Memories 

Again something in West Bend News triggered memories. Nancy talked about falling through a register upstairs. My wife also went through a register, but she landed on her feet on the first floor, and has  always had skeletal problems. My wife had twin brothers and somehow when their folks weren’t home, they dared her to stand on the register, and down she went. 

My wife tells of two other incidents, one in which the rope broke when she was swinging. The other was when she slipped on the wet steps of the huckster wagon. I can’t believe the things that I remember in my lifetime. Do you remember the huckster wagon, which was basically an old school bus full of groceries. Do you remember the Watkins and the Raleigh man?

Did you ever go to school on crutches? My wife and I both did. I sprained my ankle severely playing ice hockey, in the 8th grade, and was on crutches for several weeks. My wife also broke her ankle, playing dodgeball. I think I rather enjoyed the game. I had a register in my bedroom but it would have been too small to get through. My bedroom was upstairs above the living room stove, so I was always quite comfy. When my wife was young, a glass of water would freeze in her bedroom. Funny, feels like I knew her when she was growing up.

In the old days we had much more contact with our neighbors. The neighbors on our road about a half mile away had three boys my age, and we spent many nights just visiting. After chores were done dad would say, “Should we go to Stouffer’s tonight?”

I remember playing Flinch all evening long, and running a hay baler that made small bails that my buddy had made, and we would bale hay. My buddy was a mechanical genius, and also made a small tractor with a V4 Wisconsin engine. These engines were common on implements and were quite powerful.

We, like Nancy, had four children, and we have 12 grandchildren, but no greats. I’m kind of wondering what her secret is? She gave her age and she is a young pup. It sounds like Nancy has had her share of tragedies, as we all had. Seems like this is a common thread in life. When I was 12 my brother-in-law was killed in a car accident. I only had one sister so this hit us hard. She later remarried and had a beautiful family. 

I remember the exact spot I was standing when we heard the news. I remember a desk calendar on the table, and I took gum and circled the date, April 15th. In those days the viewing was in our living room, and I remember my dad taking me up to the casket and showing me a note he had put in my brother-in-law’s pocket. 

Marvel not at this, for the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a shout, and the dead in Christ shall rise first, then after that the believers that are living will rise to meet him in the air. First Thessalonians 4:16.

—James Neuhouser