‘Great Bear Ct’

Posted on by lbgraham

OK, so yesterday my family and I arrived in Charlotte, NC, to visit my good friend Matt and his family. As we were driving down their street, looking for their house, we passed a small cul-de-sac with the name, “Great Bear Ct.”

I was pretty stoked to see that the “Great Bear” lived somewhere other than in my imagination, so later in the day, when I was hanging out with Matt, I mentioned my pleasure at seeing that there was a ‘Great Bear Ct’ in his development.

Now, you should understand, that Matt had been very supportive throughout the BOTB writing process, even volunteering his professional editing skills for my manuscripts in exchange for getting to read them before they went to press. So, he had of course, already noted the curious street name & its connection to The Binding of the Blade.

And so it was that when I mentioned, not without some degree of self-satisfaction, that his development had a street named after creatures from my series, he said, without missing a beat, “We also have a ‘Joraiem Street,’ which seems at first like it’s going to go on and on forever, but then it just ends, kind of abruptly.”

Well played, my friend. Well played.

23 thoughts on “‘Great Bear Ct’”

  • That’s funny. It seems like some people have the ability to spout clever comments like that almost on cruise control. I’ve wondered if they keep a mental stack of these comments up their sleeve or if their brain is just that quick.

  • I work in Charlotte! (And live in Fort Mill, SC). Therefore I feel compelled
    to tell you of great places that you should eat
    before you return home! =)

    1. Mac’s speed shop, South Blvd and Ideal Way.
    Awesome BBQ

    2. Bentley’s on 27 – In Uptown. Expensive, but
    a great steakhouse that has a great view of
    city of Uptown.

    3. McCormick and Schmick’s – also in Uptown.
    Expensive but yummy, yummy seafood.

    You can get to Uptown via the light rail which
    runs from South Blvd. all the way to 7th Street
    in Uptown.

    Charlotte is a beautiful city! Hope you enjoy it!

  • You posted!!! YEA!!!!!!

    Your friend sound like someone I’d like. If he ever wants to visit the frozen wasteland of Minnesota……

    In our neighborhood, we have a “Dune” street. It’s windy and long and confusing, with many things on it that seem to have little to no relevance to each other. Fortunately the streets that come after it are noticeably more entertaining.

    I also used to live on “Redwell” Lane. When I was little I thought it was the world. Now I look at it and think, what a cute little street. (No kidding on this one.)

    Ah, Joraiem. How many of my friends have irrevocably thrown Beyond the Summerland (my copy) across the room when they read that final chapter. (sigh) I stand alone with two of my friends as having finished the series, despite ten or so having started it.

  • Jacob – He is pretty quick. Of course, he’d been living there for 6 months or so, so he may have already had that line prepared and ready…

    Lynn – Thanks for the tips on places to eat, but I was only there overnight and am back home. However, perhaps I’ll get a chance to try one the next time I visit.

    Evan – Nice on Dune & Redwall. As for sticking to the series, I’m glad you saw it all the way through.

  • You’re alive! You hadn’t posted in so long, we were beginning to wonder.

    That is really funny. My sister and I both cracked up laughing when we saw it.

  • lol, Joraiem Street. I liked that. I believe my english teacher would have categorized it as “punny”. We obviously realize it is obviously not a real word but one our entire class became quite accustomed to it (though I can’t help but find it ironic that our english teacher promote the use of not-words).

  • That was quite hilarious.

    Legolas Lane and Elendil something?? I can’t believe it. I don’t know who comes up with the names, but I think we need some streets around here that are named as nicely as they are over there.

  • Rhee – your English teacher is probably aware that languages are living things, and new words are ‘coined,’ all the time. Maybe he’s hoping to see ‘punny’ in wider usage. 🙂

  • Mr. Graham! Adam Miller here…

    Have to say I have been secretly following your blog since the end of the school year. I read your first book and really enjoyed it. I must say that in your classroom you do not make it quite as obvious that you have such an imagination. I was actually laughing fairly hard to myself at times picturing you off in Kirthanin while teaching “Why Good Arguements Often Fail” Haha! Whether you actually did that or not I will never know. But my mind is fairly one track, I can’t even imagine teaching while writing such an elaborate story.

    The second book is on its way, I am leaving for college soon but will try and stay in touch! Good luck with this school year!

  • Thanks for stopping by, Adam. I’m glad you enjoyed “Beyond the Summerland,” and I hope the rest of the series keeps you entertained.

    Best wishes in your first year at College!

  • Quite true, Mr. Graham. Perhaps my English teacher (though he’s not actually going to be my enlgish teacher this coming year, I know) is trying to get the word ‘punny’ more widely know. He certainly seems to be succeeding, since I use it quite frequently.

  • Punny has been part of my vocabulary for years, and I grew up and live in the Far East as a missionary! Keep checking the new dictionaries, surely it will make it in one of these days.

    Thank you so much, Mr. Graham, you’re an inspiration. I just finished the first book and am dying to get my hands on the others ~ no small trick over here.

    Blessings!

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