Take a journey with me, if you will. A journey back in time to Craig, Colorado; the year is 1967. It was time for me to start the 5th grade. I had begun my school years at the newer Sunset Elementary on the West side of our small little town. Sunset had newer buildings, a huge playground area; it was a well designed modern (for it's day) educational facility. Sunset Elementary was all I knew of schools. I had attended Kindergarten through the fourth grade at good ole' Sunset Elementary. We moved to a different part of town during the summer between my fourth and fifth grade years of schooling. We moved to an old house on Yampa Street in the center of Craig, and that meant I would be changing schools.
There is good news and bad news in this scenario. I would be attending Breeze Elementary School. The good news was that it was only about one block to school. No more riding the bus, just slip out the back door, cross the alley, kitty corner through a neighbors yard, cross the street and wall-ahh...I was at school. The bad new was that Breeze Elementary was located in a very old school building, and my teacher would be Mrs. Potter.
When I say it was an old building, we're talking OLD. Like maybe it was the first school ever built in Craig. It was a large square 2 story brick building. The entrances were in the middle of the building, with hallways in the middle of the building, and classrooms on the North and South sides of the hallway. In the middle of the hallway were the stairs, which seemed like a giant staircase in my memory bank. I can picture them rising North up to a platform at the half way point; that platform running back to the West, and then another flight of stairs back to the South and eventually one would reach the 2nd story of the old school. My classroom was on the South side of the 2nd story. A very large classroom where I would experience the joys of 5th grade learning. Breeze Elementary had the old radiator heating. I remember the stench of it the first time they cranked on, and the crackling noises they made as the heat filled them during the cold Colorado winter. I can't help but think of the Movie 'Sixth Sense' when I reminisce about Breeze Elementary. That large hallway and staircase reminds me of the scene where he looks to his left and sees the 3 bodies hanging from the rafters. That was the feel of Breeze Elementary. Breeze also had a fire escape for evacuation purposes. It was not the traditional staircase on the side of the building, it was the slide on the side of the building. Yes, a large metal tube, probably 3 to 4 feet in diameter and about 30-40 feet in length. Students would climb into the tube and slide to the safety of the ground below. I loved fire drills at Breeze Elementary! WEEEEEeeeeee.
Breeze Elementary had a gymnasium as well. I believe it had been a High School or Junior high at one time; and now it was being used to relieve some of the overcrowding at the other Elementary schools. The gymnasium was a typical older school gym. There really was no sideline or seating area. There was just a big basketball court in the middle with a stage on the south side of the gymnasium. That was the year I learned how to determine which was my left hand and which hand was my right hand. It had never been that important to know which hand was the right and which was the left prior to 5th grade. But in PE class, in the gym, the instructor would make us do exercises and we had to know which hand was right or left for certain calisthenics. We were always facing the stage for the exercises, and so I knew that the East side of the Gym was my left hand and the West side of the gym was my right. After that, for years, if I was trying to determine my left from my right, I would picture myself in that gym, facing that stage, and knew that 'this hand' was my left hand because I was facing the stage. Determination by Association I guess.
The lunchroom was on the West side of the school. I don't remember much about the lunch room itself, but I remember what happened inside the lunch room. They had a rule that we had to eat everything on our tray if we had eaten the hot lunch. There was no throwing food away! I, like most 5th grade boys did not like vegetables that well. Actually, not at all! But mostly, I really hated the peas. I could not force myself to eat those nasty old green pellets. So, I ingeniously devised a plan to drink my milk and stuff the peas into the milk carton, and then throw the peas away with the milk carton. It worked to! I can't remember ever getting caught disposing of my peas. So it was bye bye peas. Yaaaay... 'cause peas are yucky!
My 5th grade teacher was Mrs. Potter. Ugly, old hag of a teacher who was nothing but mean. I can still see her face, with that big old mole on it. Why couldn't I have gotten the other 5th grade teacher like my friend Andy got? It just wasn't fair! Mrs. Potter yelled at us, made us work, work, work. Classroom wise, I hated that year. But, when it was all said and done and the year was over, I could honestly look back and say "I learned more that year, than I ever had before". Mrs. Potter may have been a mean old hag, but she taught us a lot of good stuff.
When the weather was nice enough, our PE class would go outside and kitty-corner from the northeast corner of the school was a vacant lot where we have our PE class. I remember that we played flag football for a while. I remember that they had tryouts for the position of Quarterback. Each student would throw passes at receivers, and surprising enough I was chosen as one of the quarterbacks. I think I was more lucky than I was good, but nevertheless, I made the final cut. Something about those practices makes me think of my friend CoCo Cliften...though I can't remember why.
Today, Breeze Elementary School is gone. It is just a City Park with grass and a few trees. The radiators no longer creak or stench. The clatter of the lunch room trays is silent. I can no longer tell my left hand from my right hand, 'cause the stage is gone. The Breeze is now silent.
Well, there you have it. My exciting year of education at Breeze Elementary. I learned a lot, I had some new experiences, and I survived that scary old building and that scary old teacher. I learned how to tell my left from my right, and I learned the 'art of deception' regarding pea disposal anyway. The year was nearly complete. I recall that on the last day of school on a sunny springtime day, we went for a little field trip. It was the last week of school, where everyday you just do fun stuff. I can't even remember where we were going for the field trip. I remember it was very sunny. I remember a long line of kids walking down the sidewalk. I remember holding the hand of my 5th grade girlfriend Edie as we walked. It was my first awkward attempt at a PDA.
We moved away from Colorado that summer.
I never saw Edie again.
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Saturday, January 2, 2010
The Good Old Days
I had just worked a stressful 10 hour shift in a 911 dispatch center. I had spent the day answering emergency phone calls and dispatching police, fire, and paramedics to those in need. Now, with my work day complete, it was time to unwind while I made the drive home. On a normal commute day, it takes me about 30 minutes to make the drive from the workplace to my home. Most of the drive would just be non-eventful, boring, interstate driving.
So, there I was vegetating on the interstate; pretty much driving in auto-pilot mode. I was basically just driving down the road, not really looking at other cars or other drivers, just taking my place in a long line of other commuters making the same tedious drive home. I didn't have the radio on, I was just enjoying the quiet drive home in the solitude of my little car. After 10 hours of answering phones, I am usually suffering from acute noise fatigue; so unless I really need a traffic report, I generally keep the radio off.
