I stayed, the more I realized that much of South Carolina was sophisticated (and perhaps that I was the bubba). Out of this learning came the concept I call, "The Easley Syndrome".

For some reason, Easley, South Carolina is a watershed of world-class wonderfulness, sometimes disguised as ordinary folks (maybe even a little bit country). Easley is the birthplace of the world's most successful kayak manufacturer. Easley is the home of one of Southern Gospel Music's finest pianists. Easley has a world-class web printer. Easley is the hometown of one of the biggest club acts of the late 70s and early 80s (second only to Leon Russel), a CCM band called The Rob Cassels Band. At one time, the strongest woman in the world was a 16-year-old girl from Easley. Easley has more Congressional Medal of Honor winners per capita than any other town or city in America. Also, Easley is the home of one of the best kept secrets in the healthcare industry (nuff said).

Some places are just like that, I guess. Jackson, Mississippi has more than its share of great writers, for example. And Pittsburgh turns out more than its share of NFL quarterbacks. But Easley, SC ought to be a wide spot next to a railroad track. And somehow...it's a full fledged syndrome. Who would have thought it?