Like my map?
This is my childhood neighborhood. I randomly went through and put the names of the families and approximated where they lived. I know I missed some. I asked my buddy Carl ahem to validate things but he must be too busy - off being the neighborhood association President or something ;).
I showed this to my sister. She was pretty amazed that I remembered all of these people. We argued over the spelling of the "Manter's". She thought it was "Manners". I was right. She was wrong. Insert smart aleck remark here: I am so much smarter than my sister - nah nah nah nah nah nah.
Is it obvious yet that I had a great love for the neighborhood that I grew up in? I was only here for seven years of my life yet those seven years were extremely important. It's where I learned a lot about human behavior.
I learned how to play with others.
I learned that taking risks sometimes meant reward and sometimes equaled negative consequences.
I learned how to negotiate, how to stand up for myself, and what it meant to stand behind friends (and my sister too).
I learned that death happens. And more frequently than it should. This includes people, pets, and plants.
I learned that hard work = some positive payoff...whether that was an allowance (25 cents - thank you very much), a good grade, or an extra privilege.
I learned where the boundaries were with friends, their parents, and my own parents. I came to understand what was socially acceptable and what was better left unsaid.
I learned that a good imagination was better than a million barbie dolls (and associated accessories).
I learned that boys were cute, smelly, annoying, and a must-have at certain times of your life.
I learned that sometimes, no matter what you look like, people will always make fun of you.
I learned that adults were just as vulnerable as kids - they were older, a bit wiser, but really didn't have stuff all figured out.
Other stuff too I learned - but for now, that's a good enough list.
So back to the kids of my neighborhood....
It's amazing that thirty-some years later, I can still remember almost all of the families in my neighborhood but ask me what happened five years ago, or even two days ago, and that takes a lot of effort...
Here's who they are - I swear - if any of them are reading this and I have butchered their names or called them 'suzie' when they were really 'tommie', I will feel mortified (so apologies ahead of time - and please correct me).
Manter - David, Tricia, Holly, Lisa
Davis - Debbie, Denita, Shawn
Asher - Steven, Dennis
Boice - Carl Jr., Kathy, Jackie, Kurt, Steve
Beckstedt - Philip, Mark, Joe
Kump - Lorrianne, Cindy
Brouse - Delores
VanPelt - Brad
Stech - Errol, Kenny
Crane - Floyd, Robbie
Grimes - Kevin, Mark, Michelle
Debit - Monica, Michelle
Wooden - Brian, Colleen
Couch - Erika, Aaron
Bobilya - Shonee, Stacy
Rice - Brian, Greg
Vachon - Dave
Swanigan - Rhonda, Rene, Faron
Smith - Janice
Marshall - Tom
2 years ago
2 comments:
Hey there K! I have been away on vacation AND busy. Crazy how that works out, huh?!
Anyway, I only knew some of the names from your 'hood, and at that, only the boys. But your picture seems quite accurate.
I never realized the Swangins' lived in Cedar Crest, I thought they always lived on Freeman by Taylor street.
Well until later, BE GOOD!
I grew up in Elkhart and I attended college at Manchester, so I've spent a lot of time at the Fort. :)
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