I was startled out of my vegetative trance by an older style 60's pick up truck that made an unusual shift in his traffic lane ahead of me. When you're driving on the interstate, it is the unexpected that catches your attention as the other drivers are really just one more ant in a long line of worker ants headed back to their little anthills. I studied the truck for a moment, since it's erratic behavior had ejected me from my migratory trance. Seeing the truck reminded of a friend I knew years ago whose dad had driven a similar truck. It took me back to my younger days, and made me wish I still had my old pick up.
Next, there was the usual irritated driver response where I wondered, 'What the heck is that driver doing up there...he's obviously not paying attention to the road'! My eyes proceeded up and over the tailgate to peek inside the cab of the truck as it traveled down the highway. Inside the truck there appeared to be a male driving the pick up. Next to him a female. The two of them appeared to be the only persons in the vehicle. What I found most interesting, and what prompted me to write this little blog entry, was the fact that the female was sitting in the middle of the bench seat, right next to the driver. Well, that explains the distraction that no doubt caused his errant traffic deviation.
Seeing the two of them snuggled up to each other really made me stop and think about the good old days. In our modern world, almost every car purchased these days has bucket seats in the forward part of the vehicle. Even trucks and SUV's usually have bucket seats. Or maybe, I'm just old, and married, or have too many children to think about such things. Still, I remember the old days when I was dating and that special girl would slide across the seat and snuggle up next to me, and off we would go. For us guys who drove a stick shift, it was quite convenient for our right hand to rest on the thigh of our sweetheart in-between shifting gears. Then, during a 'young love' conversation, she could turn and plant an affectionate kiss on the drivers cheek...or neck. Whoa, I think I just made an errant lane change.
I remember one of my college friends came home from a date one evening complaining about a traffic citation he had received while driving with his date. Officially, he was cited for 'inattentive driving'. My friend said the officer thought he was paying too much attention to his passenger, and not enough attention to the road.
I think about those days and it makes me smile...and it makes me happy inside. It's such a good feeling to have someone snuggle up next to you, sit in the middle of the seat, grab your arm, look up at your face, and just enjoy being in your company.
Today, I don't even have a car with a bench seat. Car makers these days are striving to make the most comfortable cars possible...you know...the cars with the contour seats that mold around our big butts. Perhaps they have missed the most obvious accessory of all...the girlfriend who sits right next to you!
I heard an old joke a long time ago, where a married couple was driving down the road, reminiscing about the topic of this blog discussion. The wife saying "Remember when we were young and I would sit in the middle of the seat and snuggle up next to you?, I wonder when and why we quit riding like that?" The husband just looked over at his wife and said: "Well, I haven't moved!"
Yes, Good times! And although I don't have any vehicles that have a bench seat. And, although my wife and I never had a car with bench seats while we were dating..And, although, I don't foresee any bench seats in my future...still a little part of me wants to go rent an old pick up with a bench seat, grab the wife and go for a little ride. She can snuggle up next to me in the middle of the seat...real close. I can shift the old pick up into high gear and rest my hand on her thigh, and she can look up at me with that 'I love you forever' look in her eye and give me a soft little kiss on the cheek. And...
Clint! Clint! CLINT! Wake up you're snoring again!
So, there I was vegetating on the interstate; pretty much driving in auto-pilot mode. I was basically just driving down the road, not really looking at other cars or other drivers, just taking my place in a long line of other commuters making the same tedious drive home. I didn't have the radio on, I was just enjoying the quiet drive home in the solitude of my little car. After 10 hours of answering phones, I am usually suffering from acute noise fatigue; so unless I really need a traffic report, I generally keep the radio off.
I was startled out of my vegetative trance by an older style 60's pick up truck that made an unusual shift in his traffic lane ahead of me. When you're driving on the interstate, it is the unexpected that catches your attention as the other drivers are really just one more ant in a long line of worker ants headed back to their little anthills. I studied the truck for a moment, since it's erratic behavior had ejected me from my migratory trance. Seeing the truck reminded of a friend I knew years ago whose dad had driven a similar truck. It took me back to my younger days, and made me wish I still had my old pick up.
Next, there was the usual irritated driver response where I wondered, 'What the heck is that driver doing up there...he's obviously not paying attention to the road'! My eyes proceeded up and over the tailgate to peek inside the cab of the truck as it traveled down the highway. Inside the truck there appeared to be a male driving the pick up. Next to him a female. The two of them appeared to be the only persons in the vehicle. What I found most interesting, and what prompted me to write this little blog entry, was the fact that the female was sitting in the middle of the bench seat, right next to the driver. Well, that explains the distraction that no doubt caused his errant traffic deviation.
Seeing the two of them snuggled up to each other really made me stop and think about the good old days. In our modern world, almost every car purchased these days has bucket seats in the forward part of the vehicle. Even trucks and SUV's usually have bucket seats. Or maybe, I'm just old, and married, or have too many children to think about such things. Still, I remember the old days when I was dating and that special girl would slide across the seat and snuggle up next to me, and off we would go. For us guys who drove a stick shift, it was quite convenient for our right hand to rest on the thigh of our sweetheart in-between shifting gears. Then, during a 'young love' conversation, she could turn and plant an affectionate kiss on the drivers cheek...or neck. Whoa, I think I just made an errant lane change.
I remember one of my college friends came home from a date one evening complaining about a traffic citation he had received while driving with his date. Officially, he was cited for 'inattentive driving'. My friend said the officer thought he was paying too much attention to his passenger, and not enough attention to the road.
I think about those days and it makes me smile...and it makes me happy inside. It's such a good feeling to have someone snuggle up next to you, sit in the middle of the seat, grab your arm, look up at your face, and just enjoy being in your company.
Today, I don't even have a car with a bench seat. Car makers these days are striving to make the most comfortable cars possible...you know...the cars with the contour seats that mold around our big butts. Perhaps they have missed the most obvious accessory of all...the girlfriend who sits right next to you!
I heard an old joke a long time ago, where a married couple was driving down the road, reminiscing about the topic of this blog discussion. The wife saying "Remember when we were young and I would sit in the middle of the seat and snuggle up next to you?, I wonder when and why we quit riding like that?" The husband just looked over at his wife and said: "Well, I haven't moved!"
Yes, Good times! And although I don't have any vehicles that have a bench seat. And, although my wife and I never had a car with bench seats while we were dating..And, although, I don't foresee any bench seats in my future...still a little part of me wants to go rent an old pick up with a bench seat, grab the wife and go for a little ride. She can snuggle up next to me in the middle of the seat...real close. I can shift the old pick up into high gear and rest my hand on her thigh, and she can look up at me with that 'I love you forever' look in her eye and give me a soft little kiss on the cheek. And...
