We were living in the North West section of town during this time, not far from down town. Hippies lived in the big two story dwelling on the corner and the Episcopalian Church we attended was only a couple blocks away from home. I was in Boy Scouts then and was working on my God & Country medal so I was an Alter Boy as part of my work. Our next door neighbor was Mrs. Woodruff, a blind woman who I believe was a home town librarian.
West Hill was right next to us and the Nazareth Hospital was a couple blocks just East. My sisters and I dug Crinoid Columnal plant fossils to make necklaces out of. It was adventurous times and I made full use of my bicycle, that sported a banana seat and colored Good Year tires, the latest thing. Good Year was a spot in my wanderings where I got free air and meet my Scout Master Mac Howell who worked there.
Our house was a three bedroom, mine was the front room I had the walls covered with posters from the time and Boys Life piled next to my bed. The living room had strong sliding French doors and where I watched TV from, a favorite was Hogan's Heroes. I liked to sleep in this room as we had a big swamp cooler & it's rhythmic sound and cool breeze made for a good nap.
My parents slept in the back bedroom, this is where we watched the first landing on the moon, all five of us piled on their bed. It was like pulling teeth as I remember, we seemed to wait forever for those first steps. It was a magic moment and my family shared it together.
The year before my uncles were serving in Vietnam and was there during the Tet Offensive. Mom was putting a care package together, candy and such, I swiped the licorice out of it's box in the kitchen pantry. We exchanged letters with my uncles but we also exchanged cassette taped messages. My uncles brought me back Vietnamese currency, military patches that mom sewed on a camouflaged jacket she made me. Uncle Chuck also brought back a new song he sang to us kids, the "ding-a-ling" song by Chuck Berry. Uncle Burton came home to a new wife waiting to divorce him. Hey lady, try giving peace a chance.
At night we could here Rock & Roll music played from a teen hang out above the Grand Theater on the side of Welcome Mountain. I was a shade to young but longed to join in at a place originally called "The Bag" but because the 'B' fell off, it became referred to as "The Ag". I so longed to see Yellow Submarine at the Grand but they didn't let it stay long enough for me to go.
The house we lived in had a wrap around porch, a reverse "L" shape, first I ever enjoyed. I'm glad to see they have repaired it today, nice to sit and catch a breeze from either the front or the side. Over fifty years later, the oval glass window door is like it was when I was twelve to my bedroom leading outside. The neighborhood is much the same as it was back then, the church the exact same.
I hope it is unoccupied when the 50th anniversary of the 1st lunar landing takes place. I would like to sneak in and honor the moment back then by watching those moments on a portable TV my family and I observed America's best history being made.
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