January 29, 2012

BB...

Ever consider using a footer at the bottom of your daily etrain comments? .... one item could be the GA67 website address ... there for everyone to see and use ... easy access!! I’m sure most of the class has it or can find it, but it’s been quite a while since I looked for it.

I happened across a link from someone’s email last night and took the time browse while the good class of ’67 slept. I was blown away at the mass of info compiled. I started to go back to it tonight and realized I didn’t have quick access to the address. I Googled it. I mentioned to Sally today at lunch that I had browsed the site most of the night before and encouraged her to drop in .... then went back to my chores (backed up on me due to winter, pain and rain ... plus my farm helper has been on a 6 month vacation to Mexico...he’s freaking lost!).

Sally got on the site and lost herself for the afternoon amidst the abundance of GA’67 memorabilia. She was flabbergasted, actually remembering some of her first friends in Georgia from our class and hers ... GA‘67 and GA’68. She was a Chicago transplant and was a new student at GA our senior year. She was a junior and new to the area the fall of ’66, knowing no one when she arrived. So, glancing at our website today started her stroll down memory lane. That’s a tough stroll, ‘cause like many of us, she’s killed a few brain cells in her lifetime ... not sure how many are left, but many more than me and I’ll love her to the end) ... She was impressed at the site with all the memories from nearly 45 years ago ... WOW! .... 45 freaking years???!!!! No wonder I can’t remember, much less reach the floor, to pick up my socks...is it just me?

Another brilliant idea .... we, the Class of ’67, should acquire an assisted living facility for GA’67 members ... We would all get “provisional appointments” .... and when our kids decide to get rid of us ... we’re appointed! We could name it “67 Flew into the Coo Coo’s Nest”....We could talk to each other through tin cans on a string because u know we will lose our last cell phone one day and our kids won’t buy us another one. Nor will we be able to remember our usernames or passwords, so computers will become useless.

Just think ...JerryL, ErnieT, BillyW, BillyI, KenT, LindaM, CarolC, NancyT, RitaS ... there are others and I apologize for omissions ... who all lived within 2 blocks of one another: AKA: "The Parkwood Gang" (including Sherwood and Wildwood participants) .... Imagine if were reunited, making full circle ... from Kindergarten to Heavenly Garden at the Coo Coo’s Nest. For fun, we could end up pulling stunts on one another to pass the time (for KenT and ErnieT...probably hourly!!!). If you haven’t figured it out ... you would be close if you guessed I was into my cups at this point, eh? But, I’m safe at home in front of the computer, not behind the wheel. Now that I think about it, I’m not sure which is worse.

While I’m rolling with the E-train ... one last thought and it’s a night. I really do want to thank those who spent countless hours feeding the website with data. What a task and accomplishment. And, we can’t forget our engineer .... BillyB, who continues to get everyone on board with his constant outreach .... clearly beyond the call of duty.

But, let’s be realistic, there needs to be some orientation on how this E-train and website operates ...... especially for those that are blessed with the longevity gene. The site will eventually need to be maintained by those that outlive the rest ... until the last ‘67’er standing, “can stands no more”.... Ever wonder, who’s going to maintain the etrain for our kids and grandkids? BB can you work it out so that you might be able to do that from your eternal home?.... or delegate that earthly task to someone that will carry your torch?.... I’m not sure why, but for most of the time I was choring today ... all I could think about was who was going to make that last entry when the last GA‘67 member departs?... and who, pray tell, will that last living GA’67’er be? Frankly, that’s not a race I want to win. (because if it were me, not only would I have to keep the site going for me, the sole GA’67 survivor, but for all those behind us ... and that’s something that I would screw up). No worry, odds are, it won’t be me.

But, there will be one GA’67 survivor in the end ...... and a lot of years in between. Beyond that sobering thought, just think of how much info, history and insight will be passed along to future generations ... recorded by us, mostly accumulated in recent years while riding Billy’s Choo Choo...”The E-train”. Much will be added as we journey toward that last stop, this just being the year of the 45th, and on toward that last ‘67’er, who will complete the task of coding there own picture ... ”Gone, but not Forgotten”. The rest will be history.

Now, that’s a trip .... and no one is up to read it. Certainly, when I read it back, I’ll wish my send key had malfunctioned. But, at this late hour ... it’s just me ... out of control. Certainly, some of you will be making my “appointment” to the Coo Coo’s Nest when you read this ... and for those that arrive there one day (I likely being the first appointee for mental deprivation) ... we will have audio tapes of all the website for those who can’t see to read .... and for those who can’t see or hear or remember the “Memories of our Youth”.... Well, that’s for someone else to write about.

Adios and Goodnight! The Nightwriter... Billy Watson

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January 30, 2012

BW: BB...ever consider using a footer at the bottom of your daily etrain comments?....one item could be the GA67 website address...

Webservant: Watson's suggestion has merit. At the end of BB's "Good night, Walter" message just add the Class of '67 website address:
http://ga67.herobo.com/index.html"
Then we can all click it and read ourselves into quick and deep sleep.

BW: I was blown away at the mass of info compiled.

Webservant: Yeah, this cowboy has learned a thing or two about the dangers of lighting up around huge piles of bovine droppings.

BW: Sally got on the site and lost herself for the afternoon amidst the abundance of GA’67 memorabilia. She was flabbergasted, actually remembering some of her first friends in Georgia from our class and hers...GA‘67 and GA’68.

Webservant: Wait 'til Sally finds out there's a Class of '68 website!

BW: So, glancing at our website today started her stroll down memory lane. That’s a tough stroll, ‘cause like many of us, she’s killed a few brain cells in her lifetime ... She was impressed at the site with all the memories from nearly 45 years ago...WOW!....45 freaking years???!!!!

Webservant: Little known fact: there's a disclaimer I put somewhere in the website (at the urging of the EPA? ... or was it the SPCA? ... 'can't remember now ...) that reading it's contents might become addictive or even cause drain bamage.

BW: Another brilliant idea....we, the Class of ’67, should acquire an assisted living facility for GA’67 members...

Webservant: The Class of '67 has from time to time discussed this very same topic. I think McVeigh even offered swampland she owns as a potential building site. Our boatowners and skiers will need a lake ... river ... pond ... pool to splash around in. We'll require a big outdoor grilling area for our low country boils, fish fries, applesauce and prunes. We must have a track for the '67 motorheads to race their V8-powered wheelchairs. And we'll need a place the size of a barn to lodge us all in. Hm-m-m-m, sounds something like Mesquite Pass Farms.

BW: Just think ...JerryL, ErnieT, BillyW, BillyI, KenT, LindaM, CarolC, NancyT, RitaS...there are others and I apologize for omissions...who all lived within 2 blocks of one another: AKA: "The Parkwood Gang" (including Sherwood and Wildwood participants) ....Imagine if were reunited, making full circle ...from Kindergarten to Heavenly Garden at the Coo Coo’s Nest.