Clint! Clint! CLINT! Wake up you're snoring again!
Saturday, December 26, 2009
Crossing Fortification Creek
The long, cold, harsh, Colorado winter had passed and the springtime was beginning to blossom in the small town of Craig. I was not much different than any other boy in the 60's, and I could not wait to get outside and enjoy the bright springtime sun. My best friend Andy lived several miles east of town. So we didn't have much time to explore together unless we planned ahead. On this particular spring day, I buddied up with a school mate named Joe and we were off to find something adventurous to do. I'm not sure if we were headed for Sherwood Forest or to the playground, but ultimately we ended up at the Craig City Park.
It was still early spring, so the grass was still brown, and the trees were still bare. Under the bridge of the main drag Victory Way, there was still several feet of ice that had built up under Fortification Creek bridge where the creek flowed under Victory Way. The creek was very high with the onset of warm weather and the snow pack rapidly melting in the mountains above Craig. There was no shortage of snow in the rugged Colorado Rocky Mountains. Throughout most of the year, Fortification Creek was merely a slow moving trickle of water about 6 feet wide and about a foot deep. In the spring however, it became a monster of muddy water about 20 feet across, and was several feet deep where it flowed through the Craig City Park. Certainly, it was no place for a couple of elementary school boys to be playing. But we played at the park all the time. For that matter, we played near the creek all the time. Today seemed no different to us than any other day, and besides, we had been bottled up in the house all winter, and this was our chance to explore.
To make matters worse, or more adventurous, if you're one of those boys, there was a shortcut across the creek. Yes, about 100 yards North of the Victory way bridge, there were two water lines that crossed the creek from East to West. We crossed the creek there all the time. It was really simple, and kind of fun, because there were 2 pipes that went across the creek, and they were right next to each other. In fact, they were attached to each other by braces that made them quite secure. One of the pipes was about
6 inches in diameter, and the other was maybe 3 inches in diameter. So, all it took was a little balance and it was quite simple to cross the creek by shuffling across the 2 pipes in our cheap 1960 sneakers.
This day, probably would not have been any different from any of the other crossings, except for these large sections of logs that were floating down the creek that day. Each section was about 4 foot in length and maybe 2 feet in diameter. They were floating by about one every 200 yards or so. We watched them float by for a while and then one of us (not sure which stupid kid it was) got this brilliant idea that we were going to stop one of these Lincoln logs. I have no idea why, but I guess we thought it would be cool.
So we rummaged around and found a large tree limb to use to stop the log so we could inspect the log?? I, being the braver of the two boys (hey, it's my story)had the stick in hand, standing on two narrow pipes, over a rushing springtime creek, patiently waiting for my first victim log to arrive.
Here it comes. It was meandering down the creek with no particular purpose. I braced myself to stop the log. I studied the laws of inertia in the 6th grade. Trouble was, I was now in the 4th grade. To make a long story short, as soon as my stick hit that log, my butt hit the water. That log knocked me off the pipe and into the raging creek in a micro-second. Oh, did I tell you I learned to swim in the 6th grade too.
So, here I am...thrashing around in a raging muddy creek, unable to swim, and an ice flow about 100 yards away that was forcing all the water under the ice and under the bridge. I came up out of the water fighting for my life. There was the log. Grab on to the log Clint, grab it! I tried grabbing the log, but all it did was spin, round and round. Panic abounding, I was thrashing, spinning the log and rapidly floating downstream toward the ice trap. I distinctly remember Joe running along the East shore of the creek yelling something at me. A video of my face would have been priceless I'm sure!
This is the part of the story where I say, God must have had a plan for my life, because I really should have died that day. I couldn't swim. The creek was about 75 yards away from pushing me under the water and ice and taking away any chances of breathing any air for another 100 yards at least. The only thing close was a spinning log that was of no use whatsoever. Somehow, I'm sure by the grace of God, I was able to grasp a bush that was near the bank and pull myself to safety.
Soaking wet. Thankful to be alive. And a lot wiser about inertia. Thank you Jesus!
It truly is a wonder that more kids don't die in childhood. I know I should have died that day. We went home and I changed into some dry clothes.
What should we do next?
It was still early spring, so the grass was still brown, and the trees were still bare. Under the bridge of the main drag Victory Way, there was still several feet of ice that had built up under Fortification Creek bridge where the creek flowed under Victory Way. The creek was very high with the onset of warm weather and the snow pack rapidly melting in the mountains above Craig. There was no shortage of snow in the rugged Colorado Rocky Mountains. Throughout most of the year, Fortification Creek was merely a slow moving trickle of water about 6 feet wide and about a foot deep. In the spring however, it became a monster of muddy water about 20 feet across, and was several feet deep where it flowed through the Craig City Park. Certainly, it was no place for a couple of elementary school boys to be playing. But we played at the park all the time. For that matter, we played near the creek all the time. Today seemed no different to us than any other day, and besides, we had been bottled up in the house all winter, and this was our chance to explore.
To make matters worse, or more adventurous, if you're one of those boys, there was a shortcut across the creek. Yes, about 100 yards North of the Victory way bridge, there were two water lines that crossed the creek from East to West. We crossed the creek there all the time. It was really simple, and kind of fun, because there were 2 pipes that went across the creek, and they were right next to each other. In fact, they were attached to each other by braces that made them quite secure. One of the pipes was about
6 inches in diameter, and the other was maybe 3 inches in diameter. So, all it took was a little balance and it was quite simple to cross the creek by shuffling across the 2 pipes in our cheap 1960 sneakers.
This day, probably would not have been any different from any of the other crossings, except for these large sections of logs that were floating down the creek that day. Each section was about 4 foot in length and maybe 2 feet in diameter. They were floating by about one every 200 yards or so. We watched them float by for a while and then one of us (not sure which stupid kid it was) got this brilliant idea that we were going to stop one of these Lincoln logs. I have no idea why, but I guess we thought it would be cool.
So we rummaged around and found a large tree limb to use to stop the log so we could inspect the log?? I, being the braver of the two boys (hey, it's my story)had the stick in hand, standing on two narrow pipes, over a rushing springtime creek, patiently waiting for my first victim log to arrive.
