I received several e-mails about my most-recent blog, "Candid Moments in Time," and I sincerely appreciated the comments. I seem to have joggled other folks' memories with these little "photo flashes" of things from the past. So, I've decided to add some additional candid moments to this blogspot. Maybe these will, like the previous ones, bring back some precious memories for you.
- Stopping by Reba Wilson's home on Saturdays to collect for the Columbus Dispatch newspaper, and being paid in real silver dollars. She also used them as gifts to me at Christmas, for my birthday, and at graduation from high school. How I wish I had those old dollars today!
- Riding the school bus from North Lewisburg to Cable for seventh and eighth grades.
- Riding the bus from Cable to Triad High School for band rehearsals.
- Listening to the always-entertaining performances of the Triad High School choir under the direction of Miss Jane Squires.
- The classical Triad High School dramas - with the exception of "Hillbilly Wedding" - as directed by Mr. Paul Powers.
- Constantly being amazed at the intelligence - and temperament - of Mr. Robin R. Morrow, math teacher.
- Sadly learning of young Paris Outland's death along Spain Creek.
- Rushing to buy one when old Frank Connell offered some Civil War hats for sale in his store.
- Robert Painter taking me aside and encouraging me to someday "take typing in school. It will be one of the most productive classes you ever take!" - And he was right.
- Working on the current week's edition of "Triad Hi-Lites" school newspaper. (Thanks, Eileen Inskeep Carpenter for recently mailing me those 50-year old copies!)
- The day Miss Cross was supervising study hall at Triad High School, and received a call on the intercom from Mr. Beattie. She responded by walking over and talking into the thermostat.
- The fight that erupted between Triad and Christenburg-Jackson during a basketball game. Fans from both sides dashed onto the floor for the melee. I vividly remember seeing my step-father, Putt, with one man under each arm.
- W. C. Sargent, basketball coach, and his 1958 Oldsmobile that he let me drive after practices.
- B. E. Willis, long-time mayor of North Lewisburg, and his dapper appearance in dress and manner.
- When the residence numbers for our local phone service was only four digits (ours was 2273).
- Agnes Livingston's wonderful sense of humor and great laugh. Paying the utility bills at her office - and my Mom who worked for awhile as her clerk.
- Jim and Polly Bails after they took over the old Buckwalter Hardware Store, a fun place to just look around.
- The day the water main erupted across the street from my mobile home on Sycamore Street, and which led to an infamous fist-fight,
- When fire erupted on the top floor of the home owned by Floyd and Delores Simpson (formerly owned by Ray and Ruby Patrick, and more recently by Lamar and Laura Delaney) and was quickly extinguished by the local volunteer firefighters.
- The day in 1967 when the Bank of North Lewisburg was robbed at gunpoint, and young Max Coates was injured.
- The night my older brother David came home with the new "Don Eagle" Mohawk haircut, much to the dismay of our mother.
- Lee Arnold Forrest coming to court my sister Charma on his beautiful Indian motorcycle.
- Taking the drive to Woodstock on Sundays to get an ice cream sundae at the old drug store there. Then, buying a Charms lollipop and hurrying back home to watch "Lassie" on television.
- Watching Lester Overfield and Dorothy Spain as they sorted the mail at the post office, while waiting to see if there would be anything in our old P. O. Box 62.
- Crawling through the many tunnels we excavated under the hog houses which sat across the street from Ray Patrick's John Deere & coal yard dealership.
- Stopping to see the circus when it sat up on the old ballpark.
- The 1957 Ford station wagon which used to be seen in town, driving up and down the streets with the "lemon" cutouts pasted to the sides, hood, and top, along with the signs "So-and-So Sold Me A Lemon!" in reference to an auto dealership in Urbana.
- When the old man from Middleburg used to drive into town for his Saturday shopping trip, in his old Model T Ford, which he had hand-painted a bright red. In places, the car was held together with baling wire.
- Working summers baling hay and straw on the farms of John and Ralph Westfall, Glen Simpson, Otis Smith, Merritt White and others.
- Waiting patiently for a sliver of cold, refreshing ice as the delivery man dropped off our weekly block of ice for the old wooden "icebox."
- Sneaking over and swiping those tart, wonderfully delicious Granny Smith apples from Billy Curl's tree.
- Getting a carburetor fixed at Lionel Grauman's garage.
- Stopping for one reason or another at Ernie Witten's service station, or Basil Spain's.
- All of the wonderful things that Dick Holycross would do on a regular basis for the folks around town - and always with a big smile on his face.
- That birthday party at Sallie Hayes' home when we played that game where we proposed to someone while we were blindfolded - and then being embarrassed to find out who we had proposed to.
- Those wonderful, spiritual Sunday morning services at the Methodist Church.
- Listening and watching as those huge diesel locomotives passed through town on the railroad, sometimes stopping at the local depot to drop something off.
- Going to the local movie theater on a Friday night to see the newsreel, previews, and cartoon before the feature began.
- The old "Farmers' Institute" festivals which were held in the old high school building, with exhibits, games, lots of great food, ice cream, movies (or productions) in the auditorium, and a chance to spend some time with friends and family.
- Walking out to the fence which separated our property from Homer Howell's pasture very, very late on Christmas Eve when I was very, very young. Why? Someone had told me that the animals speak on Christmas Eve in remembrance of the Nativity - and I wanted to be out there to hear them.
- Awakening on that glorious Christmas morning to find that Lionel electric train set which I had so desperately wanted.
- Standing in rapt awe when Colonel Thomas Chamberlain, a local boy, in full military uniform, came home for a visit from the Army.
- Stopping for a burger and fries at Don Smith's restaurant - later owned by Lee and Christine Quinton - on Maple Street.
- A great-tasting, deep fried, perch sandwich at "Griff's Grill," owned and operated by Ray and Mary Griffin.
- Looking at the array of radios, stereos, tape recorders, televisions, and other stuff at Richard Russell's store.
- Collecting the "Howdy Doody" labels we used to find in "Wonder Bread" packages, and trading some with friends at school.
- Daily marble competition on the grounds of the old elementary school house.
- Mr. Robert McKee, band director, and the way he used to wield his baton - occasionally smacking fingers with it - when we practiced.
- Milford E. Bowen, Jr., a great history teacher, and a man with a fantastic sense of humor. When it was pointed out to him that one word on his history test had too many "l"s in it, barked out: "Well, we'll have to get the 'l' out of here!"
- High school graduating classes donating money to Triad High School so the gray, concrete walls could be painted.
- Robert "Skipper" Lantz, leading a group of kids, soldier-wannabes, as we "attacked" a sandbar smack in the middle of Spain Creek
- Going to farms in the area during maple sugar season to buy some of that delicious, home-made candy.
- Watching Mr. Mason Martin, janitor of the old elementary school building, or Mr. Raymond Hayslip, janitor of the old high school building, as they conscientiously went about their daily duties.
- All of the precious moments we boys spent under the tutelage of Virginia Tomlin Davis, Kay Ricketts, other ladies during our Cub Scout years.
- Mr. Everett Brelsford as he mentored yet another FFA team to victory, year after year after year.
- Stopping by Tom Sheehe's poultry and egg shop on a Saturday afternoon for a bottle of Orange Crush.
- Watching from a short distance away with friends Tom and Jim Reid when Jim Freshwater's hearse parked in front of their house and took away their grandpa George Reid.
These are some of the memories which flash across my mind's screen from time to time, and which just as quickly are filed away once more. Life is a series of images - memories which sustain us as we grow older. I'm sure I'll be able to recall others to share with you.
