Chiles and His Florida: Tallahassee

In all fuss about small-town Panhandle lore and Lawton Chiles, it's easy to forget Tallahassee.

I realized that the other day at a doctor's appointment in town.

The nurse asked me what I did and explained my project. She said she once had Governor Chiles over for dinner. Said he was one of the nicest people she ever met and she has a picture at home still of the occasion. She and her husband at the time made venison stroganoff for him, with a freshly caught deer. Instead of milk, she used yogurt to suit his diet requirements.

She said she still remembered his great smile.

He left big footprints in the capital city, just like every stop on highway 90 from Century to Monticello.