Published in The Lebanon Democrat Monday, January 14, 2012.
SAN DIEGO– There is an old man in the Southwest corner who turns 68 on Thursday.
This old man has been going through photographs from his grandmother’s trove his father found while cleaning out boxes in their Lebanon home. His mother separated the photos for their children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and others.
The old man’s photo pile is extensive, and he is slightly delusional from the wonderful memories, no doubt dimmed and slightly warped from the passage of time, while going through his treasure.
Turning 68 may not be such a big moment. There are many other age turnings with more symbolic meaning, such as becoming officially old at 65, but if 68 is not symbolic, 50-year reunions of Lebanon High School (honorable invitee to May celebration) and Castle Heights in October certainly make a statement.
I remember my father-in-law, Ray Boggs of San Diego going to his 50th high school reunion in Casper, Wyo. in 1986. I marveled at how old one would be to attend their 50th high school reunion.
Now I am there, but don’t feel so old.
In my photos, there are many of infant me with various family members and friends outside our Castle Heights Avenue abode. Most were taken to send to my father in the Western Pacific, a Seabee in the war. There are several from that May 68 years ago in front of a small motel cabin in Gulfport, Miss. My mother and my aunt, Naomi Martin wangled some deals because of rationing and drove there so Jimmy Jewell could see his son one more time before heading west, way west.
Perhaps my favorite is the old man of this story, i.e. me, as a toddler (I’m guessing three) between two young sisters. Beverly and Roberta Padgett were my playmates. Bob Padgett owned the vacant lot between our two houses. We played in that lot for endless hours all by ourselves, going home only for dinner, and finally for supper. By the time, I was going to McClain School, the lot had become my football field and my baseball diamond as well as my playground with the Padgett girls.
The photograph is faded, blanched white by the years, giving it a mystical quality. I am pudgy with a haircut which could have passed any military inspection. My brother noted I had “fullback legs” even then. I’m wearing bibbed shorts with a white, big collared shirt, dark socks and white shoes.
Beverly, who married Melvin Sloan, is wearing a dress, but it can’t hide her athleticism. I looked up to her with greatest respect during those years (still do). Roberta appears demure in an empire dress and blonde hair. Although a year older, she always invited me to her parties at which I was the only boy. Roberta married Larry Robinson and now lives in Maryville.
Margaret Ann Padgett Partee was older and as elegant then as she is today. They all invited me over to their den when they bought the first television on the block so I could watch the Howdy Doody Show.
The photo was taken in our playground lot, next to the rock curb of our driveway. The background displays our one-car garage and a white fence. There is one tree in the lot behind our house where now shade predominates from the many stately trees. The driveway was cinder, taken from the residue from our coal-burning furnace.
It was a different world back then, and I am one lucky old man to have had such wonderful friends growing up. But that was the way it was inLebanonin this old man’s fond memories.
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I also must note The Democrat has lost an asset.
As it has been reported, Amelia Morrison Hipps has stepped down from the managing editor position to pursue her own business.
Amelia and her husband, Jim Hipps have started Capitol Newswatch, LLC, providing Tennesseans quality news reports from the state legislature. With their experience and enthusiasm, I am confident they will succeed.
I will miss Amelia at The Democrat. She has been a very good editor dedicated to the job, working hard and long hours, and she was a stickler for good print journalism. She also became a friend. I am glad she and Jim decided to remain in the Lebanon area. They are assets to our community.
