East of Town

I'd like to say I had a lot of good memories about the house East of town. Can't say that I do. Only one I can really think of is the fact that Elaine McCandless lived down the road. Her Dad was the town vet. I guess I, and every other boy in town, had a little crush on Elaine. Not that we were interested in girls, but she had a pretty face and long light brown hair, and her Dad was rich. What's not to like about that?

I was in Kindergarten I think about then. I must have been riding the bus home from school, though I only vaguely remember riding any bus. One day I rode the bus home and I was the only family member who did. Usually one of my older brothers or sisters would also come home after school. They would be my protector, my kid sitter, my snack preparer...whatever. But on this particular day, it was only me. A small kindergartner all alone at a house in the middle of nowhere. I guess all the brothers and sisters had other things going on and no one knew that Clintie was going to be home alone. The story goes that I figured out how to call my Mom at her work. She was working at the town Laundry/Dry Cleaners. She answered the phone and said she heard the small tiny voice of a scared little boy who said: "Mom, I'm all alone!" Poor Clintie, its a wonder I ever grew up sane...no wait...

I remember that the house had a serious mouse problem. You could sit on the couch and hear them running behind the couch...or see them run across the floor. Carole said she remembers the mice running across her pillow. What a wonderful home.

I remember there was a kid who lived across the street. I can't remember his name, but he was older than me and he was a bully. I remember he got a mohawk haircut one time. I remember thinking it 'so strange' to cut your hair that way. I think I had (still have) an aversion to mohawk haircuts because of that one kid. NO MOHAWKS!

At the house east of town, we had a rooster that was very mean. I think we called him Peckie, or Pecker, or something like that. You could not go outside without getting attacked by that mean chicken. I have no idea why we kept him. We should of had him for Sunday dinner...now that would have been a satisfying meal.

One time at that house, we had visitors that had car trouble. They could not get it started, so they all decided a group of us would push the car down the driveway and pop the clutch. So kids and adults joined in at the back of the car...push push push...the clutch was popped...the car started...everybody let go as the car pulled away...well all except little Jackie Orr who forgot to let go of the bumper. The car drug him down the driveway quite a ways. He was too scared to let go. Skinned his knees up pretty good. In the same house, Jackie was jumping on the bunk bed with a bow (from bow and arrow) in his hand. When he jumped off the top bunk, he landed with the top of the bow in his mouth. Scraped up the top on his mouth real good...talk about bleeding. Off to the hospital! I wonder if he survived childhood?

One time, I think it was springtime, the snow was melting, the weather was warm, and the driveway up to our house was a mud bog. I think the car got stuck trying to make it to the house, and we were walking the rest of the way to the house. The mud was so thick that my boots got stuck in the mud and I couldn't get them out. There I was, stuck in the mud, crying, and everyone leaving me behind. Someone felt sorry for me and came back to get me. They could not get the boots unstuck, so they just picked me up and carried me to the house. We left the boots out in the mud. I think my Mom was very mad. She must have been pretty mad because...the next day...there was a gravel truck dumping gravel on our driveway.

Not the best of times out East of town. Maybe that's why Elaine was such a bright spot in my little world.