Childhood
This week is all about you …
1. Were you an adventurous child at all? My bravery would come and go… or maybe it grew over time. I was very timid at am early age, being an only child. I never learned to swim, skate, and was about 13 when I forced myself through pain and humiliation to ride a bike. But in other things I was braver. Our neighbor had a huge iron wing set with those thick chains and large wooden seats. It stood at the top of a hill. We kids would swing high and jump out, to roll down the hill. Of course, only when the owner was at work! But it was his daughter’s idea and we were all excited by it.I was quite game as I usually landed well on both feet, except the time I didn’t and broke my wrist!
2. What were some of your favorite places to go when you were a child? Amusement parks, movies, restaurants,. zoo. etc?We lived near Lakeside a wonderful Amusement Park in Virginia where folks piled in from the east coast. I loved it! I loved going to the movies with my next door neighbor girls, we went to all the Hercules movies! I,also, went with them to see the debut of The Sound of Music! My mom was a manager of the children’s department at Miller and Rhodes. She worked Friday nights. Daddy always came home to meet me after school , took me out to finish collecting his insurance debits and then we’d go out to eat. My favorite was the Little Brown Jug. I loved their 1950’s style turquoise colored vinyl booths!
3. What games did you play outdoors? Outdoors. We played hide and seek, tag, statues, dolls, rock school, even spy on the neighbor game. Indoors we played board games, school, office, and of course, dolls.
4. Where did you grow up and do you think it affected who you are today?I grew up in a middle class neighborhood just like the many that sprang up on the fringe of cities around the country following the war. The homes were somewhat compact and neighborhoods were full of kids. It was great to live in the 5o’s. I felt perfectly safe to wander throughout the neighborhood, visiting with families along the way and end up blocks away right up to dusk when momma expected me home for dinner. I usually ran home with dirty legs and arms and many time fresh bruises or scabby knees. It all depended on which friends I chose to play with. Mom wasn’t too upset , in fact I think she was pleased that I had learned to be a bit rough and tumble! She had grown up on a dairy farm and always pushed me to be a kid!
