Tom’s Tales – My Youth is the first of a few chapters in my life as I remember it now. It starts with my mother from Chalybeate, Mississippi, and my father from Somerville, Massachusetts. From what I remember (I wasn’t there) he was in the U.S. Navy at Millington (TN.) and she was a nurse. My sisters will have to fill in the romance part as I don’t really know how they met.
I will break Tom’s tales into sections so you can check on different times in my life if any may be of interest to you.
After I was born on Bastille Day the year WW II ended (a little history quiz); we moved to Massachusetts for a few years, I don’t remember much, but my father has home movies of us at a beach. My grandmother and her husband apparently took me to Maine often to eat at Buttrick’s Ice Cream store. They reminded me of this when I visited them years later. After a few years of living there, my uncle came and moved us back to the sunny south (Memphis.) I remember he insisted we only eat or sleep at Duncan Hines approved locations. Since he was driving, I guess we went along. I seem to remember it often took some time to find a satisfactory diner or motel.
Tom’s Tales – My Youth Continues.
Tom’s tales continued when we arrived in Memphis. We lived with my maternal grandmother for a few years. Her name was Vena but when my sisters (two) came along she got the nickname of Gaga. She had a large house and plot of land that was in the suburbs (now in the middle of the city.) Her relatives had a home a few houses up from her. They raised chickens and some vegetables which were often consumed at frequent family gatherings. Gaga is shown hiding on the left of this picture.
Only a few events come to mind during this time, One was when I left a blanket on top of a radio in my room and it melted the plastic housing. Luckily no damage other than the housing. Another incident was when I got my first real dose of punishment. I don’t remember what it was for (probably talking back to my mother) and I was to get a swat on the rear by my father. I dreaded it so much by the time it happened, the anticipation was worse than the punishment.
It was there that I learned respect for women. When I saw my mother take a chicken and wring it’s neck (or chop off the head), pluck the feathers, and then fry it for us to eat that was amazing. I suppose it happens all the time “in the country”, but it was new for me.
My father was an Aviation Machinists Mate in the U.S. Navy when he met my mother. He eventually became a tool and die maker in Memphis. In addition to disciplining me (as described earlier) he was always fair and consistent with it. He took me to where he worked to see what he did numerous times. His work was impressive at the time, but some of it would probably be done by robots/lasers now.
Tom’s Tales – My Youth – Teen Years
Susan, Tom and SherrieNothing was too exciting during my teen years. My sisters (Susan and Sherrie) Were a bit younger than I, as you can see from this picture. Since mom and dad were usually working, I got to “babysit” them, but they were pretty low maintenance. The family often went on a drive Sunday afternoons. Once in a while we would go by Hart’s bakery and get a fresh loaf of bread (hot off the line.)
School years passed along slowly (it seemed.) We were bused to Whitehaven school for a few years. One time the bus was late so some of us decided the bus wasn’t coming (it was 15 minutes late.) We decided it was a good time to go play baseball on one of our favorite fields. Unfortunately, the truant officer knew of the same field and took us to school. We got 5 “licks” for not having our homework and three for skipping school. (Not exactly major offenses. but we didn’t miss the bus after that..)
We were changed to Oakhaven school (later a high school) after it opened and I got to walk or ride my bicycle to school (no chance of missing the bus!). I managed to get through school without too many issues. My mother often threatened to send me to the Catholic boys’ school because I wasn’t performing up to her expectations (what son does?) My athletic endeavors weren’t too fruitful in high school. I tried out for the football team my junior year but didn’t make it through the season (too much like work.) Next in my “athletic career”, I played right field on a church baseball team but didn’t break any batting records. I did last the whole season, though.
My College “Career”
After graduating high school in 1963, I attended Southwestern at Memphis (which changed its name after I left.) I managed to survive a few courses, but after taking what was labeled a Calculus test I came to realize I was in trouble. It might as well have been Greek. I remember I was driving on campus when John F. Kennedy was shot, which was, of course upsetting.
Shortly after that, I decided I wasn’t making any progress at college and went to work making Old Spice products, which was as close as I got to my Chemical Engineering degree at Southwestern. Check out my Navy Years another chapter in the saga. Click HERE for my Navy years.
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