Part 1: Life Events – Childhood

What year were you born? On what date? What day of the week was it? Did your parents tell you anything about the day you were born? Where were you born? Why were you given the first (and middle) name(s) that you have? What’s your first, most vivid memory?

I was born February 2nd, 1956, Ground Hog’s Day. While growing up I would enter “Valdosta GA” in the ‘where were you born’ entry, but I was actually born on nearby Moody Air Force Base. It was Thursday. My Mom (nor Dad) didn’t tell me much about it, but as a adult I told her what seems to be my earliest memory (I don’t think it is a “false memory”, though I have those too). After I described my memory, she told me “You were 3 days hold. They took your footprint.” I wrote that up in a short essay on memories, and posted it here: 3 days old My names come from Dad and Mom’s middle names. A shortcut in naming a child!

What was the apartment or house like that you grew up in? How many bedrooms did it have? Bathrooms? What was your bedroom like? Can you describe the neighborhood you grew up in?

One of the houses was pictured in the childhood scene in the post linked above. However I was an Air Force brat, and grew up in several places. I could write an essay on any of them, but will share one story. Great Falls, Montana, where winters can be… a bit chilly. We lived in a 2 story townhouse. My older brother was a sleepwalker. One winter’s night he got out of bed (we shared a room), went downstairs, opened both the front and back doors, then opened the refrigerator door, and came back to bed. I pulled the covers over my head and waited for Dad to get up.

Tell me about your parents. Where were they born? When were they born? What memories do you have of them? Who was stricter: your mother or your father? Do you have a vivid memory of something you did that you were disciplined for? Did your parents have a good marriage?

Both were born in South Georgia, small town of Moultrie. Memories are pleasant; they were good parents. Dad was stricter. One night (in Montana, about age 6) my older brother and I were talking and “carrying on” in bed when we were supposed to be asleep. Dad called me downstairs (why me? And not both of us? I wonder, perhaps I was the instigator?). I think he intended to spank me, so as he pulled on my hand I resisted in the opposite direction. About the time I gave up the resistance, he gave a good yank. The bridge of my nose connected with the edge of the dining table. Off to the emergency room we go for the 1st of the three times I received stiches around my face (the other 2 were accidents solely caused by me). I shared another (pleasant) memory of my Dad in the first half of this essay: 1960-memories

How did your family earn money? How did your family compare to others in the neighborhood – richer, poorer, the same? What kinds of things did your family spend money on? How many brothers and sisters do you have? When were they born? What memories do you have of each of them from when you were growing up?

I would say at best we were a ‘lower middle class’ family. Well, started out perhaps middle lower class, but Dad slowly advanced in the AF. Until I was about 15, I grew up with 3 brothers, all between 1 ½ - 2 years apart. At age 15 my baby sister came along. Moving around as we did, Dad made it a point to work in as much sightseeing as he could afford, so we got to see a lot of the US and Europe.

Did you have grandparents? Where were they born? When were they born? What do you remember about them? When did they die?

Mom’s parents and Dad’s Mom were a big part of our lives. That is when we could get back to south Georgia. My paternal grandfather died when I was about 1 or 2, so I didn’t know him. My paternal grandmother was born in 1894, died in 1980. Ah, the things she witnessed over those years, from horse/buggy, to men on the moon.

Did you have any pets?

We frequently had parakeets and aquariums. My brothers and I would train a parakeet to go through tubes fashioned from the cores of paper towels. Pete! What a cool bird. Mom got a Toy Poodle (or was it a Miniature Poodle? I know there is a difference, but don’t recall just which he was). He was fearless. To the point of tackling dogs much larger than he.

What were you like as a child? What did you like to eat? What did you do for fun? What were your favorite toys or games? Did you ever have a secret place or a favorite hiding spot? What did you wear? Did you get an allowance? How much? Did you spend it right away, or did you save it? What did you buy?

I was a voracious reader! If I didn’t have something on hand to read anxiety set in. I would read cereal boxes, pull down encyclopedias, books Mom or Dad had (even if they were over my head). My allowances were almost entirely spent on books (sometimes comics).

What responsibilities did you have at home when you were young?

House cleaning, dish washing, dog walking, various. I learned if I didn’t do something right the first time I would have to do it over. So I learned to do things the best I could, the 1st time.

What kind of school did you go to? Were you a good student? What was your favorite subject? Least

favorite? Who were your friends? Who was your favorite teacher and why?

My favorite subject, probably math and science. I was a bookworm. The term changed over the decades, from bookworm to tweeb… and beyond!

Did you have any heroes or role models when you were a child? How did you spend your summer holidays? What were your favorite summer activities? Where did your family go on vacations?

Some of these can be gleaned from the answers above.

How did your family celebrate holidays (e.g. Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year, Easter, Memorial Day)? Did lots of relatives get together? What traditions did you have year after year? What food was served? What was the best gift you remember receiving as a child?

All the usual. Thanksgiving was a huge family gathering usually at my Aunt Elizabeth’s house in south Georgia. Everyone was there. And way more food than the law should allow. While in Germany, for my 7th birthday, I received a Corgi car, an Oldsmobile 88, which I have to this day. In the 80s the original rubber tires deteriorated. Dad sent me to the hardware store for a pack of O-rings. We replaced all 4 tires with O-rings, on which the car rides to this day!

What did you want to be when you grew up?

An artist. Or a musician. The closest I came to being an artist was becoming a patternmaker (apparel). Which, though arguable, combines art, with some science (math). The closest I came to being a musician is a hobbyist. Though once, while living in Tennessee I was invited to be the guitarist in an old-timey/folk/bluegrass group. I determined patternmaker was a better career choice, so I stayed with it. I could have down both but had to move away to stay the career choice.

What big world events do you remember from the time you were growing up? What inventions do you most remember?

I remember where I was when JFK was shot. I was 7, we were living in Germany. Due to the time zones, it was already night (evening) when Dad got that news. I remember his reaction (I was playing on the living room floor and of course the even didn’t register with me, but I could tell it upset Dad).

What’s the difference about growing up today from when you were growing up?

Oh my, this is an essay (or book?) too large to fill in here. I will just offer: we played outside more. Much more.

When you were a teenager, what did you do for fun? Did you have a favorite spot to “hang out”? What time did you have to be home at night? Did you ever get into any trouble? Were there any phrases that were popular when you were a teenager? What did you like to wear? How did

your parents feel about the way you talked and what you wore?

I may get back to this. I tend to think that as a bookworm I was boring, barely got in trouble, as everyone knew I was in a book somewhere. I may still be boring, for which I am okay. * smiles *

When did you learn how to drive? Who taught you? What was your first car like?

Growing up on Air Force bases, I had no need to drive anywhere. When I turned 16, I got my first public job, at a Piggly Wiggly grocery store. Bought, paid cash, $275, for my 1st car. A 1962 Chevy Impala, 2-door, white with a red “stripe” along its length, a red interior. Couldn’t drive it. Dad was away on TDY (temporary duty, in Greece or Turkey), Mom worked full time, no one to teach me. So, I parked it in the front yard and did my homework in it. After I washed it of course.

What was your graduation from high school like? What dreams and goals did you have for your life when you graduated?

Graduating class of 430+ students. Graduated on a Friday night, Saturday morning (5am!) I was on my new job. I see a related question coming up in the “Adulthood, Identity” section, so I will close for now!

Part 1: Life Events – Childhood

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