Webservant: About six years ago I was hoping the above mentioned "Parkwood Gang" would be writing in moose-buckets full of neighborhood memories. I even had a Parkwood chapter page planned for the anticipated emails and photos. Not enough were ever written to make a page. My guess is there must be stories best kept between yourselves. I think there is a tale (or tail) of when Sharon Staley got mooned on
http://ga67.herobo.com/town3.html

BW: I really do want to thank those who spent countless hours feeding the website with data. What a task and accomplishment. But, let’s be realistic, there needs to be some orientation on how this etrain and website operates......especially for those that are blessed with the longevity gene. The site will eventually need to be maintained by those that outlive the rest...until the last ‘67’er standing, “can stands no more”....

Webservant: I thank all those who write emails ... it's the fuel that runs the E-train. No emails, no E-train, no Reconnection, no Conductor and no Website. Reports of my imminent demise are premature ... I hope ... but maybe BW was thinking the webservant is someone else(?). Truth be known, I already can't stands up as long as I used to could. (There's one for GrammarQueen.) There's actually a greater probability that some, hopefully many, of the Class of '67 will outlive the internet technology that makes the current website possible! Consider how email participation on the E-train has been impacted by Facebook. (BTW, how many of us missed yet another opportunity to become a billionaire when Facebook goes public?) Already I have had to move the entire website to a larger, faster server and update the written computer "language" of the website that rapidly becomes obsolete. I am not certain the newest phones and tablets can properly display our website because of my antiquated coding. I keep it for those of use still using old timey desktop computers!

BW: I’m not sure why, but for most of the time I was choring today...all I could think about was who was going to make that last entry when the last GA‘67 member departs?...and who, pray tell, will that last living GA’67’er be?

Webservant: Seldom do I update our "Gone But Not Forgotten" section without wondering the same thing ... and who might be next ... and who, if I am next, would or could make my entry? Maybe I should recruit an understudy! Watson's question suggests a macabre class superlative: "Most Likely to Outlive the Rest of Us". Maybe we can hold an election at the 45th Reunion. Then maybe we'll have to elect a replacement at our 50th ... due to expired term.

Off to ponder weightier matters (... like, what to eat), Webservant

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Classic, Steve, as usual. Obviously, there isn’t much you haven’t considered or pondered....

About the assisted living site ... MPF is willing to consider boarders ... kindly sign over your entitlement check and choose your stall ... running water and bedding (sawdust: no diapers, just use the floor ... will be picked clean every day) ... Vets are more reasonable than MD’s, plus they make house calls. We have them come by routinely ... some of their equine remedies are a little hoarse, hummm, course, but that’s nothing to whinny about. MPF offers an outdoor fire-pit ... a grilling area with sounds and a dance floor ... a must in Texas! And those bovine droppings ... We have equine droppings mixed with the sawdust ... all piled near the barn daily ... and it/s truly one serious compost pile and will literally blow you away with the strike of a match as you suggest ... (remind me to share with you what such a pile destined for plantings might cost ....You need to be sitting down).

Drain bamage ... a prerequisite for entry .... and for God’s sake, no mention of a GA’68 website ... And I was right ... by you own admission, residents will not have computers, because you already know they or us will be obsolete ... Incidentally, I’m not suggesting that any of our class servants, web or conductor types, think about retirement/replacement ... you are the best!!! and cannot be replaced ... so, it’s truly a lifetime job ... just like the US Congress, without the pay.

Regarding stories about the Parkwood Gang ... I can’t remember anything we did that’s worthy of repeating ... In fact, some one will get hurt if they are repeated. We weren’t a gang, just kids ...That’s about it. BW

Just think ...JerryL, ErnieT, BillyW, BillyI, KenT, LindaM, CarolC, NancyT, RitaS ... there are others and I apologize for omissions ... who all lived within 2 blocks of one another: AKA: "The Parkwood Gang" (including Sherwood and Wildwood participants) ....

January 30, 2012

Billy,
You forgot Linda Sue (Seymour Carr)!
ET (Ernie Tuten)

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ET (Ernie Tuten) ...

You have been an inspiration to all of us. You wrote great emails when you took time to sit down and write us. It’s not like you wanted to go out and run around the desert or something ... so writing became your sword. I never could figure out the time difference, whether you were writing at night, early morning ... wasn’t sure ... You wrote at 10:54AM ... is that my time zone our yours?

Say, we’ve heard more from you since your Afgan arrival than we ever heard in the 61 years prior. Your care package project has inspired many. We love you for getting involved ... standing up for the troups and your team ... that you inspired so many to participate in the care package project ... We appreciate what you are doing over there ... for the grunts and for our Country. Get back to writing and pop us a line or two about some of yours projects .... the every day life ... and the class would love to hear your version of one or two Parkwood Gang stories ... some I have not forgotten and others I wish I could remember ... indulge us, Big E...

You are correct, so it appears ... In my essay '67 Etrain and Website, Linda Sue was on my list when I started listing our classmates ... then I changed last names to letters (some security fret of mine) and in that process, she was dropped .... me never checking the list again. I was surprised by it. How could that be? But, you were correct ... I omitted her. We all go way back to first grade ... but she and I go back further ... so far back that we weren’t old enough to talk when we first met ... long before Parkwood Drive. She’ll forgive me.

Speaking of short-term memory loss ... you’ll appreciate this .... When Mom was about 2 years into her 5 year final illness, Alzheimer’s, I bought a coozie that read ... ”Of all the things I’ve lost ... I miss my mind the most”. I’ll never forget it. Everyone has probably seen one like it.

Sally and I and our 3 kids were home visiting in around 1986. We were at home with all the family together for dinner and a couple of close friends that knew Mom’s plight .... In an effort to break the ice with some levity (two beers and I’m Captain Courageous!) and without saying a word (in my warped sense of humor way), I dropped a beer in the coozie and handed it to Mom without telling a soul. All she knew was that it was something to drink. Bless her heart, she walked around, enjoying the evening, drinking her beer, never having a clue about much of anything, but loving everyone’s company and laughter, we think. I wish I knew what she knew behind those lost eyes .... It was probably one of her better nights ... and a memorable evening. Watching family and friends read that coozie while Mom took another sip???? ... well that’s another story.

I can tell that story because Dad kept that coozie around the house for memories of that evening ... long past her departure. Dad never complained in the 5 years that he and Mom’s live-in care-giver, Willene, our dear friend and God’s gift to us, took care of her. He dealt with life’s setbacks in stride, one day at a time ... regardless of how good or bad it was. Dad never threw that coozie away. And after mom’s death, sometime in the 18 months that he survived her, he had scratched through the word “mind” and hand wrote the word “wife”. Pretty touching, eh? A simple coozie ..... my gut is quivering.

Another eerie thing .... Mom was first diagnosed at age 58 ... dying at age 63. Dude ... that’s scary .... We’ll all be 63 this year and I can’t remember the last 5 years either. Not really! I don’t think I’m as worried about dying at my Mothers age of death as Elvis was about dying at his mothers age of death ... That’s because I’ve already got 21 years on them. Help me, but I think he really did believe he would die at his mother’s age of death ... and did! At 42!!! Whoa! Enough!

