‘Memory Lane’ Contest Winner: Katheleen

EXPLOITS: Prehistoric Inspiration | THE REMODERN REVIEW

He couldn’t get the names quite right, but what did that matter?

I did find it mighty hard to choose a winner in this contest, so many sweet memories came in. And of course that was what we were all sharing.

But I give the prize to this one, from Katheleen, about the day her uncle taught her how to play chess.

Tommy’s Pond (‘Memory Lane’ Contest, Day 11)

Scroll down to the third post, that’s where it is. As I was reading it to Patty, I broke into tears: it called back to me dear Uncle Bernie, and sitting on his lap as he watched TV with me, told me stories, and performed these clever little magic tricks that I sometimes find myself doing… seventy years later. Parents and grandparents are great, but don’t sell short your uncles and your aunts. Ours was a very close-knit family, and those old memories are priceless. I loved them and I miss them!

Katheleen, chose your prize–either the T-shirt that says “If they have to kill us, they’ve lost” (large size only: but you’ll grow into it), or one of my books, autographed, of your choice.

I’ll never forget my uncle struggling to pronounce dinosaurs’ names as he read to me from my Natural History book. It was one of many ways he had to tell us children (his brothers’ children) that he loved us.

Be sure to send me your mailing address.

Bonus Hymn: ‘The Bible Tells Me So’

Wow! A pair of real celebrities who write and sing hymns? 

Something told me, just now, to post this. When I was a little boy, Roy Rogers and Dale Evans were mega-stars: they made movies, had a TV show, and appeared on lunch boxes all over the country.

Dale Evans herself wrote The Bible Tells Me So. It’s message isn’t complicated. But it’s well worth hearing.

[Anybody out there remember the name of Dale’s horse, on the TV show?]

Oh, What a Memory!

My wife said she didn’t want to step outside “because the morning sun–”

“Is shinin’ like a red rubber ball!” I finished for her; and we both laughed.

That allusion to a 1966-67 pop song suddenly raised up for me an almost inexpressibly sweet memory of five of us high school kids gathered in William A’s bedroom with pretzels and soda to brainstorm the next issue of our own science fiction magazine, The Diomegan. With Simon & Garfunkel singing this song somewhere in the background.

Oh, what a time that was! How gung-ho we were, to publish our magazine. And we did it, too, got it done–two issues.

I wonder how many of us remember that song? “Now I know you ain’t the only starfish in the sea…”

Memory Lane: Pet Crickets

17 Crickets tools ideas | cricket farming, bearded dragon, baby bearded  dragon

This memory came back to me today, with a certain poignancy.

I reached a point where I couldn’t feed live crickets to my turtle anymore (softy!)–so I kept them. Easy-maintenance pets: a couple of hiding places, a little water dish, some nice wheat germ for their food, and there you are.

I remember vividly one New Year’s morning, heavy snow falling, already pretty deep, cold as could be–and in my living room, a bunch of aging crickets merrily chirping away. Not a sound you often hear during a snowstorm.

I had to stop with the crickets, though, once they became too big a temptation to our cats.

Memory Lane: Everybody’s Friend

Old Brown Dog Sitting Profile Us Stock Photo (Edit Now) 621670361

When I was a boy, we lived next door to a widow woman, Mrs. Thomas, who was loved by all. We kids did errands for her, and our fathers trimmed her hedge and mowed her lawn. She had a big back yard which was always available to us as a play area.

And she had an old brown dog named Brownie. We lived on a dead-end street, with low traffic, and Brownie had the run of the neighborhood. He was everybody’s friend, and welcome everywhere.

If you were feeling blue, and sitting on the steps, moping, somehow Brownie always found you and would sit down beside you to keep you company–and before long, you felt… better! He had a gift for that.

Yeah, I know, it’s a bygone era, blah-blah. But you know something? All these years later, I still love Brownie. Remembering him always brings light to the darkness of an evil age.

Every neighborhood should have a dog like Brownie.