Russian basketball players going to lunch

In the early 1990s, I was going to lunch in a steakhouse in Charleston, S.C., and I saw about 10 really tall men in front of me. I recognized one of them: Alexander Volkov, a native of the Ukraine who played from 1989 to '92 for the NBA's Atlanta Hawks.

As the manager came up to them, I passed them, but I could still hear them talking. The manager asked how he could help them. In clear English, the man I recognized as Volkov said "I'm Alexander Volkov, and this is the Russian basketball team. We're here for lunch." The manager then helped them go through the line.

I don't know why they were in Charleston or why they were in that particular steakhouse. I don't even know why I mention it here.

The 6-10 Volkov was one of the best basketball players I ever saw in person, although I never saw him play other than on TV. He's not the best basketball player I've ever seen; I saw Chris Paul in high school and just before he went into the NBA, and I saw Xavier McDaniel (the X Man) play in high school.

But that's another story for another time.

EMAIL: tgilli52@gmail.com or nc3022@yahoo.com TWITTER: EDITORatWORK

More blog entries by Tom Gillispie

• Resume for a writer and editor

• An editor's views on powerful writing

• Advice for be and would-be novelists

• Links to TG's stories online

• Favorite quotes

• What I do when I'm editing

Anecdotes by Tom Gillispie

• Good Samaritan

• The PRESS cap and my friend Mike

• Watching TV

• No luck with Billy Sims

• Wipeout at Death Valley

• Days with rainbows

• A desperate writer working in the dark

• Yer outta there!

EDITOR@WORK blog entries

• You really DO need an editor

• Reminders for would-be novelists

• What I do when I'm editing

• What I charge (it's a deal) and what I edit

• Slogging through the Internet

• J-school: More eyes on your stories

• J-school: Go out and learn

• Rookie mistakes for magazine writers

Entries from The Dog Blog

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• The Dog Diary (2015)

• The Dog Diary (2014)

• 13-plus years with my dog Lady

• OOH! OOH! The stereophonic huskies

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Blog entries from The Auto Racing Journal

• Angel in Black: Remembering Dale Earnhardt Sr.

(a book of great stories about the Intimidator)

(the book of great NASCAR stories)

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