So Long and Farewell...

Charlie Mitchell, my former executive editor at the newspaper is leaving The Vicksburg Post after 24 years. He's heading to Oxford for a new job as assistant dean of the Ole Miss School of Journalism. While I'm very sad to see him go, I know this opportunity will be right up his alley, and I wish him nothing but the best.

On Sunday afternoon I headed out to the "country" for a little going-away party with my old newspaper friends. The guest of honor was decked out in his red and blue in true Hotty Toddy spirit.

I have many a fond memory of Charlie... Every Christmas he would put out motion-sensor singing Christmas decorations in the newsroom. It never failed - anytime anyone would walk past one of them, the whole newsroom would groan at the annoyance. I'm pretty sure batteries started disappearing one-by-one as it got closer to Christmas.

One crazy night at the VFW (that was our own little newspaper hang-out back in the day) I did a spectacular karaoke rendition of "Santa Baby" that he never let me live down. I don't even think he was there that night, but word spread fast, and I'd blush every time I'd walk past his office. He thought it was hilarious.

My friend and co-worker Lauchlin and I worked up the nerve to meet Charlie for lunch one day to discuss some issues we were having at the time. It was a conversation held in confidence, and he assured us that he would take care of it, and he did. That's all it took. He listened.

I was incredibly intimidated by him for the first two years I was there. It was my first job out of college, and I had a lot to learn. He worked with me on some pretty in-depth stories, one in particular about a child abuse case that I followed for a few years. I grew tremendously as a writer in the four years I was there. My last day of work, I got lucky when it was time to leave and he wasn't in his office. I sent him an instant message saying goodbye so I wouldn't cry.

So, farewell, Mr. Mitchell... The newspaper won't be the same without you, but Ole Miss has gained a very valuable asset. Best wishes in your new endeavor.