Seems like after the 4H Fair I didn't happen across Louise, or my Texas Girl for days that turned into months. I had an ache deep inside to see them both. Then one day during a trip to town I saw Louise walking on the sidewalk toward me. In those past months she had grown more beautiful than ever. Her shiny, long, straight black hair was gently blowing in the breeze. She had the sexiest nose, eyes and face and a perfect body. During our months apart I had two short relationships with girls that ended with hard feelings.
Louise and I talked a while, and then I got up the courage to ask her out on a date. I was thrilled when she said, "Yes!"
I showed up at her front door at 6:00 p.m. on Friday night for our date. Her Mother answered the door and was very apologetic. "Oh Roger, I'm so sorry, but a young man Louise has been seeing from time to time stopped in a little while ago and talked her into going out with him tonight. I feel so bad that she stood you up."
My head was hanging low. She's the only girl that ever stood me up. I thanked Louise's Mom for her honesty and kindness and left while feeling about as bad as anyone could feel.
Back in those days(the late Sixties) Teenage dance halls were popping up all over. I drove out to one called, "The Village." I walked in, sit at a table, and ordered a cola. Then I looked out on the dance floor, and dancing up near the band was Louise and her date. I quietly slipped out the door.
Monday, April 30, 2012
APRIL 30, 2012
I see it's the 30th and I haven't posted anything since the 9th of April. It's been a rough month for me, spending nearly half of it in the hospital, first with colitis (sp) and then with pnemonia. I have COPD and my lungs are about shot. I'm trying to tell my story while I still can. Please bare with me, and hopefully the Good Lord will let me finish.
As a child my parents didn't attend church, so I rode with the neighbors every Sunday for Church and Sunday School, and Bible School in the summer. I rarely missed until after High School Graduation, and then my life veered away from church for several decades. I found that when the Good Lord wants a person back, He will drive you to your knees, out of Love. And I am so very glad He did!
Praise God!! Look around you at His many complicated wonders and all the different Life forms. Only God could Create such miracles in our world and bring it all together, and make it work. Plus, creating the Universe. He truly is the Word!...The Alpha and the Omega!!!
As a child my parents didn't attend church, so I rode with the neighbors every Sunday for Church and Sunday School, and Bible School in the summer. I rarely missed until after High School Graduation, and then my life veered away from church for several decades. I found that when the Good Lord wants a person back, He will drive you to your knees, out of Love. And I am so very glad He did!
Praise God!! Look around you at His many complicated wonders and all the different Life forms. Only God could Create such miracles in our world and bring it all together, and make it work. Plus, creating the Universe. He truly is the Word!...The Alpha and the Omega!!!
Friday, April 13, 2012
FIRECRACKERS AND DYNAMITE
I thought I'd take a little break away from my young love life, and talk about my fascination for explosives as a boy. I hesitated writing this story for fear it would give kids bad ideas. It was a time in the Sixties when way too many boys were playing with anything that exploded. Television had lots of Public Service Announcements condemning such practices, giving warnings of boys losing hands and arms and even worse.
David and I started with those little, Zebra and Black Cat firecrackers. Then we discovered the Big BOOM a homemade Carbide Cannon made. We took an empty paint can, hammered a nail hole into the bottom of it, dropped a couple chunks of minors carbide into it, poured a small amount of water in the can onto the carbide, and then hammered the lid on tight and got back. The water on the minors carbide started forming a gas, and we could see the side of the paint can expanding. Then, very cautiously, we lit a match and touched it to the nail hole in the bottom of the can. The explosion could be heard over a mile away as the paint cans lid blew off.
I've already told you about horse shit hand grenades, so I'll move on to cherry bombs and M80s. I choose not to tell what we did with them. Ok, maybe one story. We were driving around in a friend of mines car. It was a 1953 Chevy he bought for $35.00. There were three of us boys in the car. I was in the middle. We drove around throwing M80s and Cherry bombs in friends yards one night. As we came upon a friends yard, I lit the M80 and from my middle of the seat position, I tossed it out the window. The only problem was, My friend had rolled the window up. The M80 bounced off the glass and back into the front seat between us somewhere. I don't believe an old car had ever slid to such a sudden stop with three boys piling out as fast as they could move. It exploded and left a big hole in the front seat!! I don't know this for sure, but I've often heard an M80 was the equivelant of a fifth of a stick of dynamite.