Here it comes. It was meandering down the creek with no particular purpose. I braced myself to stop the log. I studied the laws of inertia in the 6th grade. Trouble was, I was now in the 4th grade. To make a long story short, as soon as my stick hit that log, my butt hit the water. That log knocked me off the pipe and into the raging creek in a micro-second. Oh, did I tell you I learned to swim in the 6th grade too.
So, here I am...thrashing around in a raging muddy creek, unable to swim, and an ice flow about 100 yards away that was forcing all the water under the ice and under the bridge. I came up out of the water fighting for my life. There was the log. Grab on to the log Clint, grab it! I tried grabbing the log, but all it did was spin, round and round. Panic abounding, I was thrashing, spinning the log and rapidly floating downstream toward the ice trap. I distinctly remember Joe running along the East shore of the creek yelling something at me. A video of my face would have been priceless I'm sure!
This is the part of the story where I say, God must have had a plan for my life, because I really should have died that day. I couldn't swim. The creek was about 75 yards away from pushing me under the water and ice and taking away any chances of breathing any air for another 100 yards at least. The only thing close was a spinning log that was of no use whatsoever. Somehow, I'm sure by the grace of God, I was able to grasp a bush that was near the bank and pull myself to safety.
Soaking wet. Thankful to be alive. And a lot wiser about inertia. Thank you Jesus!
It truly is a wonder that more kids don't die in childhood. I know I should have died that day. We went home and I changed into some dry clothes.
What should we do next?
Sunday, November 22, 2009
It's a heartache
There are not too many songs that I can hear on the radio that take me back to a certain place and time in my life. There are a few. Okie from Muskogee for example takes me back to 6th grade in Compton California. My first record, my first record player. God I'm old.
One of the strongest songs that will take me back is Bonnie Tyler's "It's a Heartache". I go straight to Billings Montana about 1978 when I was working for Moldy Gold Dairy (Meadow Gold). The song was a hit. I liked it. And they played it on the radio all the time that year. So whenever I hear it, I see myself in a restaurant near the Metra, delivering milk.
A one hit wonder and a lonely single guy. But I could lift 18 gallons of milk! Maybe that's why I have back problems!!
One of the strongest songs that will take me back is Bonnie Tyler's "It's a Heartache". I go straight to Billings Montana about 1978 when I was working for Moldy Gold Dairy (Meadow Gold). The song was a hit. I liked it. And they played it on the radio all the time that year. So whenever I hear it, I see myself in a restaurant near the Metra, delivering milk.
A one hit wonder and a lonely single guy. But I could lift 18 gallons of milk! Maybe that's why I have back problems!!
Friday, May 8, 2009
Green Street
Of all the streets, in all the towns across America, I found myself remembering Green Street. We never lived on Green Street. It was mainly a residential street in the small town of Craig. We didn't have any friends or family that lived on Green Street. Yet, here I am making a post entitled 'Green Street'!
Green Street ran North from Victory Way, on the West side of Craig. It was only 2 blocks East of Steele Street where we had lived during most of my Elementary School days. The first block, closest to Victory Way (the main East/West drag), was commercial property. The next couple of blocks were home to some churches. Next came an Elementary School, and the rest of Green Street was residential. Green Street was flat and level until just passed the Elementary School, but from there it began a slow steady incline all the way to the North end of Green Street. At the end, was the landmark overlooking the city of Craig, the Sandrocks.
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Everyone called them just that, 'the Sandrocks'. They sat high above Craig overlooking the small town below. They were a great place for kids to climb around and explore. Though, now that I think about it...incredibly dangerous. But Elementary age kids don't think about danger, we thought about having fun. The Sandrocks were called sand rocks because the rock was very soft, like sand. It was incredible easy to carve your name, or anything else' into the soft rock and 'leave your mark' as it were in the cliffs above town. Unless time has taken it's toll, on the soft rock, perhaps my name is still etched in stone above the small town of Craig. I never fell off the cliffs above town; thus I'm able to write this here blog today. Still it's a wonder I'm here! I am here...right?
Somewhere just below the Sandrocks was a house that belonged to one of the teachers at my Elementary School. I remember one spring, near the end of the school year, my class took the day off from schooling; we walked up the hill in the springtime sun, and had a playday at the teachers house. That house was on Green Street near the top of the hill. It had a large back yard, and the thing I remember most about that day was playing 'Red Rover' in the back yard with my class. Have you ever played Red Rover? The class divided into two groups, each side forming a line by holding hands. Then, the one side would scream, "Red Rover, Red Rover, send Clinton right over"! Then the person they called would run toward the line of kids, looking for the weakest link (a couple of girls no doubt) and try to bust through the line. If the runner was able to break through, he could take someone back to his side to be on his team. If he didn't break through, he had to stay on the side that held the line. I had the best time. I still remember that day.
We would often ride our bikes up Green Street to the top of the hill to play on the Sandrocks. In order to make it to the top, we had to pedal our bikes with all our might to make it up the hill. One time, during a pedalling frenzy...the chain on my bike snapped. Clint had a major wipe-out in the middle of Green Street. I landed on my face on the asphalt. Major road rash on my face. Perhaps that explains my disfigured facial features. Guess what...school picture time!! The photographer did have me turn my face to the side...a semi profile shot. It mostly covered the huge scab on my face.
Also, on Green Street was my elementary school, Sunset Elementary.
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I attended Sunset from Kindergarten through the fourth grade. I had some good friends there. A few names come to mind: Andy Pleasant, Kent Cook, Tony Balleck, JD Jepkema, Chuck Steele, David Livingston, Steven Straight, Ann Stalen, Elaine McCandless, Edie Wilkins, Cindy Cook, and Nina Bishop. I remember playing kick ball at recess. That was always fun. As previously mentioned, I liked to sneak off the playground and go to the A&W (also on Green Street. Here is the A&W today, it's modernized a bit:
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Just South of the school, was a church.
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I remember that church for one thing. It was in front of that school that myself and another kid (can't remember who)confronted another kid on a bike. I honestly can't remember why we were mad at him,but the kid I was with pushed him. When he pushed him, he dropped his school books in the gutter and got them all wet. Next day...we were in big trouble at school. My teacher, Mrs Schmidt, and the other kids teacher were both going to spank us. The whole school feared the paddle of the other teacher. It was a long plank with holes drilled in it to cut down on the wind Resistance. Mrs. Schmidt was a tiny little woman, not much bigger than her students. She spanked with a little ping pong paddle. I'm here to tell you, the little ping pong paddle hurt the worst. OUCH!
Farther South was the Lutheran Church.
