We aren't guaranteed much as adults, but if there's one thing we can count on, it's that our bodies change as we get older. For men, that's especially true. One day you're lifting heavy weights and nailing your cardio regimen without having to stretch before or after. And then, in what seems like the blink of an eye, you start to slow down a little. You begin to notice aches and pains in places that weren't there before. You can't just go out for a night on the town, imbibe until your heart is content, and expect to wake up refreshed.
And while headaches and achy joints can be treated with ice and anti-inflammatory medicine, other aspects of aging aren't as easy to treat. You've probably guessed at this point what we're talking about: erectile dysfunction, or ED for short. When brought up to most men, those are two words that cause a guttural reaction of fear and trepidation.
While just about every man fears ED, millions suffer from it - almost 10% of the male population between the ages of 40 and 70. So, if you're beginning to have trouble performing in the heat of the moment, you're definitely not alone. You may be experiencing symptoms like:
Trouble Achieving an Erection
Trouble Maintaining an Erection
Lower Libido
Less Sexual Pleasure
Premature Ejaculation
Inability to Achieve Orgasm
However, at Elite Healthcare Physical Medicine, we understand that stats won't do anything to address the stress and anxiety you're facing in relation to erectile dysfunction. You need a viable solution - a science-backed treatment that doesn't require strange pills or invasive surgeries. As a fully integrated multidisciplinary clinic in Mount Pleasant, we have what you've been searching for: softwave therapy for ED in John's Island, SC.
To fully grasp the benefits of using soft wave therapy for erectile dysfunction, you must first understand what causes ED to begin with. Put simply, erectile dysfunction is the inability to get an erection and keep it throughout sexual intercourse. You should know that it's not uncommon if you have erection trouble. However, if your inability to "get it up" becomes a common occurrence, you may be suffering from ED.
Erectile dysfunction doesn't just affect your penis - it also affects your wellbeing and relationships. It can lower your confidence, cause a large amount of stress that affects your ability to work, and may even cause contention with your partner.
You hear it all the time - as men get older, they often lose the ability to get erect. But why? As men age, the blood vessels in their penis start to fill up with micro-plaques, causing them to deteriorate. When these blood vessels deteriorate, it's more difficult for them to have steady blood flow. And that's the key to ED - having the constant blood flow to get and keep an erection. That's where the science-backed effectiveness of Softwave therapy swoops in to save the day.
Shockwave technology has been around for decades. It has been used at the highest-level research and medical facilities like the Cleveland Clinic and Memorial Sloan Kettering. However, Softwave therapy is a more refined, effective way to treat erectile dysfunction and also advance tissue healing.
Softwave therapy works by using electrohydraulic spark gap technology at its core. Its innovative design features a parabolic reflector applicator that produces very effective, low-intensity shock waves that are unfocused. Elite Healthcare Physical Medicine's Softwave applicator spreads energy to a large area of both superficial and deep tissue, creating a biological response that kickstarts your body's natural healing process.
For men suffering from ED, it is a revolutionary breakthrough treatment that doesn't require harmful surgeries or side effects from pills. In fact, it has been FDA approved for many uses, including improved blood flow, which is often the root cause of erectile dysfunction.
Book AppointmentUnlike some more traditional treatment options, Softwave therapy gets right to the crux of the ED issue. It uses shock wave technology on a cellular level, helping to naturally heal body parts, like the penis. Some of the most common benefits of Softwave therapy include:
Additionally, Softwave treatments don't require much prep, don't have any sketchy side effects, don't require any numbing agents or anesthesia, and result in little-to-no recovery time. Sound too good to be true? Contact Elite Healthcare Physical Medicine today to learn just how effective Softwave therapy is for our patients!