You'd have thought by now we'd have learned our lessons, but we still liked explosives. I can't bring myself to tell you all our Big Bang Adventures, but I will mention that dynamite in a fish pond really does kill fish.
David and I started with those little, Zebra and Black Cat firecrackers. Then we discovered the Big BOOM a homemade Carbide Cannon made. We took an empty paint can, hammered a nail hole into the bottom of it, dropped a couple chunks of minors carbide into it, poured a small amount of water in the can onto the carbide, and then hammered the lid on tight and got back. The water on the minors carbide started forming a gas, and we could see the side of the paint can expanding. Then, very cautiously, we lit a match and touched it to the nail hole in the bottom of the can. The explosion could be heard over a mile away as the paint cans lid blew off.
I've already told you about horse shit hand grenades, so I'll move on to cherry bombs and M80s. I choose not to tell what we did with them. Ok, maybe one story. We were driving around in a friend of mines car. It was a 1953 Chevy he bought for $35.00. There were three of us boys in the car. I was in the middle. We drove around throwing M80s and Cherry bombs in friends yards one night. As we came upon a friends yard, I lit the M80 and from my middle of the seat position, I tossed it out the window. The only problem was, My friend had rolled the window up. The M80 bounced off the glass and back into the front seat between us somewhere. I don't believe an old car had ever slid to such a sudden stop with three boys piling out as fast as they could move. It exploded and left a big hole in the front seat!! I don't know this for sure, but I've often heard an M80 was the equivelant of a fifth of a stick of dynamite.
You'd have thought by now we'd have learned our lessons, but we still liked explosives. I can't bring myself to tell you all our Big Bang Adventures, but I will mention that dynamite in a fish pond really does kill fish.
Monday, April 9, 2012
The 4H FAIR
In the days when I was growing up the County 4H Fair was later in the summer in August. This worked well for me, because it gave me the summer to bale hay for neighbors and save money to spend at the fair. Besides all the excitement with the rides, games, farm animals, grand stand events, and that wonderful fair food, it was a great place for all the teenagers to congregate and socialize.
Although everything about the fair was great, at my age my main objective was to meet girls. I got there a little too early, and after walking the midway I walked under the Grandstand that led out to the 4H barns. As I came out the other side, I was excited to see my Texas girl and another girl standing there. She seemed as excited to see me as I was to see her. We talked a while and all while we were visiting, I wanted to ask her to walk the mid-way and ride some rides with me, but as usual, I couldn't get up the nerve. We talked a while and went our seperate ways.
I went back under the grandstand, walked through to the other side and into the midway. As I walked passed the games the carneys hollered at me and tried to humiliate me into playing. It wasn't easy, but I learned to ignore their rude remarks as I walked by. While sauntering around watching the rides I noticed Louise, the beauty I met at the Shop Picnic. She was walking with a couple other girls. Not wanting to look to obvious, I walked at an angle that crossed in front of her. I heard, "Roger!"
I turned around, trying to look surprised, "Well Hi Louise! How ya been?"
We talked a few minutes and I asked her if she'd like to go on the rides with me? We had lots of fun riding the fair rides, and then we walked around talking to each other. Soon we were walking past the row of games as carneys yelled out at me, trying to coerce me into playing.
I decided to win Louise a stuffed animal. Like I've said before, I was a better farmboy than a ball player. I tried and I tried, but I just couldn't win a stuffed animal. Bound and determined, I kept trying until I had gone through $40.00 of the money I made baling hay that summer. At last, Louise said,"Let me try."
Her first try, she won a stuffed animal!! Needless to say, I felt slightly humiliated. It was getting time for me to head home and start doing my chores. I hated to leave, but I had to say my goodbyes. I wondered if I'd see her again.