My point is this ... memory as life itself, is a fleeting thing ... it comes and goes and when it goes there’s a sad and serious result. I didn’t forget Linda Sue S., but I inadvertently left her off the list ... a list of kids more recently tagged as “The Parkwood Gang” by Jeff “Anonymous” Kilgore. So, I’m’ sorry, Linda Sue S. No way can I forget you or the fun times of our youth, of which you, et al were key players .... all the way up until we graduated in the Summer of ’67. In case you didn’t read my E-train and Website essay .... there was a lame and sarcastic suggestion that the Class of ’67 acquire our own assisted living facility to accommodate life’s aging setbacks in a classroom environment (of course...with all the teachers from our class) during our later years .... just think if the Parkwood Gang really did check into “67 Flew into the Coo Coo’s Nest” as it might appropriately be named .... How cool would that be?

ET, you know better than to take me too seriously ... I’m not sure about the rest of the class ... Come home safe, man! We love you and can’t wait to “gang” up on you when you return ..... BW (Billy Watson)

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January 31, 2012

BW and ET,
Also Maxie B and Rose Anne R! What a gang it was!
KT (Ken Tollison)

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February 1, 2012

KT ... what’s up???

You are right ... For some reason my mind was picturing the four blocks inside Parkwood and Wildwood .... I wasn’t thinking about the southside of Parkwood or the Northside of Wildwood ... but you were the Charter PWG member, automatically in the loop ... THE key player in the Gang.

If you look beyond those boundaries, the list expands quickly. Maxine F was just down your way too, Maxie B was certainly in the gang .... Rose Anne as well, but she really didn’t run with us like some ... I think her mother knew what we could get into and we might have been off limits. I took piano lesions from her for a year or two and she knew me like the back of her hand ... Certainly couldn’t blame her if she did limit Rose Anne.

But you know, we had a younger kid killed by a car on Parkwood ... Parkwood was a pretty busy street and even Mom didn’t like me crossing without her knowledge ... like we would stop to ask. If we counted those a year younger or a year older ... and expanded a block either way the numbers probably triple ... What a great neighborhood to grow up and play in ... with all your classmates in school and out ... in a world of innocence.

The worst we saw on TV was Howdy Doody, Lassie, Rin Tin Tin, The Lone Ranger, The Cisco Kid, Roy Rogers, Sky King, Father Knows Best, I love Lucy, Ed Sullivan, Red Skelton ... Where were Snoop Dog and Puff Daddy when we were growing up? They were James Brown and the Fabulous Flames, I guess and boy did “I Feel Good” back then ... No worries!!!! .... There were probably other parents that limited their kids from running with us ... wonder why ... we grew up to be good guys, right?

Say, what are you doing for spending money, now that ET is out of the country and you can’t get to him on the golf course? Really enjoyed the rounds we got in a couple of years back ... with JK, BB, others. We need to do that again. Tollison, you have to remember some of the no good stuff we were up to .... All I can remember is running in the woods across the creek next to your house ... Forts and all ... baseball cards and the endless hours of scrub baseball at Goodyear or the park next to Nancy F’s house ... Sherry H land Joy H lived near there .... many others I’m sure to recall in my sleep tonight.

Good times! Good times! Let’s link up for a soda water. I’ll touch base. Best! Billy Watson

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February 1, 2012

Billy and Tollison,
We did have a great childhood. Had we been growing up in this day and time Tollison would be in prison somewhere. You can't have BB gun wars and flush cherry bombs down the toilet at the Amoco station on 17 like you could in the old days. People tend to take that stuff serious now, I'm talking no sense of humor at all.

Tollison and I were bad. When we would start getting out of hand Billy W. knew it was time to think of a reason to get away from us. It saved his name to a certain degree, because his name was not associated with some of the things Tollison and I got caught red-handed doing. Then was the trip back home to Russell Tuten to receive what became known as Steak Tail to me and Ken. Sometimes we couldn't sit down for more than a week. Once I was receiving punishment from J Russell in front of Ken. Ken begin to laugh uncontrollably at my punishment, which to me on the receiving end, was not the lest bit humorous. Well, after J Russell had finished dressing me down he motioned for Ken to join in the fun. Ken came over and my Dad proceeded to give it to Ken as he had me. When he got through, Ken looked at me in disbelief as I was rolling on the ground in a fit of laughter. When Ken got home, he got a second helping from Hugh. That's the way it was back then. Hugh and my Dad had an understanding that if we misbehaved the father that witnessed the infraction administered the punishment.

Great memories, makes my butt hurt to think about them.
Ernie Tuten

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February 2, 2012

Ernest,
As you put pen (i.e. email) to your musings, you need to be considerate of others. I have endeavored to teach you that for years, but alas. To explain, while you are secluded in a faraway land, and buffered by thousands of jarheads that will allow no one to approach you, Watson and I are stateside. With that being said, surely you are aware that any government agency can apprehend us at any time and for any reason. I am not qualified to give an opinion as to whether or not the statute of limitations has run its course on some of our misdeeds, but in your secure oasis, you need not worry. But remember, you will be home at some point in the future. I am sure your cheeks would be wet with tears if you found upon your arrival that Billy and I were doing time for actions planned by you and you alone. Besides, you will need us to make a foursome!

Keep your bigass head down!
KT (Ken Tollison)

February 1, 2012

One of my favorite Parkwood memories was when Meta Heinz came riding down the street on her bicycle. She suffered from polio and would ride her bike for miles to strengthen her weaker leg. Daddy gave me carte blanc permission to ride with her whenever she passed my house. She was like a pied piper, as countless numbers joined her on the ride. Sometimes we rode as far as where the new Jane Macon middle school was being built. Ironically, I was at a hair appointment last week and held the door open as a woman pushed an elderly woman into the shop in her wheelchair. When the woman in the wheelchair thanked me, I realized it was Mrs Heinz. That brought back such a flood of memories. I enjoyed having a conversation with her about the old neighborhood days.

Nancy Fowler Rivers

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So Nancy, you were a biker back then? Jerry Lowe

February 1, 2012

I didn't actually live in the Parkwood area but very close by. Use to walk to Goodyear everyday with my friend Rosemarie Grimes. She lived on Springfield Dr. next to Wanda and Sherry Woods and I lived one street over on Carrie Street. Right down the road from the Starlight Theatre. We could go in my backyard at night, set up a chair and watch the movies and the sound from the cute little in-car speakers that worked half the time, would come wafting over. We use to ride our bikes down Parkwood and go to the park. Often stopped off at Nancy's house. Also the Proctors use to live in that area as did Bobby Anderson and Tommy Bell. My brother Jeff use to date KT's sister Pam so I had gone by that way many times with him.

I have very fond memories of those years even though I was not a Parkwood Gang Member :-)
Pat Critchley Jones

February 1, 2012

Linda, did you mean to say something? No text here. BB '67

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The Cat Sent It ... right!