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My mother started attending this Church while we were in Craig after she met Ruth Pleasant. Ruth was attending the Church and so we started attending it too. At that time it was just the small building you see on the left with the zig-zag roof. Funny thing, I don't remember a lot about our attendance there. I must not have listened to the sermons. But how many 4th graders do? I did always remember one thing. When I got logical (that's a joke Spock), I asked the Pastor a question. I can remember what the Pastor looked like, but I can't remember his name. Anyway, I asked him: "If God created the world, and all that is in it...who created God?" Pretty Deep Thoughts huh? But I always remember his answer, it must have been a good one. He took off his wedding band and said, "You see this ring?" Then he took his finger and ran it around the circumference of the ring. "God is like this ring, He is eternal; he has no beginning and no end, he is everlasting." I'm sure those weren't the exact words, but that was the gist of it, complete with an object lesson. But it satisfied the inquisitive little 4th grader.
Well, there you have it, the bulk of my Green Street memories, save one. I suppose, in life, we all have done something we wish we could take back. You say: "I bet you'd like to take back that bike crash huh?" Or "How about taking back that pushing incident in front of the church, that would save you a spanking?!" No, those would not be the events I would like to take back. Here is the site of the old Safeway store in Craig. Perhaps if we could make it so the whole Safeway store never existed! That would probably have made a dramatic change to the life of all the Gardner's. Since that is not really an option, there was one other incident. I was at the Safeway store one day and was caught shoplifting. The Safeway store sat here where the Craig Library now sits:
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Stupid poor fourth grader living with a single mother trying her hardest to make ends meet. So, I must have wanted something my mother could not afford, and so I tried to steal it. I sit here now as an adult, and think about my Mother having to come down to the store and pick me up. How humiliating it must have been for my Mother to walk into that Safeway store. My Mother endured some hard times. That was no doubt a difficult day for her. If I could, I would take it back a hundred times. I'm so sorry Mom.
For some reason, Green Street holds a lot of memories for me...both good and bad. For the A&W hot dogs, to the danger of the Sandrocks. From a fun game of Red Rover, to the crash and burn bicycle wreck. From the exciting game of Kick ball, to the spanking by two teachers. From the eternal lesson from my Pastor, to the shameful theft at the Safeway Store. Highs and Lows...I guess, in the end, that is what life is all about.
Green Street ran North from Victory Way, on the West side of Craig. It was only 2 blocks East of Steele Street where we had lived during most of my Elementary School days. The first block, closest to Victory Way (the main East/West drag), was commercial property. The next couple of blocks were home to some churches. Next came an Elementary School, and the rest of Green Street was residential. Green Street was flat and level until just passed the Elementary School, but from there it began a slow steady incline all the way to the North end of Green Street. At the end, was the landmark overlooking the city of Craig, the Sandrocks.
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Everyone called them just that, 'the Sandrocks'. They sat high above Craig overlooking the small town below. They were a great place for kids to climb around and explore. Though, now that I think about it...incredibly dangerous. But Elementary age kids don't think about danger, we thought about having fun. The Sandrocks were called sand rocks because the rock was very soft, like sand. It was incredible easy to carve your name, or anything else' into the soft rock and 'leave your mark' as it were in the cliffs above town. Unless time has taken it's toll, on the soft rock, perhaps my name is still etched in stone above the small town of Craig. I never fell off the cliffs above town; thus I'm able to write this here blog today. Still it's a wonder I'm here! I am here...right?
Somewhere just below the Sandrocks was a house that belonged to one of the teachers at my Elementary School. I remember one spring, near the end of the school year, my class took the day off from schooling; we walked up the hill in the springtime sun, and had a playday at the teachers house. That house was on Green Street near the top of the hill. It had a large back yard, and the thing I remember most about that day was playing 'Red Rover' in the back yard with my class. Have you ever played Red Rover? The class divided into two groups, each side forming a line by holding hands. Then, the one side would scream, "Red Rover, Red Rover, send Clinton right over"! Then the person they called would run toward the line of kids, looking for the weakest link (a couple of girls no doubt) and try to bust through the line. If the runner was able to break through, he could take someone back to his side to be on his team. If he didn't break through, he had to stay on the side that held the line. I had the best time. I still remember that day.
We would often ride our bikes up Green Street to the top of the hill to play on the Sandrocks. In order to make it to the top, we had to pedal our bikes with all our might to make it up the hill. One time, during a pedalling frenzy...the chain on my bike snapped. Clint had a major wipe-out in the middle of Green Street. I landed on my face on the asphalt. Major road rash on my face. Perhaps that explains my disfigured facial features. Guess what...school picture time!! The photographer did have me turn my face to the side...a semi profile shot. It mostly covered the huge scab on my face.
Also, on Green Street was my elementary school, Sunset Elementary.
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I attended Sunset from Kindergarten through the fourth grade. I had some good friends there. A few names come to mind: Andy Pleasant, Kent Cook, Tony Balleck, JD Jepkema, Chuck Steele, David Livingston, Steven Straight, Ann Stalen, Elaine McCandless, Edie Wilkins, Cindy Cook, and Nina Bishop. I remember playing kick ball at recess. That was always fun. As previously mentioned, I liked to sneak off the playground and go to the A&W (also on Green Street. Here is the A&W today, it's modernized a bit:
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Just South of the school, was a church.
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I remember that church for one thing. It was in front of that school that myself and another kid (can't remember who)confronted another kid on a bike. I honestly can't remember why we were mad at him,but the kid I was with pushed him. When he pushed him, he dropped his school books in the gutter and got them all wet. Next day...we were in big trouble at school. My teacher, Mrs Schmidt, and the other kids teacher were both going to spank us. The whole school feared the paddle of the other teacher. It was a long plank with holes drilled in it to cut down on the wind Resistance. Mrs. Schmidt was a tiny little woman, not much bigger than her students. She spanked with a little ping pong paddle. I'm here to tell you, the little ping pong paddle hurt the worst. OUCH!
Farther South was the Lutheran Church.
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My mother started attending this Church while we were in Craig after she met Ruth Pleasant. Ruth was attending the Church and so we started attending it too. At that time it was just the small building you see on the left with the zig-zag roof. Funny thing, I don't remember a lot about our attendance there. I must not have listened to the sermons. But how many 4th graders do? I did always remember one thing. When I got logical (that's a joke Spock), I asked the Pastor a question. I can remember what the Pastor looked like, but I can't remember his name. Anyway, I asked him: "If God created the world, and all that is in it...who created God?" Pretty Deep Thoughts huh? But I always remember his answer, it must have been a good one. He took off his wedding band and said, "You see this ring?" Then he took his finger and ran it around the circumference of the ring. "God is like this ring, He is eternal; he has no beginning and no end, he is everlasting." I'm sure those weren't the exact words, but that was the gist of it, complete with an object lesson. But it satisfied the inquisitive little 4th grader.
