Stories from my Mother

On Monday evening my family shared a nice dinner with my parents. As the meal came to a close one of my children asked the adults to tell an experience from when thy were young. My mother volunteered the following.

One day at church my mother noticed that my brother and I had big wads of gum. She asked us where we got the gum. To her horror, we responded, "The drinking fountain". Being the good mother she was the gum was quickly disposed of.

We had a good laugh and I can honestly say that I don't remember looking for and then chewing pre-owned gum as a child.

Memory: Big Yellow Tonka Truck

Big Yellow Tonka Truck! Can you remember that? I loved my truck.

I grew up in a suburb of Ogden, Utah, called Washington Terrace in the early 70s. I can still remember the address 288 East 4525 South, Ogden, Utah. (I had to memorize my address in Kindergarten and I don't think I will ever forget it.) Well, back to the truck story. It isn't a funny or even important memory, just very a very pleasant place in my mind. As kids we would race our trucks around the block. We would stand back to back on one corner. On your mark—get set—go! (I always thought it was, On your mart—get set—go!) We went opposite directions from one another to avoid bumping into each other, pushing our big yellow Tonka trucks. The cracks in the sidewalk making a rhythmic click-clunk, click-clunking all the way around the block. The first one returning to the starting corner the winner. My life as a kid was pretty good.