Softwave therapy works by using efficient, effective shock waves that cause biological regeneration processes that heal your body using its own healing factors. It works like this: Softwaves are created via a high-energy electrical discharge in water. The voltage is discharged between the plus and minus tips of an electrode. The spark gap or arching causes an equalization of voltage between the opposing tips of the electrode, which causes a hot plasma bubble. This bubble explodes and distributes in every direction, compresses the surrounding water, and generates a pressure > 10 MPa within nanoseconds.
To sum up, Softwave therapy uses low-intensity, unfocused energy that is delivered by a reflector in parallel waves. These waves help open up the blood vessels in your penis, allowing more blood to flow. At Elite Healthcare Physical Medicine, our team of expert physicians will develop a personalized Softwave therapy plan based on your body and needs. With the right number of treatments, you should be able to achieve and maintain firm erections as you did in your prime.
A Softwave therapy procedure averages 10-15 minutes but may be longer depending on treatment area and diagnosis. A gel is applied to the surface area to be treated. The applicator produces pulses as the clinician moves around the treatment area. During therapy, communication with your provider is necessary to identify treatment areas and monitor progress.
Once treatment is over, you may resume your normal day-to-day activities. In fact, most patients can have Softwave therapy while on their lunch break. You don't have to worry about recovery time, side effects, or any downtime at all.
More than 50% of men will experience erectile dysfunction at some point in their lives. If you're over the age of 30, have been suffering from ED, and don't want to rely on pills or surgery, Softwave therapy may be for you. That's doubly true if you've tried traditional treatments like Viagra and even surgery but didn't get the results you hoped for. Many academic studies about shockwave therapy for ED state that this revolutionary technology is successful where PDE5 inhibitors fail.
In fact, many urologists consider Softwave therapy the most promising ED treatment on the market. The truth is, even if you're not battling ED, men can use Softwave therapy as a preventative way to keep the magic flowing in the bedroom. Some of the key reasons to choose Softwave therapy over less effective, traditional treatments include:
If you're curious why Softwave treatments are so popular for ED, the answer is simple. Prescription drugs like Cialis and others that "treat" ED often come with less-that-savory side effects. At best, these effects are just something patients have to deal with. At worst, they can disrupt your day-to-day schedule and may prevent you from enjoying a healthy life. Sure, some men swear by the "little blue pill," but most guys aren't aware of the hidden risks with drugs like Viagra. The following side effects can be common in both short and long-term circumstances:
If you're suffering through erectile dysfunction, it's crucial to understand why it's happening. The primary reason for ED is a lack of blood flow to the penis, which makes erections difficult to get and keep. Rather than relying on prescription and gas station pills for a quick fix, more men are using softwave ED treatment in John's Island, SC for an all-natural solution minus the side effects. With Softwave therapy, you don't have to live with ED, and you don't have to suffer from scary side effects from popping too many pills.
Book AppointmentSoftwave therapy is often a more effective solution for men with ED than similar but less effective treatments using pressure waves. Softwave therapy from Elite Healthcare Physical Medicine uses acoustic pulses or unfocused shockwaves with fast and steep rise times and high positive pressure. Our unfocused wave design makes it possible to spread energy to a larger area, which affects deep and superficial tissue. By targeting a larger area, a more potent biological response is often achieved, initiating your body's natural healing factors.
By comparison, radial pressure waves use acoustic pneumatic pulses with low steeping effects, slow rise times, and large negative pressures. Radial waves are shallower than the shockwaves used in Softwave technology and focus energy and pressure at the surface of the applicator.
Here's a quick breakdown of the differences between softwave therapy for ED in John's Island, SC, and radial pressure waves:
If you're new to the world of Softwave therapy, chances are you've got some lingering questions you need answered. We'll do our best to answer a few of those questions here for your convenience.
Q. Has the FDA approved softwave therapy for ED in cityname, state?
A. Yes - Softwave therapy is FDA 510(k) approved for:
Q. Is softwave therapy painful?
A. Softwave therapy does not require surgery or any invasive form of treatment. With that said, some patients describe minimal discomfort or pain during our softwave treatments. Should this occur, your medical specialist will make necessary adjustments. Usually, patients do not have to endure any pain at all and only experience a pulse or tapping feeling on their skin.
