The Way we Were

The older I get, the fonder my memories seem to be. I like to sit and think about things that take me back to my childhood days. The sites, the sounds, the smells. The little things that put a smile on my lips. Playing jacks, jumping rope, leap frog, right-foot still, tag, hide and seek, Easter egg hunts, trick-or-treat, church Christmas plays, frilly dresses and white patent leather shoes for Easter. White straw purses and little white gloves. Playing house, playing school, playing restuarant. Playing with my brother-cars, trucks, marbles, horses, cowboys and indians. Eating Tootsie pops and looking for the Indian on the wrapper that meant you were going to have good luck. Walking to the store with a quarter and buying a bag of penny candy - straws, Kits, BB Bats, Sixlets. Getting library books and having cheese sandwiches and grape Kool-aid with lemon on a blanket under the shade tree while we read the new books. Walking uptown once a week to get an ice cream cone from the corner grill. Drinking ice cold water from a ladel and bucket at Mrs. Gibson's house. Long Sunday afternoon walks in the woods, on the golf course or up to the cow pasture. Mamaw's bathroom smelling like Dove soap. Mom washing our hair with Prell shampoo and rolling it on pink spongy curlers. Free cups in Quaker Oatmeal, free dishrags and dishtowels in laundry detergent. Wringer washers and clothes hanging out on the line. Tents made from blankets on the clothesline. Badminton, baseball and football games in the yard, the ice cream man. Homemade cakes, pies, candy and cookies. Milk in glass jugs with paper caps for the lid. The milk man. Archie comics, Richie Rich, Casper and Wendy. And always and forever Mommy and Daddy and their love holding us all together.