I wrote a very long text on my I-pad late last night with lots of funny memories but before I could send or finish it my cat stepped on the screen and all was lost and then she - the cat - hit the send button. I love my Brittany and my cat but they can cause problems.
Linda Seymour Carr

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Amen to the Brittany and cats and problems.
Lord knows that we have a few of them at the Conley household.
Gary Conley

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Linda Sue...

I know as the daughter of George Seymour, that you can recall everything you wrote and get it down in print again and give us the opportunity to hear your perspective on the PWG .... I remember coming home from GAHS in the evenings my sophomore year and could not make any progress with my math home work ... logarithms ... so I would go down to your house and George would work out the problems for me in about 2 minutes ... from rote memory. Frankly, I thought it was magic. That’s when I knew I would be the intellectual underdog most of my life ...

Regarding the PWG females ... the males certainly acted differently when ya’ll were along .... At least I thought we did ... Jump in this fray because you were clearly one of the Gang ....

Some of you that are reading this are wishing I had a cat like yours ... that could step on my delete button, before I could hit the send button. But, I don’t. We do have a cat.1 of about 8 or so (they are farm cats that have a job to do, keeping rodents at bay) She is jet black, named Jetta, and she comes in through her sliding screen window in the kitchen, jumps up and naps in either a giant fruit bowl that Sally keeps empty for her near Sally’s desk/computer or she climbs up and sleeps on the copier input tray ... we’ve nicknamed her _ _ _ _cat .... Now who can’t figure that one out?....

Try to remember and get us your stories of Goodyear days. I wet my pants at Tuten’s story cause I know he was telling it the way it was ... He was just as funny when we were kids ... nothing has changed. I think J Russell and Ethel knew his only chance was to get him out of Glynn County Schools so he could focus on the books and not the extra curricular activities that seemed to always end up with disciplinary action. One thing is for sure ... If our kids disciplined their kids like we disciplined them ... and for sure our parents disciplined us ... they would be in jail for child abuse ... Ernie’s right, our parents never hesitated to whip our tails ... and we are better for it.

Waiting on you , Linda Sue ... BillyW

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My dad never failed to amaze me . He was so ahead of his time. We had a complete lab in our storage room and we did so many crazy experiments.

During the beginning of the space age days he decided to make his own homemade chemical rocket fuel. Some of the PWG members were challenged to design and make rockets to use his fuel and see who could get theirs to go the highest. Yes- much like the movie "OctoberSky". Well - when the big Launch Day arrived the rockets that were made became a great success.

WOW- ----We were all screaming and elated as they went up and up / until they were almost out of sight. I still marvel at how high they were going up. All was great until Carol retrieved her rocket that had just hit the ground and inadvertently placed the still hot rocket on top of the fuel. The fuel ignited and burned Carol's leg. Another trip from our Parkwood Drive house to the ER for CC. My dad was so sad about that accident. It must have been a foreshadowing of the events that would take place on Jan. 27, 1967 at Kennedy Space Center when Grissom, White and Chaffee were killed in an Apollo spacecraft fire. What a sad day.

I think our group of 67 grads were very lucky to experience the excitement generated by the space program. On launch days,--- we were all glued to the TV, mesmerized by the voice of Walter Cronkite and his live coverage of each nail-biting event as it unfolded on live TV. We would probably still have the NASA program today if he was alive to impart his excitement to the story. He was the only non-astronaut to be awarded a Moon Rock for his devotion and coverage of America's space program. Cronkite said that his coverage of the first trip to the moon was his favorite news story he ever announced. It is so sad that we are going to lose this program .

Side note - my father's parents lived in Washington, DC and they were best friends with Walter's parents. They attended the funeral of my grandfather at Arlington National Cemetery and his mom attended my grandmother's funeral there years later.
Linda Seymour Carr

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Passing "Foal Watching" Time on the E-train

BB ... I guess I should explain why I appear to be up endlessly replying so excessively on the etrain, lately .... I finally was able to figure out why my wifi wasn’t working after probably two years of thinking about it with little action to fix it...Remarkably, it wouldn’t just fix itself. My computer geek failed to crack through my thick skull...but when I started to apply some thought, Sally and I figured it out. It wasn’t critical for me to have computer access at home, because I had Sally’s computer for surfing, etc. I just didn’t make time for the etrain at home. I would browse it at work, when I rarely had time to respond ... Well as you can tell that’s been fixed. I’ll slow down, but while I feel like I’m catching up ... I write

Which is what I’ve been doing lately with my newly active access at home. Lynette Rivers and I have been recently chatting directly about Sally’s and my passion ... horses and the farm. It didn’t start out that way for me, but I’m there. It’s what Mesquite Pass Farms is about. We have 10 or so broodmares that are quarter horses whose station in life is to produce quarter horse foals ... generally annually. Since quarter horse birthdays are not generally kept, there age changes officially on the first of each year for age bracket purposes. So if a horse is born on May 3rd, 2011 .... he will be called a foal for the first couple of months he is alive ... then becomes a weanling from mid-year (about when he should be separated from his mare) to the end of his birth year .... and on January 1st 2012 he becomes a yearling (1 year old). The next year on January 1st, 2013 , he will be 2 years old for racing purposes. It’s important because you obviously want to run horses when they’re most mature. So you want your foal to arrive as close to January the 1st as possible, but dare not have them come before January 1st. You may know this but if not, race seasons generally begin at age 2 — 2 year old stakes are called a futurity ... and at 3 years the stakes are called a Derby ... such as the Kentucky Derby ... all the best 3 year olds running for that crown. So you want horse to be as mature (and maturity comes with age, by the day)

So the breeding season, nationally, begins around Feb 15th.... considering a horse’s gestation period is 11 months and 11 days from last breeding date, foals generally arrive anywhere from the 332nd day to the 365th day from their last breeding date. Do the math, since you can’t compete (for development reasons only) if your foal prospect arrives before January 1st, breeders try to have their foals starting January 15th and beyond. The breeding season in one year is followed by the birthing season the next and so on. Thus, the stallion farms operate only between February 15th and June 15th and the following years birthing season follows 20 days earlier, about January 25 to May 25th.... with about a month to spare for early gestation. Whew!!!! I told you that story to explain my wee hour rants....

It’s birthing season as you now know and Sally and I have been up all night on “foal watch” inspecting an expecting mare routinely every 2 hours .... For whatever reason, foal generally come between 6PM and 6 AM ... mother nature ... no other reason. And when I get up and take my turn to check the mare, I have the E-train to check and the time, as I’m awake, to respond. Lynette, since we last talked, nothing has changed. We are still expecting our first foal of the season ... LaJolla Sioux, our mare, is still in foal and for the last week we have been up with her, waiting for delivery. We started about day 330 and I don’t know where we are today, but this mare’s average gestation has been 335 days for fillies and 345 days for colts. Go figure mother nature! We are just laymen spectators in a world of Godly acts ... So we wait and kill time a myrid of ways ... thus, a good reason for my spurt of activity on the etrain and for what appears to be endless nights of lost sleep ... which is true. Sally and I think we have good reason ... it’s what we do every January to May ... looking to bring another years foal crop to life .... and the primary reason for curtailing travel during that time, especially if a mare is in her delivery zone.

