daddy’s girls I feature story
Photographed by Andrea Knapp
Charles
Smith
reeling in
the memories
0
Pictured here: Charles Smith with
his daughter, Jeni Graham
A
ccording to Charles Smith, his daughter Jeni is the “son” he never had. Growing up, she spent plenty of time
outdoors. She and Charles would go exploring from time to time, but nothing compared to their favorite pastime
together - fishing. It was during these trips that Charles shared many words of wisdom with his daughter. “He showed me how
things worked and introduced me to history. The history lessons helped me understand a way of life that I would never know.
Dad worked by Mom’s side to provide a safe and loving home, but he was the door to my understanding of the past. I learned
of generations of people, their struggles and celebrations. I learned what the world that I grew up in was founded upon.”
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June 2014
Jeni says that Charles is an avid fan of collections, especially
of buried treasures from long ago. “He would gain permission
to go onto property that had once been a dump, and he would
take me out to these overgrown wooded lots to pick around and
dig with small hand shovels. We would find the most interesting
things. We amazingly found ‘Edison’ light bulbs still in perfect
condition. We found old glass milk bottles, clay marbles, and
dispensary bottles.” In fact, Charles was well known around
Hartsville for particular items he collected. “Dad drove a blue
GMC truck and had a CB radio, since at that time cell phones
didn’t exist. When you have a CB radio, you have a handle or a
name you go by… Dad was ‘The Bottle Man.’ I remember sitting
right in the middle beside him and that my feet didn’t even hang
over the end of the bench seat. He gave me my own CB handle
one day. I became the official ‘Bottle Girl.’ That was it for me… I
was sold on being his forever.”
Charles acknowledges that his love of fishing was discovered
at age 5 during trips he made with his father. No matter if it’s in
the boat or by the dock, give him a rod and reel and he’s one
happy guy! He enjoys fishing for largemouth bass more than
anything, and nothing is as exciting as the tug of the bite on the
line. Jeni admits that even though his favorite month to cast out
is April, he truly fishes 400 days a year! “I say this because sometimes he goes twice in one day - catching a nap when the sun is
at its hottest before returning to the water in the cool of the afternoons.” He adds, “I spend as much time fishing as my wife,
the weather, and God will let me!”
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