My First Memories

People are all different when it comes to their first memories of life. Some can remember way back there, some have chosen not to remember things from their childhood at all, (with some of the people I've met, I can't blame them) and some claim to remember being born. Now, that last one is a little far fetched if you ask me. I just don't think I could remember that far back, even if I had a good brain!
 No, my first memories started in the great state of Washington when my father was in the Navy. I remember being outside in the snow, (I think I was about 3) and the snowbanks on the sidewalks and streets were three times bigger than me. It was grandeur at it's finest! Of course, when you are 3 years old, it doesn't take a lot to impress you. We did take a trip once up to Mt. Rainier for the day and I do recall being the target for my two older brother's snowball training before my mom could save me.
My next memories were from the next Naval Base that we moved to in Lemoore California. I was 4 years old, outside in the yard enjoying a beautiful California summer day when a cat roamed by. I went over to try to pet it. I guess it must have been around lunch time because the men that were working in the sewer at our cul de sac were gone and had left the manhole cover off the entrance to their secret underworld. The only thing warning everyone to stay away was yellow tape around it and some orange cones. Well, by the time I had caught up with the kitty cat to try and pet it, it was perched a few feet from that hole in the road. I reached down to stroke it's soft fur and right then it bit me! Bit me right on the wrist! So, naturally, before I could get scared and start to cry, I reached down, picked up the cat by the back of the neck and threw it down the sewer hole. I can still hear it meowing all the way down until it splashed! I reckon that kitty cat didn't have a chance to bite anyone else. The funny thing about that experience is that I don't recall ever telling anyone about it for a long time because I thought that I would get in trouble. Then there was the time that I got in trouble for throwing a dart in my brother's back. But that's another story! (I guess I was returning the favor for the snowballs!)

Homeless

You never really know how much your "stuff" means to you until you don't have it. About three months ago my wife and I left our home in Tennessee, put all our belongings in storage and (thunder crashes) moved in with my folks. Now first, lets get this straight. I love my parents dearly and I appreciate everything they do for us, including letting us stay with them until we find a new house. Now, with that said, I'm ready to find a new house. My wife and I have been living by ourselves for the better part of 16 years, not including our cat which we have had for 11 years. (Cats, by the way, don't live with you, they "allow" you to exist in their world.) Living with one another for that amount of time gives you consistency and comfort in an odd sort of way and when you rip yourselves out of your surroundings and severe all connections with your belongings, you have made yourself homeless. It's almost like loosing everything in a fire or tornado but thank goodness, we will be reunited with our chattels one day, whereas, those poor people have to completely start over.

Now we are at my parents house. The same house that I grew up in, as a matter of fact. It's like being a kid all over again. We now eat all our meals at the dinner table, an act that my wife and I never perform alone! It doesn't matter what kind of meal was prepared at our home, it became a t.v. dinner! There is also the dilemma of owning a cat and moving in with a dog! My parents own a poodle that loves to chase our cat around the house, so our cat has taken up residence in the closet by day and comes out only at night to sleep on the bed with us or at least wake me up in search of some much needed petting. My mom has gotten to that age to where all she wants to watch on television is politics and all she wants to talk about is politics and the one thing in life that I detest is, you guessed it, politics. So when it comes to t.v. watching time at my parents house, the wife and I escape to the bedroom for a little "normal" cable viewing. It seems to have become our own little "getaway". Lucky for me when we moved in, we decided to put our 55 inch television in the bedroom with us. It's like having a drive in theater at the foot of our bed! (maybe that's why I'm always eating popcorn) I hope we don't hurt the folks feelings but everyone needs their alone time in a relationship.

All in all, it hasn't been that bad of an experience and on the bright side, it has put me closer to my Mom and Dad. (much closer) I can look out the window from time to time and see my Dad working in his garden, or watering his garden, or cutting the grass, or watering the grass, or rotating his compost pile, or washing the car. My Dad likes to be outside a lot! It's always good to have Mom's good ol' country cooking too. If I stay here much longer I won't fit in any of my clothes anymore. Just being in my hometown has been a boost to my spirit and makes me ready to get on with the next part of my life. Just as soon as we get our "stuff"!

Like looking in a mirror

Three years ago I received an email from an old girlfriend I haven't seen in over 20 years. I was in a 80's rock "Hair Band" at the time and yes, I had the hair, with a lot of help from the Aqua Net Company! (We bands kept them in business) She told me that my son was coming to see me at "Limelight", a bar in Nashville. I was flabbergasted! Although I knew she had the son and moved away, I had not heard from her since then. I was horrified and didn't know what to expect. I had often thought that it would happen one day, a young man knocking on my door, telling me I was his dad and then he would blow my head off! As you can tell, it was kind of a stressful subject for me.

Lo and behold, the event came and I was on pins and needles wondering what we would talk about. He showed up with his 17 year old girlfriend and sat down at a table across from me. It really was just like looking in a mirror 20 years ago, except for his jet black hair. The poor guy had my physique too, skinny and long. After a few awkward questions he stopped for a second and looked me right in the eye and said, "I'm not looking for another father but I would like to be your friend". That did it. That broke the ice of all ices! After that it was easy to talk to him and I found out all kinds of cool things that he has already done in his young life. Before they left I gave him a big hug and his girlfriend too! After all was said and done, I had the coolest most laid back son I could ever think to have and he accepted me as I am.

Now he is married to that girlfriend and has a beautiful baby boy, which just happens to be my grandson! All I can think of now is how I was so worried and stressed out over nothing. All those years I felt like I had ran away from one of my life's biggest mistakes but in reality, God's biggest blessing came looking for me and I am so glad he found me.