We wish all a fun evening for all at the No Gnat. Lynette, I’ll keep you posted. BW

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February 2, 2012

ET and some of the other members of the "Pw gang" made a lasting impression on my sister by scratching her window and making weird noises at night. I added fuel to the fire by telling her I saw dead people trying to get in the windows. My punishment - I had to sleep with her whenever she got scared. She is still scared at night as a result .

We learned many lessions back then . I am sure Carol C. learned that elephant ear plants do not taste sweet. ET and other "Pw Gang" members dared her to eat some. She ended up at the ER . We found out it could have been life threating.

We learned that forts built by some "PwG" members were traps designed to fall so that the intruder would get hurt.

The "PwG" did get some very good science lessons.

When Dr. Jennings died not long ago - I did have some very fond memories of his influence on our health habits and knowledge about the heart. I also learned a lot about how to live your life from him. He was constantly giving me little science lessons about his research on dogs and open heart surgery. He said it was always a shock to open a person up that looked so fat on the outside and find that their heart and vessels were so beautiful and healthy on the inside. He said he learned not to judge a person on their looks alone.

His attitude on life was just like that -- he was always kind, gentle, happy and had the sweetest personality and smile. He always seemed to look for the GOOD qualities in a person. I never heard him say a negative thing about anyone. The last time I saw him at the country club -- he still had that friendly sweetness. I have always tried to be like him and Pollyanna. Back in those days we sure had some fantastic adult models to influence us.

He was really on the cutting edge of heart surgery and a pioneer in his field. He even helped some of the "PwG" accomplish an operation on a living frog. PETA was not around back then. YES- the frog was closed, stiched up and did survive the operation. I will not ever forget Carol's mother's reaction when she found out that Carol had volunteered to nurse the frog back to health at their house. Carol was an excellent nurse and devoted many hours to the frog's care. It was a big day when it was released back into the wild and I think we had a cookout in it's honor . We gave it a name but I do not remember it. Every time we saw a frog ---- we would always call out it's name and wonder if it was him.
Linda Seymour Carr

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Linda, I remember so well Carol nursing the frog. I always thought she would be a famous heart surgeon! Although I was at the other end of Parkwood with Joy H., Sherry H. and Judy M., we to joined in the the "upper" Parkwood bunch for fun.
Trisha Smith Perry

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Linda Sue ....
I guess y’all didn’t have frog legs at the cookout to honor Kermit (the frog)? ... didit, ribit, gitit, ribit, gigit, oops!!!......

Regarding Dr. Jennings ... I mowed his lawn among many in the neighborhood for years ... yep..the Jennings, Seymours, Cowarts, Tyres, Amundsons, Fivashs (when Dennis was away) and my own, usually weekly in the peak growing season (all summer). Every time I cut someone’s yard, I thought about who they were and that they trusted me with their lawn ... the only weed eaters back then was a skilled hand with a lawn mower, hand clippers or flat blade ... or an “I’ll get it next time mentality” which I knew was not acceptable for me in my anal way. Dr J performed a surgery on me to remove an enlarged lymph gland two weeks before I reported to the Citadel my freshman year ... he was super and kept calling me into the early part of the fall to check up on me ... Understand that I was a freshman at a military school during his knob year ... Dr J would leave messages for me in the guard room to return his call ... usually in the evening at home (real dedication) --- imagine an MD asking you to return his call at home in the evening today!! ... actually some do.

In those days there were no cells and at the Citadel, no phones in the rooms. The entire battalion ... about 500 cadets, 350 of them upperclassmen ... shared the 4-5 phones in the guardroom. All the freshmen instructed their families to never, ever call the guardroom for them ... I was no exception. Imagine having guards run a message up to a freshman’s room fairly regularly to tell them they had a call. I never once didn’t want to call him back ... to say hello from a family friend from home and give him a good report ... Dr. J was relentlessly kind, persistent and thorough ... and so understanding that he actually had the guys that hated to have to do such mundane tasks (delivering messages) willing to respond for him ... Very rare! We could only return calls a certain time and had to share that time with all classes ... get in line! But, for Dr. Jennings, I never thought of not returning his call. I always had the most respect for his kindness and concern.

His partners ... Drs. Addison and Egan were cool and fun to talk too ... later my senior year at the Citadel, Egan removed a benign tumor along with part of my thyroid. I was out of school that fall, staying home to heal before surgery and recover afterwards. It was really a serious time to turn the corner on what was Graves disease for me, undiagnosed for nearly a year prior ... I had to report to them weekly (all there were interested and involved) so they could check my progress and convince me how serious it was to refrain from ANY physical activity as to allow the thyroid time to calm down before it was partially removed ... Try telling an athlete, used to physical activity thirty minutes (not really) that involved cardio or the like ... I used to go to BJC’s gym during lunch to play in pick up basketball games ... then drive over to my grandmothers house to shower and have late lunch with her before my weekly appointment to get the concern talks about the disease and why I needed to be calm, gain weight and no physical activity ... It was soooo bad, I learned to needlepoint ... that’s true! I dared not tell him about the basketball games ... Boy, the ignorance of youth!!! A miracle I made it through ... but I give credit to Dr J ... as he was always keeping an eye on me and I really didn’t know how valuable and special that was until later when I learned more about what I went through ... His entire family were special, with there own serious family illnesses that they lived with without mention.

Thanks for that note Linda ... Good memories .... BW

February 3, 2012

You don't have to reply to this, but I just want to say "Thank You" for the wonderful memories of your youth you have been submitting to the E-Train over the last few days. It has been very interesting, and helps us who lived in other areas of the Golden Isles a new view at our "growing up" days. I grew up on St. Simons Island, and there are some that grew up on the South End. Others remember the Ballard and Arco areas, and even more remote neighborhoods, and maybe some will be inspired to send in their stories. I don't see how they could match some of the memories you have, but who knows.

Oh, and Billy, I don't think you can be convicted of any "crime" you might have committed since it has been over fifty years ago.

Thanks again, and let's keep it going. The E-Train is building up a speed that is necessary for the interest to peak just about the time of our 45th Class Reunion in October.
Billy B '67

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February 3, 2012

BB....Com’on Man!!!! ....
“Wonderful memories of our youth?” Did you say “Wonderful memories of our youth”? 45 years ago at this time we were 4 months away from graduating .... we were only 18 years old .... truly amazing considering that we had been on a path to our own destruction since the first grade. It’s a miracle KT and WW had managed to stay out of prison, according to KT, but it all turned for the better when WickerT was removed from our presence, leaving those of us who were influenced by or involved with him the opportunity to clean up our acts ... and just in the nick of time, too!

Unfortunately, if the truth be known, WickerT continued his behavior in the Falls Church, DC area where he was able to direct and apply his influence more effectively on one JRussell, who was meritoriously serving his nation as a Representative of our South Georgia area. After years of exposure to WickerT’s clandestine ways, even JRussell, who appeared to be under WickerT’s spell, began to affect the behavior of his colleagues, evidenced by the current lack of honor, common sense, trust and downright criminal behavior that permeates the DC/public arena today. We can only surmise that it was the arrival of WickerT and his influence that lead to such decline in our national leadership .... probably a good reason why, as KT pointed out, WickerT aligned himself with jarheads, as he knew that he, too, would need support at some point to defend his behavior.

