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A legendary tale of a glamorous party in 1934, when the famed composer introduced the music for Porgy and Bess
In a world often filled with skepticism, the family stories passed down through generations carry a weight that is hard to dismiss. Over the decades, my parents, Harry and Fannie Berendt, often would recount a strange, serendipitous beach experience from their youth. Although 90 years have passed and there is no one who can corroborate their encounter, it always felt undeniably true to me. My mother and father were good people grounded in reality and not prone to lies or exaggeration. This story is theirs; the embellishments are mine.
In 1934, my parents, who lived downtown on Montagu Street, rented a cottage for a week-long vacation on Folly Beach. During that decade, Folly had not achieved notoriety as the lively, funky “Edge of America” we know today. It served as a serene and secluded haven, where the rhythms of nature dictated the pace of life and provided solace to its residents and visitors…