Q. How long is a Softwave treatment session?
A. An individual session only takes five to fifteen minutes. It's typically recommended that patients have treatment once a week for three to five weeks. The length and frequency of your Softwave therapy sessions will be determined after you visit our medical clinic for a comprehensive evaluation.
Q. How long does it take for Softwave therapy to work?
A. Every patient we treat is different, and as such, will have different treatment recommendations. Often, patients notice the results of Softwave therapy after the first session. However, for the longest-lasting effects, most patients need between three and four treatments, with a week of non-treatment after every session.
Q. Can I combine Softwave therapy with other treatments from Elite Healthcare Physical Medicine?
A. It's hard to give a definitive answer to this question since every patient is different. It's important for you to have a full evaluation to determine the scope of your needs and the appropriate therapies. However, Softwave therapy often works very well with other treatments. In fact, other therapies offered at our medical clinic like massage therapy and chiropractic care can make Softwave treatment even more effective.
Remember - our team at Elite Healthcare Physical Medicine is always happy to answer any questions you may have about ED or our ED treatments. Give us a call today - it would be our pleasure to get to know you better!
Unlike some wellness clinics, our experienced providers work together to optimize treatment for men suffering from ED. We always strive to make sexual wellbeing an accessible part of your everyday lifestyle.
That's why, at Elite Healthcare Physical Medicine, our mission is simple: to correct the root cause of your erectile dysfunction by taking a comprehensive, total body approach to healing and treatment. We want to address your ED problem without having to resort to chemical-based medications or unnecessary surgeries. Instead, we focus on all-natural, effective solutions like shockwave therapy for ED in John's Island, SC.
By discovering what's best for each person's individual body and needs, we can help create a healthier future for those in our community through our holistic physical medicine practices. Contact our office to learn more about Softwave therapy and how we can solve the underlying causes of your unique ED situation.
Book AppointmentJOHNS ISLAND, S.C. (WCSC) - Those who live on or travel through Johns Island say they have mixed feelings about a new road designed to connect Maybank Highway to two other roadways.Work is continuing on what is called the Northern Pitchfork, which will connect Maybank Highway to Fenwick Hall Allee and River Road. That work will require lane closures from 9 a.m. ...
JOHNS ISLAND, S.C. (WCSC) - Those who live on or travel through Johns Island say they have mixed feelings about a new road designed to connect Maybank Highway to two other roadways.
Work is continuing on what is called the Northern Pitchfork, which will connect Maybank Highway to Fenwick Hall Allee and River Road. That work will require lane closures from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Friday on Maybank Highway at River Road.
Some residents are hopeful it can be part of a solution for what they say is horrendous traffic but others say it’s just a Band-Aid on a bullet wound.
There is also frustration surrounding the daytime lane closures for Friday, as residents believe it will be a nightmare, and the work should be done overnight instead.
Charleston County Construction Project Manager Sheila Parker said this has to get done in a specific window of time and they don’t want project delays. The new road is something the city and county have been working on bringing to life for years, with the goal of alleviating congestion and moving traffic along on the island.
“People coming off of James Island onto Johns Island using the Maybank Highway corridor will be able to take the Northern Pitchfork road and kind of bypass the Maybank Highway and River Road traffic light,” Parker explained
Byhira Thorn, who frequents the island often, said she thinks the new road will cause confusion for drivers, and it’s not addressing the root issue.
“I think another lane in general needs to be added,” Thorn said. “I mean, they did it with the bridge which was awesome, but they need to do it with the island. The island itself all around, roads need to be doubled for sure.”
Johns Island resident Kristin Nolan said she hopes this will help, but wishes it was done sooner.
“First of all, I think they should have thought about this before all of the building that went on and the extra light that was put here,” Nolan said. “I feel bad for people that go to James Island in the morning if Maybank and River are backed up for miles.”