Now, as KT describes, WickerT has chosen to hide out in the most remote parts of the world where KT and WW believe he was sent so that his behavior would not have any further impact, not only on those in the region, but in the world. So, now we wait for WickerT to serve his time and pray that he, under the leadership of his superiors, gains control of himself and turns towards the good and pristine ways of his long lost friends, KT and WW... who anxiously await his return ... Besides KT is out of spending money, not able to take it so freely from others, and needs a friendly golf wager to reline his pockets and WickerT has always obliged. WW is just along for the ride.

JerryL ... certainly one of the 3 of those described above will fit into your story ... but, I still plead the 5th...

Because we live in a crazy world, all the names above have been changed to protect the innocent, whoever that might be, if they exist. Any reference or similarities to real people are to be ignored as they are no way connected with such possible people .... they don’t exist .... In other words ... the above is a spoof, a joke .... so forget it. Just fiction writing by sick, sick people....comprende? Gone to Mexico.....Adios!!

Has any body heard from Anonymous, lately?
Billy Watson

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BW,
You are on one fast and furious roll! Don't stop now. And ... Yes, the doctor prescribed these teensy-weensy blue pills for the broken leg ordeal. He wanted me pain free, since I had to wait two looooooong weeks before the surgery.
Nancy Fowler Rivers

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Rivers .... glad I caught you .... if you are singing at the reunion, I want to put in my request .... in fact if you give me the key ... I’ll accompany you ... especially if it’s something that we did with the group ... More importantly, I’d like to catch up with you on what transpired after I left the group ... to get your story ... I want to hear ... I was so focused on what I had to do, that I lost sight of ya’ll. It wasn’t hard to do, especially at Citadel.

I can’t say that I didn’t make the right decision, but I doubt I could have paid my bus ticket to college with band earnings vs the full ride football brought ... And the scholarship was a fluke. I had no idea that would develop until we started talking to recruiters in the locker room during the last few games of the year ... They were talking to Roberts, obviously ... and the Citadel came out of the blue ... go figure ...

I remember going to Atlanta once to a frat party at GA Tech to hear Richard and Jimmy, but just vaguely ... Talk to me about you time with the SwingMedallions/Pieces of Eight ... heard good things, just in spurts and never really knew for a fact what you were doing during that time ... I know you are on your cell, but take time to give the scoop, even if it’s another time and day ... Do you have any of those little pills left ... they make for hilarious writing ... BW

February 4, 2012

I am now in my new FOB . I cannot give the name ... It took about eleven days to get hear from my old FOB ... They received about 6" of snow last night and 15" five days ago. This is quite a shock to the system after being in the desert for 15 months ... This is a beautiful area of the World and I never thought I would say that about any part of Afghanistan.
Ernie Tuten

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ET
Glad to hear you are settled near the ski slopes of Afghanistan. It sounds as if you are closer to where we don't want you to be. Along with keeping your head down, how about adding a thick, steel bucket to that big ass head of yours. Stay safe!
KT (Ken Tollison)

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Big E...
Thanks for the update ... You’ve been silent for a while and I suspected you we in transit and taking some time to get set up ... one of your emails referred to retreating due to weather, rebooting the next day .... Great to hear you are up and running again. Sounds like the first project would be a fire-pit for some late night gatherings ... up in the mountains in cold weather country ... Not sure if you can sip a little brew over there ... but if you can’t ... you truly are making some residual sacrifices ... Not sure the pit would clear security, either ... might be a target for some unsuspecting idiot to try to cash in on ... with glowing embers and all. Certainly they could find us here as we build them all the time and enjoy some music and beverage under a Texas sky ... until bedtime ... Just me and Sally ... Kinda nice ... We think about you and all those over there, the purpose, cause and effectiveness of our national policy ... I’m sure there’s a good reason and have no doubt we can carry out our objectives ... Just, the layman really doesn’t know what’s happening, generally. I’ve never visioned that part of the world as being beautiful either ..... However, don’t think I will be visiting anytime soon.

Tollison and I have been independently bashing you on the home front ... jerking your chain ... nothing you aren’t accustomed to, I’m sure. Really, I enjoy playing with class in my writing ... I go in spurts ... making up crap as I roll along ... but the personalities fit the BS I’m spreading ... which makes it appear almost real until you realize is a bunch of sarcastic BS .... Your last email about taking your punishment from JR with Tollison was hilarious ... I was literally close to rolling on the floor, because I knew it was probably true and visually placing you and KT in that room along with the other situations we’ve been describing ... whether we knew about it really happening or not .... it’s just hilariously fun to hear from the others as we all remember one another and were likely to be part of the identical or similar situation on another day. Keep your pen scratching ... It’s just been fun to pass the time, reading and hearing from many of those we grew up with ... Most of my rants are just rambling BS ... burning up the clock ... stirring up emotions ... prodding, gigging just for fun ... Seems to be stirring a few others...

As KT said ... keep your ---- head down ... we know you’ll get the job done .... Look forward to your return ... Plan on bringing Renee out for a visit for some R&R when you get stateside ... We’ll get Tollison to join up, too. It will be a blast around a fire telling old war stories of the Parkwood Gang type ... Let’s plan on it ... Best Pals.
Billy Watson

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Linda Sue told a little story about elephant ear. I was, at best, a little mischievous as a young lad and some of the things I did, although not many, were not directly associated with either Billy or Ken. One such episode follows:

I, being a very serious student, would go and study with Linda Sue. Linda Sue was very serious about making good grades and I thought that if I studied with her and Carol Cowart that the good grades would rub off on me. Other than that, George Seymore was the best tutor around and a real nice guy. Well, it never quite worked out that I was on the all A honor roll and during our study sessions I would come up with many side projects.

One for instance was the elephant ear story. I had been introduced to elephant ear as a food product several months before and interrupted one of the study sessions to let Linda Sue and Carol have a taste. Linda's dad had a bumper crop of elephant ear growing on the east side of their house next to the Car Port. I walked them to the garden and acted as if I had put a big piece in my mouth and proceeded to act like it was the best thing I had ever tasted. This was better than ice cream, better than Snickers, better than anything I had ever put in my mouth. I sold it better than Tom Sawyer sold white washing the fence.

