Southern Living, Pt.5, Pre Coonass

Let me drop back a couple of years to my time in Rosedale, Ms.
Now these were interesting and fun years to me. I moved to Rosedale halfway thru the second grade. I remember quite a bit from my year there. First thing I remember is meeting my oldest, and longlastingest friend, Charles Simmons. He lived next door to me in the final house we came to rest in. We actually lived in 3 houses the first couple of months. He is a year younger than me, which will put him at about 61 now. Anyhow, both our houses backed up to the Miss. River Levee. We spent many happy hours exploring, walking the levee, and most of all taking turns in rolling each other down the levee while rolled up in an old tire. You would get in the tire and your partner would roll you down the levee. After you got thru staggering around for a while, you'd repeat it with your friend in the tire. Great fun. Dangerous, probably. Your parents approve? Hell no! But fun? HAIL YEA!!! If I saw my kids doing that I would Shit a Squealing Worm! (What is a squealing worm, anyhow?)
I also learned to ride a bike using Charles's sisters bike. I member that well.
I think his daddy worked for Kroger or somethin like that.
Anyhow, at Rosedale, I had my VERY FIRST girlfriend. I remember taking her to see THOUSAND LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA at the local pitcher show. She was sho nuff sweet, I sometimes remember her and wonder what ever happened to her.
I also remember going to the sawmill where my daddy worked and playing in the sawdust pile with the little black kids. We were really biased and bigoted in those days. Shit! Any playmate you could find was a good one. We really didn't know or care what color we were, we just had a good time. That's the way it SHOULD STILL BE!
Anyhow, let me get back to Charles. We moved from Rosedale to La. halfway thru the third grade and I never saw Chas. again til about 1966 or 67. I was wandering the halls of Stanton Hall, a boys dorm at MDJC. I heard a voice and tracked it down and INSTANTLY recognized my old friend Charles, some years later. He was somewhat larger and older, but the same friend I knew in Rosedale. We have kept somewhat in contact ever since. Anyhow, there are a lot more Rosedale stories I will tell someday, but in midwinter of 1954 (I think) we moved to LeMoyen Louisiana, where I will eventually rejoin my blog of MY Life as a Coonass.
73 fer now