Earlier this month, Charleston leaders said they are working on a $30-million project to improve traffic on Johns Island, part of which includes widening Maybank Highway to four lanes from River Road to the Stono River Bridge. But funding for that has yet to be nailed down and those plans are years away.
The construction on Friday is weather-dependent and drivers are asked to use caution while driving through the area.
Copyright 2023 WCSC. All rights reserved.
CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - Officials with the city of Charleston and Charleston County have announced a plan to address traffic concerns on Johns Island.Charleston Mayor John Tecklenburg said the plan is the result of collaboration between the city of Charleston and Charleston County and will tackle traffic flow problems at the intersection of Maybank Highway and River Road, portions of Maybank Highway and the northern and southern Pitchforks, Tecklenburg said.“Traffic congestion has been a huge issue coming and going on J...
CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - Officials with the city of Charleston and Charleston County have announced a plan to address traffic concerns on Johns Island.
Charleston Mayor John Tecklenburg said the plan is the result of collaboration between the city of Charleston and Charleston County and will tackle traffic flow problems at the intersection of Maybank Highway and River Road, portions of Maybank Highway and the northern and southern Pitchforks, Tecklenburg said.
“Traffic congestion has been a huge issue coming and going on Johns Island,” he said. “And it was accentuated when that traffic light got added down the street. And everyone came to the realization that we needed to go back and rethink what got done six or seven years ago, what’s been done since then and what can we do collectively and collaboratively to make it better and make improvements.”
The city and county laid out the main points of the plan:
“Pitchforks” means two new roads that will branch off of Maybank towards River.
“The current cost estimate sits somewhere between $25 and $30 million to do all of this,” Charleston County Councilmember Joe Boykin said.
Tecklenburg said the money will come from future sales tax and Department of Transportation funding and once permitted, will apply for federal funding.
The full construction funding will have to be identified and approved by both city and county councils, according to Tecklenburg.
The first goal for short-term, interim improvements to Maybank Highway are expected to be complete in the first quarter of 2024, Tecklenburg said.
Robby Lingenfelter who works on Johns Island said he’s hopeful about the project but still frustrated.
“They say that the northern pitchfork will be completed by the first quarter of 2024, that’s good,” he said. “Southern pitchfork they said will take years, so we’re still five to ten years from alleviating the issues we have now.”
He said the city and county have been meeting since June to address the traffic issues on Johns Island.
“It’s going to happen. We are committed to making that happen,” Tecklenburg said.
Some locals question the mayor’s timing.
“Hearing this press conference that is happening five days before an election, can’t help but notice that a lot of this was conceptual and funding for a lot of this isn’t even secured,” Logan Mcvey said. “So, this seems like more talk and a lot more traffic just sitting and waiting on stuff to happen.”
Tecklenburg’s response was that they needed enough vetting through engineers and design teams before the plans could be presented.
Charleston County Council member Jenny Huneycutt, Charleston City Council member Karl Brady and the city’s planning and traffic directors also attended the news conference.
WATCH THE CHARLESTON LEADERS ANNOUNCE THE JOHNS ISLAND TRAFFIC IMPROVEMENT PLAN BELOW
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
Copyright 2023 WCSC. All rights reserved.
Johns Island conjures up visions of shady grand oak trees dripping with Spanish moss, offering a peek into a more rural side of Charleston. Several dining options have long existed for the residents of the island, but as its population grows, so grows the burgeoning food and beverage scene.Since 2005, Hege’s Restaurant in Freshfields Village has served French cuisine in a bistro setting with classics like French onion soup, crab cakes and steak frites. Down on Maybank Highway, local favorite Wild Olive has led the way in sustain...
Johns Island conjures up visions of shady grand oak trees dripping with Spanish moss, offering a peek into a more rural side of Charleston. Several dining options have long existed for the residents of the island, but as its population grows, so grows the burgeoning food and beverage scene.