Well, there you have it, the bulk of my Green Street memories, save one. I suppose, in life, we all have done something we wish we could take back. You say: "I bet you'd like to take back that bike crash huh?" Or "How about taking back that pushing incident in front of the church, that would save you a spanking?!" No, those would not be the events I would like to take back. Here is the site of the old Safeway store in Craig. Perhaps if we could make it so the whole Safeway store never existed! That would probably have made a dramatic change to the life of all the Gardner's. Since that is not really an option, there was one other incident. I was at the Safeway store one day and was caught shoplifting. The Safeway store sat here where the Craig Library now sits:
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Stupid poor fourth grader living with a single mother trying her hardest to make ends meet. So, I must have wanted something my mother could not afford, and so I tried to steal it. I sit here now as an adult, and think about my Mother having to come down to the store and pick me up. How humiliating it must have been for my Mother to walk into that Safeway store. My Mother endured some hard times. That was no doubt a difficult day for her. If I could, I would take it back a hundred times. I'm so sorry Mom.
For some reason, Green Street holds a lot of memories for me...both good and bad. For the A&W hot dogs, to the danger of the Sandrocks. From a fun game of Red Rover, to the crash and burn bicycle wreck. From the exciting game of Kick ball, to the spanking by two teachers. From the eternal lesson from my Pastor, to the shameful theft at the Safeway Store. Highs and Lows...I guess, in the end, that is what life is all about.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Craig's City Park
Craig had one main city park. It was near the Liquor store where where Andy and I would cash in our treasure of empty bottles. The park was long and narrow and ran along the west side of Fortification Creek. Fortification Creek ran through the east side of Craig. I remember several things about the park from my childhood.
I remember there was a clubhouse of sorts that was located near the south end of the park. The clubhouse is no longer there today according to the Google street view program. It looks like a concrete slab is all that is left of the old clubhouse.
See the slab out there in the grass?
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But that's typical for Craig (run down or no longer there). The clubhouse, as I remember it, was just a large one room cabin structure about 30 feet wide and maybe 60 feet long. It had a front door and was just a large big open room. I think people could rent it for dances or meetings, etc. For some reason, I can't really remember why, every time I think of that clubhouse, I think of an old Smothers Brothers song about a woman who had a map of the world painted on her body. And the part of the song I always think of is the part that talks about 'Greece on her knees'. La la la..."and on her knees was Grease....(laugh) Greece on her knees!". Yes, I realize it sounds dumb, but perhaps if you could hear the whole song, it would be funnier. Or perhaps if you were 10 years old it would be funnier. The Smothers Brothers were classic; and they were funny to adults as well as kids. I still don't know why I think of that song whenever I think of that clubhouse. I did attend some event there one night. I remember being in there when it was full of people. I remember the open door, and some people loitering outside. Perhaps they were playing that song while I was there. Not sure.
Her eyes were Siam
Her nose was Hindustan
And on her knees was Greece
(grease on her knees)
Her back was Brazil
Her chest was Bunker Hill
Her hips they were Con-stan-ti-no-po-ple
Just then, I saw my wife
And to avoid a future strife
I let the rest of the world go by
Craig, like many towns across America had a Chamber of Commerce office that was in a Railroad Car. The Craig Chamber Train Car was located at the South end of the Park at Victory Way. It is still there today:
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A little North of the clubhouse was the City Swimming Pool. We went there a few times in the summer and would go swimming. I could not swim. so I would stay in the shallow end, or hold on to the side if I went near a deeper section.
Craig Pool:
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Behind the pool was the playground area. The modern parks have a small little section of the park that is usually enclosed by sidewalk and filled with wood chips or soft Pea-gravel. Thus protecting the little children from hurting themselves if they fall. Craig's playground area had no soft wood chips or pea-gravel. Just hard dirt area and the play area was spread out over a larger area. The park had a nice merry-go-round, teeter-totter, tall slide, swings, monkey bars, etc, I especially remember the slide. It was a tall slide, about 10 feet tall. A long slick metal slide that was great for sliding. One time, while visiting the park, it must have been busy. I say that because the line to 'ride the slide' was long. Kids were standing on the ladder waiting for their turn to slide down the ladder. Well, it became my turn to slide down the slide and I climbed into the slide position at the top of the slide and was ready to make my run. But there was someone ahead of me that had stopped midway down the slide. I don't know if they were scared or playing around or what. But the kid behind me was upset that I was not sliding down the slide and so he pushed me. He must have pushed pretty hard because I did not go down the slide...I went off the edge of the slide and down to the ground. It knocked the wind out of me. I don't remember all the other times I must have went down that slide. But I remember that time. I can still remember that feeling of having the wind knocked out of me. Gasping for air and not being able to breathe. I have no idea who had stopped ahead of me, or who pushed me, but I will never forget that awful feeling.
I also remember the park area.
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Surrounded by tall trees. No grass, just hard ground. The area was shaded, with playground equipment dotting the playground area. It's hard to explain, but I can close my eyes and remember the 'feeling of being there'. The smell, the shade, the sound of the kids playing, the agony of defeat (when you get pushed off the slide).
In the cold Craig winters, they would flood the area near the playground and make a big skating rink right in the middle of the park. I was never a skater, but it was still cool that they would do that. Lots of people (who had ice skates) would go down to the park and ice skate in the winter.
At the north end of the park, there was a road that crossed the creek, There was also a foot bridge that crossed the creek and opened up into the playground area.
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There were picnic tables and a parking area in the same area. On the North side of that street (I think it was 7th street) was a unmaintained area that ran North along the creek for some distance. We called it Sherwood Forest.
