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Flaming!

His dress was fish casual: lightweight camo sun hoodie, quick dry pants, polarized sunglasses, expensive flip-flops. His green ball cap had a hook stuck in it. His boat, which matched his trailer, which matched his truck, was Decked Out for Speed and for trolling, and clean inside and out. He made one more lap of his rig, checking tie downs, checking trailer lights, double-checking the hitch and safety chains. But then his head turned towards the Devil’s Fork State Park office, and he sniffed the air like a hound dog when grandma’s frying ham. Instead of getting in his truck he walked straight over to the flaming orange azalea that Friends of Jocassee planted beside the stop sign of the parking lot several years ago. He bent to smell flowers with a scent as loud as the color. He straightened with an incredulous look, jaw dropped open, eyes round, then bent to smell again. When he caught sight of me watching he shook his head slightly with a bemused smile. Yes, the perfume of that flaming orange azalea is intoxicating. If you’re around Devils Fork this week, check it out. ~K