As many of you know, I grew up in the Low Country, specifically in Berkeley County. Coming to work in Newberry County, I knew I would only know the people I met during my time at Newberry College. No one would know my family or anything about my family.

Well, that changed this past week during a visit to the Newberry County Camber of Commerce. Before I get to that, let me back up.

When I was a freshmen at Newberry College my mother, Dianne, came to visit me. This was shortly after my father had passed away. I was showing her around the campus, especially the older buildings because she loves history. She asked me about Smeltzer Hall, I pointed to it, and she said, “That is where Meg stayed.”

Meg, she told me, was her best friend growing up. As they grew older, they grew apart. She didn’t know what happened to her because they lost touch.

After Mom retired this year, she moved into a new house and now has internet access. She decided to Google her friend, and through doing so, she found out Meg lives in Newberry. I figured Mom could come up for a visit, and maybe the odds would be in her favor and we would run into her.

Now my story brings us to last week, Wednesday specifically. Let’s just say that was a weird day for circumstances.

I called the Chamber early that morning and spoke with Liz MacDonald, the Chamber administrator, about their Pumpkin Painting Party, which was scheduled for Sunday. She told me she needed to find out about getting pumpkins and would get back with me.

A few hours later I received a call from Michelle Long, executive director of the Chamber, who said they received the pumpkins. I made plans to go by and interview them for a preview story.

During the interview someone walked into the Chamber and Liz began talking to her as Michelle and I were in her office talking.

Our conversation led us to the main part of the office and Michelle greeted someone with with I thought was “Hey Mig.”

Michelle, Liz and “Mig” started talking and I just hung out for a few minutes. Then something clicked.

I found out Michelle actually knew Meg because of social media. In fact, I had asked Michelle about her months prior.

So what happened next is probably the weirdest thing I have done since arriving to Newberry. I asked “Mig” if her name was actually Meg. She said it was so I asked her if she knew who I was.

With a very confused and but now comical look, she said I looked familiar, but she could not place me. So I told her: I am Dianne Boyd’s and Archie Wigger’s son. In my head I am thinking this could be the wrong person and she will think I am nuts, or this is my mother’s childhood friend.

Guess what? Her jaw dropped to the floor. She told me I looked just like my mother and that she had actually been trying to find her, but had not been able to do so.

It was an interesting moment standing there in the Chamber: I was shocked, she was shocked and Michelle was overjoyed, seeing as she knew the story.

So Michelle suggested that I give Meg my mother’s phone number, but I decided to do one better, I called her right there. Mom picked up the phone and I told her there was someone who wanted to talk to her.

Meg gets on the phone and tells Mom who she is, and I could literally hear Mom’s jaw drop over the phone. The two of them caught up and it was a very sweet and touching moment. They also agreed that Mom should come for a visit so they can spend a Saturday together.

As I sit back and remember this reunion, I can’t help but think how it all happened so perfectly. I suppose everything works out the way it is supposed to, in its own time.

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Inside Out

Andrew Wigger

Andrew Wigger is a staff writer for The Newberry Observer and can be reached at awigger@civitasmedia.com. Views expressed in this column are those of the writer only and do not represent the newspaper’s opinion.