Since 2005, Hege’s Restaurant in Freshfields Village has served French cuisine in a bistro setting with classics like French onion soup, crab cakes and steak frites. Down on Maybank Highway, local favorite Wild Olive has led the way in sustainability and locally sourced items, boasting housemade pasta and a stunning Italian wine list.
But these popular staples are not the only game in town.
“We knew that Johns Island was growing faster than other parts of the area and also that we wouldn’t have to deal with some of the same logistic problems,” said John Williams, co-owner of Johns Island eatery The Royal Tern, echoing the sentiments of others who brought their businesses to the island for the community and space.
Bottom line: Johns Island’s developing food and beverage community is now a force to be reckoned with.
U.S. Navy veteran Jordan Hooker opened one of the island’s new additions in June, Somm Wine Bar, and he hopes it becomes a vital name on the island.
“Somm is a neighborhood-focused wine bar specializing in wine flights with special attention to detail, to incredible meat and cheese offerings,” Hooker said. “It’s kind of a Cheers bar, where everybody knows your name.”
Somm’s wine flights come with informational cards about each selection, which help guests discover something new.
“I like when people come in and are open to trying new things because the amount of flights that I have that turn into glass pours are astonishing,” Hooker said.
He said he likes to keep the menu fluid because there’s such a wide variety of wine and charcuterie available across the world. Somm’s charcuterie and cheeses are all vegetarian-fed, hormone- and antibiotic-free. And since Somm strictly serves wine, beer and charcuterie, it’s currently the only true wine bar on the island, a fact Hooker is proud of.
“We’re the only ones here on Johns,” he said, adding he is happy about the island’s reception of the shop and the weekly regulars that Somm has already gained.
Another newcomer Periwinkle Kitchen aims to fill a gap on the island, offering healthy chef-made to-go options.
Periwinkle, which opened mid-June on Betsy Kerrison Parkway, has a diverse menu that changes weekly, with fun staples like the BLT tortellini pasta salad and three chicken salad options. Recently, it offered a beef stroganoff that captured flavors of home.
“I was missing my parents, so I wanted to make things that remind me of my mother,” said chef Haley Gunter of the beef stroganoff. For Gunter, Periwinkle Kitchen is a space that allows her ideas to flow. “I finally got to a spot that I was able to help create,” she said.
Periwinkle’s owner Kim Hayes wants to do more than just serve delicious food.
“[Our staff] wants to build their careers, and we want to help them build them,” Hayes said. For her, Periwinkle Kitchen is an opportunity to give back on a personal level.
“I blew my back out in active duty [in the Army] and had a massive spine injury,” she said. “I didn’t know if I would ever stand or walk again, and now that I can, it’s a big thing to come in and see people smiling when they come into the cafe.”
Periwinkle Kitchen values the community and is proud to give back to it. A portion of the proceeds from its Heartfelt Cinnamon Rolls goes to the GreenHeart Charity.
“When you think of us, I hope what people always think of is a company that gives back to the community,” Hayes said. “It starts in your own backyard.”
Periwinkle also has Johns Island’s only juice bar where cold-pressed juices are served. It soon may turn into a smoothie bar, too.
For Johns Island locals, this next one is no secret, but for everyone else, it might be. Seanachai Whiskey & Cocktail Bar opened in 2011 and recently turned over ownership in 2019 to chef and U.S. Marine Corps veteran Jason Myers and his wife, former figure skater Marissa Myers.
“The pub has been around since 2011, and it’s just become a landmark and staple of Johns Island,” Jason Myers said. “We’ve been running it more or less the same as the founder intended.”
But, that’s not to say the establishment hasn’t grown.
“We just offer a really strong food program. Nothing crazy inventive, but super, super solid,” Myers said. “We’re a bar with a kitchen, not a restaurant.”
With the island’s increasing growth and the bar’s popularity, Seanachai will soon open for lunch and on Sunday evening’s after brunch.
