North Carolina Boundary Lines Drawn on an Oak Desk

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The room smelled of old floor wax, wet wool coats, and the faint dampness of people coming in from the November storm.

Ralph Hise sat on the raised committee dais, his fingers resting on a stack of blue-bound folders. He was twirling a heavy brass pen between his knuckles, the metal clicking against his signet ring with every rotation.

To his left,continue reading …