Although everything about the fair was great, at my age my main objective was to meet girls. I got there a little too early, and after walking the midway I walked under the Grandstand that led out to the 4H barns. As I came out the other side, I was excited to see my Texas girl and another girl standing there. She seemed as excited to see me as I was to see her. We talked a while and all while we were visiting, I wanted to ask her to walk the mid-way and ride some rides with me, but as usual, I couldn't get up the nerve. We talked a while and went our seperate ways.
I went back under the grandstand, walked through to the other side and into the midway. As I walked passed the games the carneys hollered at me and tried to humiliate me into playing. It wasn't easy, but I learned to ignore their rude remarks as I walked by. While sauntering around watching the rides I noticed Louise, the beauty I met at the Shop Picnic. She was walking with a couple other girls. Not wanting to look to obvious, I walked at an angle that crossed in front of her. I heard, "Roger!"
I turned around, trying to look surprised, "Well Hi Louise! How ya been?"
We talked a few minutes and I asked her if she'd like to go on the rides with me? We had lots of fun riding the fair rides, and then we walked around talking to each other. Soon we were walking past the row of games as carneys yelled out at me, trying to coerce me into playing.
I decided to win Louise a stuffed animal. Like I've said before, I was a better farmboy than a ball player. I tried and I tried, but I just couldn't win a stuffed animal. Bound and determined, I kept trying until I had gone through $40.00 of the money I made baling hay that summer. At last, Louise said,"Let me try."
Her first try, she won a stuffed animal!! Needless to say, I felt slightly humiliated. It was getting time for me to head home and start doing my chores. I hated to leave, but I had to say my goodbyes. I wondered if I'd see her again.
Thursday, April 5, 2012
SHOP PICNIC CONTINUED
The three girls and I walked around the Amusement Park, rode rides, played games, and talked. It was a Great Day!! Somehow we got on the subject of ages, and I was in pure shock to find out Louise was 3 1/2 years younger than me. She looked so beautiful and mature for her age. All my thoughts of asking her out on dates were crushed. She lived in the town near our farm, so I made up my mind to keep track of her for a couple of years when our age differeces wouldn't seem so far apart.
Soon the day was over and everyone was packing up to head back to their homes. The girls and I said our good byes and we were on our ways.
My day at the amusement park with the three girls was over. It was back to the farm and settling back into the life of a farm boy baling hay. When we got all of Dad's hay baled, I hired out to the neighbors baling hay for $1.00 and hour. I had grown embarrased of my little motorcycle, so I bought a bigger Honda. One day while driving it around in the nearby town, I was driving around the boulevard in front of their High School when much to my surprise I seen my Texas Girl walking!! I was overwhelmed with excitment! I pulled up beside her and she said,"Roger, where've you been?"
I replied, "Oh, I've been around. I thought you lived in Texas."
"My parents decided to move to Michigan a few months ago and hear I am!"
She seemed as happy to see me as I was to see her! We both had smiles from ear to ear. While we made small talk, and did some catching up, my mind was awhirl. I wanted to ask her out, but just couldn't get up the courage. Over the years, I had put her on a pedestal, and even though I had overcome my shiness with girls, she was the one exception. We talked a while longer and I was on my way.
Soon the day was over and everyone was packing up to head back to their homes. The girls and I said our good byes and we were on our ways.
My day at the amusement park with the three girls was over. It was back to the farm and settling back into the life of a farm boy baling hay. When we got all of Dad's hay baled, I hired out to the neighbors baling hay for $1.00 and hour. I had grown embarrased of my little motorcycle, so I bought a bigger Honda. One day while driving it around in the nearby town, I was driving around the boulevard in front of their High School when much to my surprise I seen my Texas Girl walking!! I was overwhelmed with excitment! I pulled up beside her and she said,"Roger, where've you been?"
I replied, "Oh, I've been around. I thought you lived in Texas."
"My parents decided to move to Michigan a few months ago and hear I am!"
She seemed as happy to see me as I was to see her! We both had smiles from ear to ear. While we made small talk, and did some catching up, my mind was awhirl. I wanted to ask her out, but just couldn't get up the courage. Over the years, I had put her on a pedestal, and even though I had overcome my shiness with girls, she was the one exception. We talked a while longer and I was on my way.