“[Brunch] has easily become our second-busiest day of the week,” Myers said, highlighting brunch cocktails, like the Irish coffee cocktail, which he said is “second to none.”
He has also grown the whiskey list from about 100 to 350 whiskeys, adding that several times a year, he hosts a whiskey dinner.
“I typically try to do four to six of them a year, and they’re private, ticketed events. The whole pub closes down, the vibe changes to lowlight, candles and jazz, and I do a five- or six-course tasting menu with whiskey and cocktails.”
Myers and his wife also opened Flyin’ High Frozen Yogurt next door, offering frozen yogurt, coffee, pastries, CBD, Delta-8 and Delta-9 products.
Mexican eatery Minero shuttered its doors downtown in 2020 after six years on East Bay Street, but in June 2022, it found a new home on Johns Island — with much more space.
“The downtown location and kitchen were very small. We didn’t have room to have an expansive menu,” said Kenny Lyons, vice president of operations at the Neighborhood Dining Group.
In the new space, Minero added a back deck with games, as well as a live-fire charcoal grill used to make fajitas and items featuring charcoal-grilled chicken, like chimichangas and enchiladas, paired with housemade tortillas.
Lyons said the Johns Island community has welcomed the move with overwhelming support.
Brothers John and Ben Williams fulfilled their dream of opening a restaurant in 2019 when they moved to the Lowcountry and started The Royal Tern.
“The ability to design a space and building based on the way we wanted it as well as the ability to provide parking for patrons and employees was a huge deciding factor,” John Williams said.“Our initial goal was to offer the local Johns Island community a new restaurant where they could feel at home. With their loyalty and praise, we have been able to continue to grow as word gets out to people in the surrounding areas of Charleston.”
The Royal Tern offers globally inspired preparations of seafood and beef created by chef Kyle Kryske. Fan favorites include blackened swordfish, whole grilled fish and grilled shrimp, with gluten-free crème brÛleé and carrot cake as desserts.
Williams added that The Royal Tern’s manager and resident sommelier, Garth Herr, is always looking for wines to complement the menu. It also offers a phenomenal bar and cocktail program led by Jimmy Shea, making The Royal Tern a well-rounded place for a night out.
With so many possibilities, new and old, it’s pretty clear that no matter what you’re in the mood for, the Johns Island restaurant community has a fix for it, and they are excited to see you when you arrive.
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For years, we have urged local and state transportation planners to become more aggressive in pursuing smaller-scale traffic solutions for Johns Island, where congestion, particularly during regular commuting hours, has become the island’s No. 1 challenge.So it was encouraging last week when Charleston Mayor John Teckl...
For years, we have urged local and state transportation planners to become more aggressive in pursuing smaller-scale traffic solutions for Johns Island, where congestion, particularly during regular commuting hours, has become the island’s No. 1 challenge.
So it was encouraging last week when Charleston Mayor John Tecklenburg and Charleston County Council members Joe Boykin and Jenny Honeycutt met with the media to discuss their plans for advancing these solutions, which include adding lanes to Maybank Highway between the Stono River and River Road, reviving plans for a southern pitchfork that would create a new road off Maybank between the Stono River bridge and River Road and realigning Cane Slash Road to meet up better with that new southern pitchfork. “Until now there wasn’t a firm commitment by both governments to do this,” Mr. Tecklenburg said. “That’s what’s new.”
All those projects hold the promise of easing congestion significantly on that part of the island. Now that local support for them seems stronger than ever, the challenge is to expedite them and find the money needed to build them. We have an idea there.
Instead of County Council committing $75 million of its 2016 transportation sales tax referendum proceeds to further planning work for extending Interstate 526 across Johns and James islands, it should divert at least half of that toward funding these smaller, less costly and far less controversial projects, which can be built far more quickly and provide relief much sooner.
