Here are a few memories that still makes me laugh when I think about them.

One of my vivid memories concerns stealing a checker board from the YMCA. Myself R V Strickland and Kenneth Allen along with Victor Acuff had a little club in the garage in my backyard at 301 Halsey next door to the Y. I don't know why it was called a garage as we had no car. Anyway we slipped into the Y and stole the checker board and took it to our club. We got to feeling bad about what we had done and wanted to take the board back but we were afraid that mr Hub would see us. We decided to take the checker board around to the side next to ditch row and throw it in the window on the bowling lanes. We did just that only problem was that they were bowling, when that checker board hit the alley you could hear those guys cuss and fuss all over the village. Well we thought that was funny so we started throwing everything we could fond into the bowling alley. Mr Hub came around the corner and we took off. I climbed into one of those old silver maple trees out back and I was sure that Mr Hub saw me. I waited as long as I could about going home as I knew that I was in a heap of trouble. I walked up the sidewalk and saw my grandfather standing on the back steps with a belt in his hand hitting his leg very gently. I said PAPA don't whip me now I am hot. He said OK son set down and cool of and then i'm going to warm you up again. Well needless to say that is exactly what he did and that was the first whipping out of three that I received from my grandfather.

I am sure you all remember the old fire siren that was next door to the Reese's house. Well one day myself and friends was watching Earl Jaco as he climbed onto the top of that old siren. About the time he got on top of the siren it went off. It did not take Earl as long to come down the siren as it took to go up We all got a big laugh out of that, but we did not let Earl see us. We knew better.

We used to go to the big ditch in the winter and skate on the ice when it froze over. When I say skate I mean with just our shoes as we did not know what ice sakates were. Well my grandmother had told me not to do that stay away from that ditch when it was froze over. Well needless to say I paid no attention to her and me along with dickey )BUBBER) Wilbourn and some more boys was having a big old time when I fell through the ice. I just knew that I was in trouble so not knowing what I was going to do I went to the Y as I was cold. Mr Hub saw me and I told him what had happened he laughed and stood me next to the old steam radiator until I dried out. Mr Hub was a life saver for us boys.

One other thing how many on here delivered circulars on Friday for the PICTURE SHOW as we called it. Deliver circulars and get in free. If you ever caught the lincoln run those circulars went in the big ditch as those lincoln boys were rough when you were alone.

Added 11 July 2004:I was just sitting here at the computer reading RISON web-site. Some of the stories bring back so many memories. I feel the happiest days of my life were spent in that cotton mill village. Story I well remember . One day I was playing with the Fitch children on Halsey Ave one block away from my house, I did something that I should not have done I don’t remember what it was, anyway Mrs. Fitch snatched me up gave me a whipping, grabbed me by the ear pulled me home and told my MAMA. Mama then gave me another whipping. I feel that the mill village love and family tradition was the reason that I was successful in life.