Linda Sue, being leary of my storied past, let Carol sample the elephant ear first. Linda was much more the better for it in the next few hours. Going back, I knew that elephant ear would make all talking cease for the next hour or so and make the old mouth sting. I learned this when I ate my first piece, but I did not know, in my defense, that elephant ear was actually poisonous. I later learned this after Carol went to the hospital. I felt like a jerk and the next time I think I had Carol or maybe someone else eat red peppers instead. The results were just as much fun, but no serious damage.
ET

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PWG ...
You’re probably one of those rotten kids that threw pine cones at us Starling St. kids in the park. Shame on you!!
Mary Jane Johnson Van der Auwermeulen

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I’ll only admit to throwing pine cones once when I hit Nancy Fowlers little sister.
Nancy immediately kicked me and threatened to beat me up. I left quickly.
David Proctor

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Dang! I was hoping you forgot that - yet you still speak to me this day.
You are a forgiving friend. Nancy Fowler Rivers

Redman & LowWat Tribe Arrowheads

February 4, 2012

Alright. as long as we are talking bout the Parkwood gang and things, I would like to relate a very vivid memory. The person involved can jump in any time they would like. I was with this individual in a vehicle. His father had people who worked for him. This foreman offered some Bull of the Woods to this individual and he took a chew. Turned 'bout as green as someone seasick. This same individual and another were in my back yard looking at red peppers which had been planted. This one individual's brother convinced the three of us (three this time) we ought to all try a pepper.

Those involved will not be annomyous to protect the guilty.
I will wait a while to see who fesses up.
Jerry Lowe

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OK Jerry,
I admit that I can't remember being any one of those you describe ... but because I can’t remember, I’ll plead the 5th.... unless otherwise we have honorable members of the PWG that will fess up .... What are those chances?
BW

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I know I had nothing to do with such a nasty deed. ET

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Brewer,
I think the Red Bull chewer and pepper eaters need to fess up before I spill the beans. Might be fun to have people guess who of the Parkwood gang might have been exposed to red man and peppers. Jerry Lowe

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I cannot believe a member of the Parkwood gang would have anything to do with Redman.
ET

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I was shocked at you Mr. Tuten. Who would ever known someone could turn 10 shades of green and not go comatose. I can still picture the foreman offering it to you all innocently.
Stay safe over there.

Still looking for a confession from the other two pepperheads...
Jerry Lowe

P.S. Guess, the other two are out of confessions. Mr Tuten's older brother Johnny convinced Ernie, Billy W., and moi how good red peppers were. Wrong!
I do however see a pattern with the Tuten family being ... convincing.
Jerry Lowe

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February 5, 2012

If I recall correctly, I was under the influence of Redman at a Royal Ambassador softball game representing First Baptist Church. I was playing third base right after Hoover Lightsey dropped me off at the game. Hoover worked for my Dad and Hoover let me have a big ole chew and I chewed it just like Juicy Fruit and swallowed all the juice.

The first time we hit the field the Earth started spinning and the first batter hit the ball right at me and before it got to my glove I emptied the contents of my stomach all over the third base area. The bad thing about it was that I missed the catch and stopped the game while a clean up job was done on the field. I was removed from the game until much later and came back near the end still feeling pretty bad. It was a long time after that before I chewed Redman again.

I keep telling these stories and Watson chimes in, but you would think that other people had similar experiences. All these stories are gospel ... the silence out there makes me feel like I am the only person that did such things. The sad fact is that I have not even scratched the surface, as Ken, Jerry and Watson can all attest to.

Ask Jerry about the time we were digging a fort in the vacant lot between Billy's house and mine. Let's see if he can tell a story for a change. People are getting tired of my accounts. Besides I'm saving them for my book.
ET

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Well, Ernie, if you nor Watson tell the story of shooting arrows with messages, then let me put it in my book.
Janis Garrett Boland

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Thanks, Janis...

Ernie may have some arrow stories, I’m sure there are many, but he’s not a part of one of my arrow stories ....

The dumb-dumb(er) arrow story that I will share could have been the main act in the center ring of the Greatest Show On Earth. An infamous act held to secrecy, never making the Silver Screen or Ringling Brothers Big Tent, played in a little theater off Sherwood (Ave)! Both of the actors survived the play it in spite of their inadequacies ...They were merely 8 years old ... old enough to chew Red Bull without choking and turning green (for a minute, anyway), old enough to down red chili peppers in one gulp ... (burnt lips, tongue, throat torching and a few minutes of stomach spasms .... before puking, counts!) ... Old enough to go to the bathroom, unaccompanied ....Yes, the infamous, one and only, LowWat Brothers...(non-related of course)...A Dynamic Duo.

Truthfully, when I think back on our brilliant act, I begin cold sweats and prayer ... knowing that the only way we survived our deed was by the Grace of God ... He had another plan for us, otherwise one of us easily could not have survived the day ..... I believe that truly, but when you are 8 years old ... you are old enough to hurt yourself or someone else, but without enough brains to know it. Nor to say ... let’s not do this because someone could get hurt. Not the LowWat Brothers ... Fearless, brave, and willing to tempt death ... all at 8 years old in the backyard theater off Sherwood!!!

The story goes that Low and Wat were almost Indians ... they acted like Indians, they painted their faces like Indians, they even spoke Indian ...” How” they would say, holding their palms up in front of their Indian friend. They were pretty much Indians ...... and they made, um ... owned, um ... bought ... well were given bows and arrows by brilliant adults (who were probably cowboys or calvarymen) ..... The Indians said they should go forth and slay themselves while playing cowboys and Indians ... Only we Low and Wat were the infamous bowmen and arrowmen and the theater was Lowe’s backyard ...

Picture a 4 x 6 canvas stretched between two poles, upright and stuck in the ground .... We could have easily thrown baseballs at the canvas so it would stop the ball ... (that was the purpose of the structure, but neither of us wanted to play catcher) .... or we could .... (ding! ... on comes a light) .... shoot arrows toward the canvas ... maybe even painting a bulls-eye or something at which to shoot. But, because we didn’t have any paint ... we chose to shoot arrows at EACH OTHER!!!. Brilliant, Brave, DUMB!!!...but not at 8!!

The object was the closest arrow shot to the other's body would win the arrow shooting contest ... (This is a true story). Lowe and I shot arrows, not once, not twice ... but enough times at each other until one of the arrow shots pierces a shirt sleeve, but failed to draw blood. Nonchalantly, we declared that shot was the winner ... even at 8, we thought it best not to let the other one try to get closer. Imagine how easy it would have been to miss a little, or a lot ... Never crossed our mind ... so we grabbed the bow and arrows and headed off to Act 2.

By that time Mr. Lowe, Jerry’s dad had reached the back porch for his post work relaxation time to find me and Jerry chasing each other, swinging arrows like sticks, trying to hit one another. Unfortunately, Jerry or Me (I can’t remember who), was struck by the steel pointed arrow in the cheek which had to hurt and caused action to stop. Everything appeared to be fine, when we heard from the porch ....”Hey, you two boys need to stop that ... you can put an eye out doing that” .... Yep, Jack ... you are right!!! ... someone almost got hurt. Jerry and I looked at one another and smiled. Not one word was said about the bow shooting contest. We were lucky and knew it. Never another attempt was made, either. And, to this day ... when I think of the death defying acts I’ve tried and failed ... that one still makes it into the top 10!!!!