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(Funny...it seemed more wooded in my memory)
I don't know if that was the official name of the area, but that is what everyone called it. It was cool. Shaded by tall trees, covered by weeds and bushes. There were little dirt walking and riding trails that had been formed over time. Some of the trails were right next to the creek. Other trails would just wind around through the wooded area with no particular destination designed. I remember that one of the trails was so close to the bank that if a person fell off the trail, they would fall into the creek. It was like a cliff scene on a winding wagon road, only it was a walking trail. On the west side, the bank went straight up about 6 feet. Then the trail about a foot wide. Then a 4 foot drop into the creek. I remember we could not ride our bikes on that trail because the side of the bank was too close to the handlebars. We spent a lot of time in Sherwood Forest. Most of the times were fun, but one time I remember we met 3 kids that were evidently looking for trouble. I can't remember what happened, but I remember Andy got in a fist fight with one of them. I must have stood back hoping that I would not have to fight too. I was not a fighter...I was a chicken.
Well, that is the Craig Park. I have other Park stories. but will save that for a later date. Remember: Play Hard, but don't take a plunge off the slide...it hurts big time.
I remember there was a clubhouse of sorts that was located near the south end of the park. The clubhouse is no longer there today according to the Google street view program. It looks like a concrete slab is all that is left of the old clubhouse.
See the slab out there in the grass?
View Larger Map
But that's typical for Craig (run down or no longer there). The clubhouse, as I remember it, was just a large one room cabin structure about 30 feet wide and maybe 60 feet long. It had a front door and was just a large big open room. I think people could rent it for dances or meetings, etc. For some reason, I can't really remember why, every time I think of that clubhouse, I think of an old Smothers Brothers song about a woman who had a map of the world painted on her body. And the part of the song I always think of is the part that talks about 'Greece on her knees'. La la la..."and on her knees was Grease....(laugh) Greece on her knees!". Yes, I realize it sounds dumb, but perhaps if you could hear the whole song, it would be funnier. Or perhaps if you were 10 years old it would be funnier. The Smothers Brothers were classic; and they were funny to adults as well as kids. I still don't know why I think of that song whenever I think of that clubhouse. I did attend some event there one night. I remember being in there when it was full of people. I remember the open door, and some people loitering outside. Perhaps they were playing that song while I was there. Not sure.
Her eyes were Siam
Her nose was Hindustan
And on her knees was Greece
(grease on her knees)
Her back was Brazil
Her chest was Bunker Hill
Her hips they were Con-stan-ti-no-po-ple
Just then, I saw my wife
And to avoid a future strife
I let the rest of the world go by
Craig, like many towns across America had a Chamber of Commerce office that was in a Railroad Car. The Craig Chamber Train Car was located at the South end of the Park at Victory Way. It is still there today:
View Larger Map
A little North of the clubhouse was the City Swimming Pool. We went there a few times in the summer and would go swimming. I could not swim. so I would stay in the shallow end, or hold on to the side if I went near a deeper section.
Craig Pool:
View Larger Map
Behind the pool was the playground area. The modern parks have a small little section of the park that is usually enclosed by sidewalk and filled with wood chips or soft Pea-gravel. Thus protecting the little children from hurting themselves if they fall. Craig's playground area had no soft wood chips or pea-gravel. Just hard dirt area and the play area was spread out over a larger area. The park had a nice merry-go-round, teeter-totter, tall slide, swings, monkey bars, etc, I especially remember the slide. It was a tall slide, about 10 feet tall. A long slick metal slide that was great for sliding. One time, while visiting the park, it must have been busy. I say that because the line to 'ride the slide' was long. Kids were standing on the ladder waiting for their turn to slide down the ladder. Well, it became my turn to slide down the slide and I climbed into the slide position at the top of the slide and was ready to make my run. But there was someone ahead of me that had stopped midway down the slide. I don't know if they were scared or playing around or what. But the kid behind me was upset that I was not sliding down the slide and so he pushed me. He must have pushed pretty hard because I did not go down the slide...I went off the edge of the slide and down to the ground. It knocked the wind out of me. I don't remember all the other times I must have went down that slide. But I remember that time. I can still remember that feeling of having the wind knocked out of me. Gasping for air and not being able to breathe. I have no idea who had stopped ahead of me, or who pushed me, but I will never forget that awful feeling.
I also remember the park area.
View Larger Map
Surrounded by tall trees. No grass, just hard ground. The area was shaded, with playground equipment dotting the playground area. It's hard to explain, but I can close my eyes and remember the 'feeling of being there'. The smell, the shade, the sound of the kids playing, the agony of defeat (when you get pushed off the slide).
In the cold Craig winters, they would flood the area near the playground and make a big skating rink right in the middle of the park. I was never a skater, but it was still cool that they would do that. Lots of people (who had ice skates) would go down to the park and ice skate in the winter.
At the north end of the park, there was a road that crossed the creek, There was also a foot bridge that crossed the creek and opened up into the playground area.
View Larger Map
There were picnic tables and a parking area in the same area. On the North side of that street (I think it was 7th street) was a unmaintained area that ran North along the creek for some distance. We called it Sherwood Forest.
View Larger Map
(Funny...it seemed more wooded in my memory)
I don't know if that was the official name of the area, but that is what everyone called it. It was cool. Shaded by tall trees, covered by weeds and bushes. There were little dirt walking and riding trails that had been formed over time. Some of the trails were right next to the creek. Other trails would just wind around through the wooded area with no particular destination designed. I remember that one of the trails was so close to the bank that if a person fell off the trail, they would fall into the creek. It was like a cliff scene on a winding wagon road, only it was a walking trail. On the west side, the bank went straight up about 6 feet. Then the trail about a foot wide. Then a 4 foot drop into the creek. I remember we could not ride our bikes on that trail because the side of the bank was too close to the handlebars. We spent a lot of time in Sherwood Forest. Most of the times were fun, but one time I remember we met 3 kids that were evidently looking for trouble. I can't remember what happened, but I remember Andy got in a fist fight with one of them. I must have stood back hoping that I would not have to fight too. I was not a fighter...I was a chicken.
Well, that is the Craig Park. I have other Park stories. but will save that for a later date. Remember: Play Hard, but don't take a plunge off the slide...it hurts big time.
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Small Town-Fast Food
In today's society, fast food joints line the street and play a huge roll in the size of our waistline's(pun is intended). Biggie size, super size, mega meals...it's no wonder we all weigh too much and have clogged arteries. But what if I was to ask you to think about a small town in Colorado in the early to mid 1960's. You'd probably think of an old run down restaurant filled with tables and chairs and ample cigarette smoke. And yes, Craig had a couple of those. But Craig also had some 'fast food' joints. They were not called 'fast food' joints then, mainly because they cooked everything to order, but they fit the profile. In fact, a couple of them even had names we're familiar with today.
