LAURINBURG — For the second time in just a few weeks, the Tar Heel Traveler came to downtown Laurinburg.
Not the show itself, but the host himself.
Scott Mason, the longtime host of WRAL’s popular piece that focuses on events, restaurants and more from every nook and cranny of North Carolina, visited the ‘Tis the Season store on South Main Street for a book signing.
“Here’s here partly because I put my foot in my mouth the first time he was here,” said Terry Parker of ‘Tis the Season. “I told him he should write a book about all the things he’s seen — he told me he’d written four books.”
But Mason said on Thursday he came back for the same reason he enjoys doing the Tar Heel Traveler show.
“I love to meet people,” he said. “And what they’ve done here (in Laurinburg) is really amazing.”
The evening also managed to create a miracle of sorts.
Hank and Cyndee Wilkins of Four Oaks, along with Mike and Bonnie Radford of Garner — who are related because Hank and Bonnie are brother and sister — arrived at ‘Tis the Season shortly before 5 p.m.
“We decided at the last moment to just drive down to Laurinburg to see the lights,” Hank said. “We’d seen the Tar Heel Traveler on WRAL and thought it would be fun to see them ourselves.
“When we got here, we were told Scott Mason would be arriving soon and we just couldn’t believe we picked this day to be here,” he added.
Mike agreed with his brother-in-law that it seemed to be more than a coincidence.
“Something wanted us here today,” he said. “We love Christmas, and when we saw what people here have done, we knew we had to go.
“Anytime I see Scott on TV, I watch,” he added. “No matter what he says, it’s interesting. And he did a tremendous job with Laurinburg and put it on the map.”
The couples purchased a number of items from the shop, along with books from Mason, before heading out to see the downtown lit up with Christmas spirit.
The ‘Tis the Season shop was filled with numerous fans of the Tar Heel Traveler and Mason, and he spent nearly two hours talking with the visitors and signing his books.
W. Curt Vincent can be reached at 910-506-3023 or [email protected].