Monday, April 2, 2012
SHOP PICNIC..
Maybe it was my self-confidence, but as I entered my later teens I had no problems with girls. I was like a shark on a feeding frenzy! There were just so many cute girls and I had developed ways to get to know them and make out. I didn't get into any relationships, just a lot of kissing as I went from girl to girl. The girls liked me, but way to many jealous boys wanted to fight. I learned to take care of myself. I don't mean to sound like "God's Gift to Women" because I was a long, long way from that! I was merely a teenager testing his new found abilities.
Then one Saturday my family went to the shop picnic put on from the factory where my Dad worked. The picnic tables were all full in the shaded park near the Lake Lansing Amusement Park entrance. The owners of the factory gave each kid a huge role of tickets for the rides and games. It was great! After eating and playing some of their games, I headed into the amusement park. It was much like a fair, only bigger and better. It had the usual rides, bumper cars, fairess wheels, merry-go-rounds,etc. Plus, a huge Roller Coaster!!
I don't remember how I broke the ice with them, but the next thing I knew I was walking around, playing games and going on rides with three teenage girls. I was in my glory. The smells of popcorn, hot dogs, cotton candy and all the other fair type foods filled the air. Plus, the sounds of people laughing, talking, screaming, and the music from the Merry-Go-Round also could be heard.
The three girls looked to be all about the same age, maybe about a year younger than me. One was a blonde, one a brunette, and the third was so beautiful, she was hard to describe. She had soft, shiny, long black hair, a perfect hour glass figure, and a face that would put most movie stars to shame. The other two girls were quite the talkers, but she had a sexy, quiet way about her, speaking only when necessary. This caused her to have a mysterious, but very attractive way about her. I couldn't help but be drawn toward her. Her name was Louise. The three girls each had a parent that worked at the same factory as my father.
I tried to win them stuffed animals, but as always, the girls ended up winning their own. Then they wanted to ride the rides. I guess I made a fine target on the Bumper Cars. Next, after giving it considerable thought, they decided to go for a ride on the Roller Coaster! That drop down the first hill was a doozy! They took turns riding with me. I never knew girls could snuggle so tightly as each screamed and I wrapped my arms around them. Riding with a different girl each time, as I recall I rode the Coaster nine times in a row!!! The Merry-Go-Round was a much more peaceful ride.
Then one Saturday my family went to the shop picnic put on from the factory where my Dad worked. The picnic tables were all full in the shaded park near the Lake Lansing Amusement Park entrance. The owners of the factory gave each kid a huge role of tickets for the rides and games. It was great! After eating and playing some of their games, I headed into the amusement park. It was much like a fair, only bigger and better. It had the usual rides, bumper cars, fairess wheels, merry-go-rounds,etc. Plus, a huge Roller Coaster!!
I don't remember how I broke the ice with them, but the next thing I knew I was walking around, playing games and going on rides with three teenage girls. I was in my glory. The smells of popcorn, hot dogs, cotton candy and all the other fair type foods filled the air. Plus, the sounds of people laughing, talking, screaming, and the music from the Merry-Go-Round also could be heard.
The three girls looked to be all about the same age, maybe about a year younger than me. One was a blonde, one a brunette, and the third was so beautiful, she was hard to describe. She had soft, shiny, long black hair, a perfect hour glass figure, and a face that would put most movie stars to shame. The other two girls were quite the talkers, but she had a sexy, quiet way about her, speaking only when necessary. This caused her to have a mysterious, but very attractive way about her. I couldn't help but be drawn toward her. Her name was Louise. The three girls each had a parent that worked at the same factory as my father.
I tried to win them stuffed animals, but as always, the girls ended up winning their own. Then they wanted to ride the rides. I guess I made a fine target on the Bumper Cars. Next, after giving it considerable thought, they decided to go for a ride on the Roller Coaster! That drop down the first hill was a doozy! They took turns riding with me. I never knew girls could snuggle so tightly as each screamed and I wrapped my arms around them. Riding with a different girl each time, as I recall I rode the Coaster nine times in a row!!! The Merry-Go-Round was a much more peaceful ride.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)