My favorite was the A&W. It was on the corner of Victory and Green street and was built in the classic Drive-in format. A small one room building with a kitchen at the back and a service window in the front. The classic covered parking that ran the length of the parking lot. Complete with teen age car hops and the classic frosted Root Beer mugs.
Like any kid, I loved to go to the A&W. Still to this day, a frosty root beer is hard to beat. There are two things I remember most about the menu at the A&W, and neither is the root beer.
First, I remember the 'frozen cokes'. Nothing too special about that, but they were one of my favorites. Ten or twelve ounces of coke in a paper cup and frozen solid in a freezer. They handed it to you with a plastic spoon and you started 'chipping' away. They were better at the A&W than the ones I tried to make at home. I never could figure out why. I mean...its just coke...frozen...what could be so hard about that? Still, the ones at the A&W were always sweeter than the ones I tried to make at home. And why did they even sell them? In the last 40 years, I have never seen 'frozen cokes' on any restaurant or drive-in menu. I loved 'em though, and I think they were only 10 cents.
The second, was the hot dog. As a kid I was not big on hamburgers, I liked the hot dogs. At the A&W, I liked to order 2 hot dogs with ketchup and mustard. Emm, Emm good. I still order my hot dogs that way today. I like them with relish and onions and all the fix ens...but just the other day at the DQ I ordered my hot dog with ketchup and mustard only. Hmmm...reliving my childhood? I use to take my school lunch money, and sneak off the school grounds at lunch break (which was against the rules) and go down to the A&W (about 3 blocks from school) and buy 2 hot dogs with ketchup and mustard and a root beer. I did that a lot. Call me a rebel.
The A&W was not the only game in town. Downtown Craig, across from the courthouse was a little one room Drive in called the Tastee Freez. I had a favorite there too. But it was not the ice cream as you might expect. When I went to the Tastee Freez I wanted to get a 'chocolate coke'. I absolutely loved their chocolate cokes. I don't much care for them now. And to be honest, I can't imagine why I liked them so much then. But I did. Perhaps if I could go back in time and try one of the Tastee Freez Chocolate Cokes as they made them then...perhaps I would like them again. Doubt it.
There was the B&B drive in out east of town. I had no favorite thing there that I can remember. But I did not make it out there too often. It was east of town and would have required a car to go visit, or a long bike ride. It was the teen hang out I think. I think I got to go there when one of the older brothers or sisters got stuck watching little brother. "Buy him a chocolate coke, that will keep him quiet!" I'm assuming, I have few memories of the B&B.
There was the Easley's Hamburger place. Again, I was not a hamburger man (boy), but Easley's burgers had a sort of reputation. Perhaps it was the fact that they were the MacDonald's of Craig. Yes, Easley's put a special sauce on their burgers, kinda like Thousand Island dressing. I remember them being the 'burger of choice' around town. Perhaps it was because they opened a stand across from the High School and I had 3 older brothers and sisters (in High School or Junior High). The young are so easily influenced by their older brothers and sisters. Yeah, that's why I was a 'hot dog' man/boy.
Well, so much for my childhood 'fast food' memories. I think I'll go put a coke in the freezer and see if I can bring back a childhood 'favorite thing' memory. Now where were those paper cups....wait...we don't have paper cups anymore, now they are plastic....drat...they'll never taste the same now....
My favorite was the A&W. It was on the corner of Victory and Green street and was built in the classic Drive-in format. A small one room building with a kitchen at the back and a service window in the front. The classic covered parking that ran the length of the parking lot. Complete with teen age car hops and the classic frosted Root Beer mugs.
Like any kid, I loved to go to the A&W. Still to this day, a frosty root beer is hard to beat. There are two things I remember most about the menu at the A&W, and neither is the root beer.
First, I remember the 'frozen cokes'. Nothing too special about that, but they were one of my favorites. Ten or twelve ounces of coke in a paper cup and frozen solid in a freezer. They handed it to you with a plastic spoon and you started 'chipping' away. They were better at the A&W than the ones I tried to make at home. I never could figure out why. I mean...its just coke...frozen...what could be so hard about that? Still, the ones at the A&W were always sweeter than the ones I tried to make at home. And why did they even sell them? In the last 40 years, I have never seen 'frozen cokes' on any restaurant or drive-in menu. I loved 'em though, and I think they were only 10 cents.
The second, was the hot dog. As a kid I was not big on hamburgers, I liked the hot dogs. At the A&W, I liked to order 2 hot dogs with ketchup and mustard. Emm, Emm good. I still order my hot dogs that way today. I like them with relish and onions and all the fix ens...but just the other day at the DQ I ordered my hot dog with ketchup and mustard only. Hmmm...reliving my childhood? I use to take my school lunch money, and sneak off the school grounds at lunch break (which was against the rules) and go down to the A&W (about 3 blocks from school) and buy 2 hot dogs with ketchup and mustard and a root beer. I did that a lot. Call me a rebel.
The A&W was not the only game in town. Downtown Craig, across from the courthouse was a little one room Drive in called the Tastee Freez. I had a favorite there too. But it was not the ice cream as you might expect. When I went to the Tastee Freez I wanted to get a 'chocolate coke'. I absolutely loved their chocolate cokes. I don't much care for them now. And to be honest, I can't imagine why I liked them so much then. But I did. Perhaps if I could go back in time and try one of the Tastee Freez Chocolate Cokes as they made them then...perhaps I would like them again. Doubt it.
There was the B&B drive in out east of town. I had no favorite thing there that I can remember. But I did not make it out there too often. It was east of town and would have required a car to go visit, or a long bike ride. It was the teen hang out I think. I think I got to go there when one of the older brothers or sisters got stuck watching little brother. "Buy him a chocolate coke, that will keep him quiet!" I'm assuming, I have few memories of the B&B.
There was the Easley's Hamburger place. Again, I was not a hamburger man (boy), but Easley's burgers had a sort of reputation. Perhaps it was the fact that they were the MacDonald's of Craig. Yes, Easley's put a special sauce on their burgers, kinda like Thousand Island dressing. I remember them being the 'burger of choice' around town. Perhaps it was because they opened a stand across from the High School and I had 3 older brothers and sisters (in High School or Junior High). The young are so easily influenced by their older brothers and sisters. Yeah, that's why I was a 'hot dog' man/boy.
Well, so much for my childhood 'fast food' memories. I think I'll go put a coke in the freezer and see if I can bring back a childhood 'favorite thing' memory. Now where were those paper cups....wait...we don't have paper cups anymore, now they are plastic....drat...they'll never taste the same now....
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