There are others that I can share but playing Russian Roulett with my bike, blindfolded while riding across Parkwood is another Top 10 winner. I used to ride my bike to the corner store when I was about 5-6 year old ... the store was at the end of my block across Parkwood, before Dr. Inman build his offices there ..... I would try to ride my bike down the side walk blindfolded ... trying to stay on the walk to the corner (about 300 feet-3 houses). When I did that, I decided that I should ride across Parkwood Drive, blindfolded, and when I hit the gravel in front of the store, I would know to hit my brakes, stopping before I ran into the store it self ... all blind folded, mind you ... Because I was successful staying on the walk to the end of the block ... making it across the street blindfolded brought some excitement and peril to the act.

From 25 yards up the side street, I would reach breakneck speed (as fast as I could go at 5-6 years old) before reaching the edge of Parkwood .... No turning back now ..... attempting to hear any cars coming, but blind as a bat, I proceeded, and succeeded ... every thing worked, just as planned. So I went back and gutted up again for a second try. Full speed ahead ... entering the street, now sensing I was halfway across, I heard scre-e-eching tires and a loud horn scaring me to death (no pun intended!), but I could not stop so I kept going ... sliding to a stop in the gravel, while ripping my blindfold off. I’m thinking, I could have been killed ... I was breathing hard, my heart was in my throat ... but I could feel and see and had no pain ... my bike was not damaged ... I made it!!!!!

That was when I heard a lady screaming at me ... beating one hand on the steering wheel and the other on the side of her door ... yelling at me and threatening to call my mom and dad ... even the police. She was pissed! That was about it for the blindfold street crossing act ... I decided that I should get my butt home and start working on some story that would convince mom and dad, if they happen to hear from the police or lady, that it wasn’t me. Never did hear from either. The fortunate part ... I realized I dodged a bullet, twice!!! For the first time I was scared, cause, I realized that while I could handle my part of the act, having another part of the act appear at the wrong time could be serious ... I thanked God for giving that lady good brakes, with a quick foot, ‘cause I learned I was not that fast ... just lucky. God had to be close! No wonder he worries about me and my friends in the Parkwood Gang. No wonder we tested each other, pushing one another to the edge ... always doing something to create real stories ... Huckleberry Finn had nothing on us ... individually, in pairs, or insane ... as we might have been from time to time ....

Only my Houdini pool act would rival these death defying attempts. But, that’s another story for another time. It’s real and stupid and I’m hear to tell it, but it makes the top 10, too!

Unfortunately, both of the above stories were true ... JLowe will attest to one ... and me and some poor lady to the other, if she hasn’t already departed ... which if she could find me, she might just depart, reliving the day. And, now I hear I was one of the pepper eaters??? ... I told Jerry I didn’t remember that ... pleading the 5th ... I did not say that I wasn’t a participant, I might have been, but I don’t remember being douped into eating red chili peppers ... JohnnyT was a prankster, older than we and could get us to do most anything, as long as the pain around the corner was concealed. Ernie had to learn to become a prankster to survive ... I’m sure Ernie has some get even stories, pranks he pulled on his bigger brother to get even ... talk to us, Big-E!!!
Adios! BW

February 7, 2012

I'm curious to know if any of the parkwood gang remembers what was built on the southwest corner of U. S. 17 & Parkwood in the late 1950's. Hint, it was open for only a few weeks.
Mike Sutton

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February 8, 2012

Trampoline Center. Jeff A. Kilgore

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That's right! There were so many broken bones the place only lasted a few weeks. Mike Sutton

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That is correct, Jeff. The Sands Motel was on the corner with a Gas Station directly on the corner.
The Trampoline center was between the Sands and the Pig 'n Whistle.
Ernie Tuten

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J “Anonymous” K is right.
Where have you been??? ... talking about lurking in the shadows while the Parkwood gang, which you hung around with on occasion (off campus) after your arrival to Brunswick in 4th grade, is spilling out memories of our youth ... Certainly you recall your own of many happenings that have yet to be disclosed. I can recall one scary visit to Glynco NAS while at your house playing with Jack ... not sure if you were there, or you probably knew better than to join us (refresh my memory) ... scaling the Hangers, rafters, catwalks, etc ... but in my Top 10 possible near death adventures while growing up as a young idle thrill seeker ....

I thought the Sands or Palms Motel was on that corner ... mini motel rooms or something like that ... but, Now (thanks to Mike and Jeff reminding me) I recall jumping on trampolines down there once or twice ... they were set close to the ground (not on stands) over dugout holes in the ground to allow for the recoil .... I guess to protect those who fell off from falling the extra 3 feet to the ground, or from straddling the parameter support bar upon an ill-directed decent/impact ..... Seems they were fairly sandy due to their proximity to the ground ... Not sure why it closed, possibly multiple fractures and no insurance in the day ... Was it actually at the Motel site or next door? Give us the scoop, Mike.
Billy Watson

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The trampoline center was on the corner and as Mike and Billy said, the trampolines installed over holes dug in the ground. One of the worst days of my life when I found out they had closed down the operation.

We all should have been dead climbing in those old Blimp Hangers. Jeff Kilgore

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All in a day of play for a member and affiliates of the Parkwood Gang ... not unlike groups of school kids from every other neighborhood during the time ... a fun and innocent youth surviving and living in a world that has disappeared.
Billy Watson

Click for Their Remembrances of Climbing the Glynco Hangers

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February 10, 2012

Watson,
Jack and Jeff took me on the same trip. I remember climbing up in the hangers, but I to cannot remember all who were present.

We did so many stupid things that it truly is amazing that none of us got killed. I remember that the hangers were the largest wooden structures in the world. I forget how many football fields would fit inside one hanger, but it was quite a few. I remember the Shore Patrol were constantly being eluded by all of us. Can't understand why they were always after us, nice kids that we were. One thing I can remember for sure, if you dared Jack to do anything you were screwing up because before you got it out of mouth you were paying off the bet. Right after I got my drivers license we were driving down Demere Road past the airport on the first big curve and somebody dared Jack to jump out of the car, Steve Gardner, and before I could slow down Jack jumped out the door of our 1962 F-85 Olds. I was traveling at 50 mph and when Jack jumped he missed a road sign by inches and landed in a patch of sand spurs. He spent the next several days picking sand spurs out of his body.
Ernie Tuten

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BW and JK,
How about the time we scaled the fence to the officer's pool, had a midnite swim and dined on the potato chips we could squeeze through the crack in the window? A statue of limitations offense?

Actually, the Sands Motel was on the corner and the trampoline joint was where the Wendys is now located.
I worked for Mr. Sigman, the owner of that and the Palms. Good times!
Ken Tollison

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But wasn't this in the early 60's? The location is right.
Windell Branch

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It had just closed when I moved here in August 1959

As I remember, the Trampolines were past the Motel (South) very close to/next to the Rail Road Tracks that crossed 17. I only remember the back side of the motel on Parkwood. After they closed down we use to climb the fence and jump. The only place I ever saw where the trampolines were in the ground.
David Proctor

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I had forgotten about the Trampoline Center. I lived only a street over from there and I use to go there all the time until they closed it up. Never had any broken bones, thank goodness. Thanks for bringing that up, another pleasant memory of years gone by.
Pat Critchley Jones