Diverting that money should not harm I-526, which remains in limbo until County Council comes up with a financing plan to cover most of its $2.2 billion cost (the state has capped its contribution at $425 million). While there’s talk of asking voters to approve yet another half-cent sales tax to raise that money in November 2024, we’re skeptical that it will pan out.
While the State Infrastructure Bank has agreed to match the county’s $75 million for 526 by releasing $75 million more of its $425 million commitment, we urge the state’s Joint Bond Review Committee to reject that contribution at least until the county has a firm plan to finish the project, not simply a notion to hold another referendum.
Johns Island has seen worsening congestion not only because of its growth but also because the specter of 526′s extension has seemed to slow any meaningful progress on the smaller but still significant improvements that would ease congestion.
We’re not referring only to the projects officials discussed last week. The planned flyover at Main Road and U.S. Highway 17 is an equally critical and popular project to improve traffic flow at the other end of the island. We’re dismayed construction work on it hasn’t begun yet, even though that was one of the projects promised in the 2016 sales tax referendum.
And that’s too bad, because those projects are very much worth completing even if I-526 ultimately gets extended. If that project ultimately dies, as we hope it does, the need for these smaller improvements will be even greater.
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JOHNS ISLAND, S.C. (WCIV) — Zipping down Maybank Highway, it’s simple to miss Simply Seafood.But, a wizard, simply, does not miss.“They wanted some good seafood- they saw the place, they didn’t even know it was here. Took a chance on it, came in, and said they couldn’t smell seafood, building smelled fresh which was impressive,” said owner Joe Cheddar.Cheddar’s shop is uniquely Johns Island. You can hear it in his accent. He’s so deeply rooted, so intrinsically tied to the ...
JOHNS ISLAND, S.C. (WCIV) — Zipping down Maybank Highway, it’s simple to miss Simply Seafood.
But, a wizard, simply, does not miss.
“They wanted some good seafood- they saw the place, they didn’t even know it was here. Took a chance on it, came in, and said they couldn’t smell seafood, building smelled fresh which was impressive,” said owner Joe Cheddar.
Cheddar’s shop is uniquely Johns Island. You can hear it in his accent. He’s so deeply rooted, so intrinsically tied to the waters that surround it.
The guests were just hungry on that February day. On their way back from golfing at Kiawah. A week-long guys' trip. The lunch stop is a “swing and hit” for a guy who knows a bit about that.
“He said he would come and see me the next day, I didn’t think he was going to come back,” said Cheddar.
He did. And then he came back for three more days after that. Did we mention, the leader of this pack- the wizard himself, Ozzie Smith?
His friend tipped Joe off.
“He was like, who do you know? I said Tom Glavine, Roger Clemens, Darryl Strawberry—he said, look at this picture I saw Ozzie but had forgotten about Ozzie, but I knew the player, but couldn’t recognize when I see him. I saw the picture and looked over at him and said ‘No way,’ the star-struck hit then,” said Cheddar.
“He was just amazing, the most thing he said, to see you and your fiancée, treat us so well and not know who we are--- shows how good customer service you have. We treated him like he was family, not knowing who he was.”
He signed some memorabilia, with a memorable offer from Joe.
“He told me and my wife he was going to invite us to a game in St. Louis, in his town,” Cheddar said.
They picked July 2. The only problem, Joe, lost Ozzie’s number.
“Blew me away. I was wondering if I was still going, if it was a real thing, or buttering myself up. Text came through- still coming to the game on the 2nd I said we’ll be there. I went to the boss lady, said you won’t believe who just texted me,” Cheddar said.
In Saint Louis, hall of fame treatment from the Hall of Famer.
“I got there, they sent us up in the elevator—we got up there, the guy said you are going to the suites. Got to the suite—AC, skybox, TVs, catered food, alcohol- all the good things you could ever want,” Cheddar said. “He’s humble. I have never met a person so successful. He doesn’t treat you any different than him. Treated us like we’ve known him forever.”
Back home on the Fourth with stories for a lifetime, and seafood, as timeless as the Wizard of Oz.