Journal September 19th, 2026

Things that were often said by kids when I was a very young boy: John and Mary sitting in a tree, K i s s i n g, First comes love, Then comes marriage, Then comes Mary with a baby carriage. ---------------------------

On a sidewalk this one was said; Step on crack, break your mother’s back. ------------------------------------

Back then, every grownup smoked and a brand that was popular was Lucky Strike. The reason why Lucky’s were popular was because in WW2 the army supplied cigarettes to soldiers. Often the empty packs were tossed on the sidewalk. The first one to get there would step on the empty pack and yell; “Lucky Strike no strikes back” as they punched you in the arm. -----------------------------------

Two houses down from ours there was a house that was set way back at the far edge of the 100 foot lot that every lot in the neighborhood had. They had a long driveway with a fence that ran from the sidewalk back to the house. The fence had grape vines from the sidewalk to the house. I made good use of those grapes when they were ripe. I always ate my fill. ---------------------------------

Two houses up from my house there was another house all the way back the alley way. From the house to the sidewalk there was an orchard that had wonderful apples and peaches. The homeowners did not like kids pinching their fruits. They even had a stone wall along the sidewalk to keep people out. A little 5 foot wall never stopped me. I had my fill of what they grew. They never used or sold their crops, but when they saw me enjoying their crops, they would come out and yell at me. ---------------------------------

Next door to us there was a split level house. The people who bought it were an old couple and they lived on the ground level side while their married daughter and family lived on the upper side. The elders had a small house built at the back side of the lot. They rented that house for extra income. The house had a divorced woman who was very attractive. In the heat of summer she would walk around the house in just a bra and panties. The ladies of the neighborhood were not happy about that. It didn’t bother me at all. She had a son and a daughter. The son had a motor scooter and that annoyed my parents because he rode close to our house. The daughter’s name was Betty, last name Tate. She was about 14 years old and had developed a large upper torso. I was infatuated with her. The girls of the neighborhood all got together and sat on the steps on the house next door. Betty was there so I would be close by. That annoyed them so they would shoosh me away. They eventually moved away. The house was left in a mess and the front door was locked, but from my back fence I could reach around and unlatch a split door which the top was easy to swing around and be in the house. It gave me time to poke around an empty house. Left there was a collection of MAD Magazines. I loved them. My mother did not appreciate them at all, so I lost my literary treasures. --------------------------------------

Brother Bill