Saturday, August 26, 2006

Thornton, Ar.

I started the first grade in Thornton, Ar. in 1954 but by Christmas we were on our way back to California.

My dad had come home to Arkansas in hopes of starting a "ground hog" saw mill. It was not to be. He acquired the saw mill and was getting it set up in our back yard. I was a little young to really know the details but I think he had it ready to take to the woods and start cutting cross ties. He traded our Mercury for a Chevy log truck.

I remember he and mom talking about the truck needing tires and it would be ready to go to work. My uncle Elbert (mom's baby sisters husband) Landers was "well off" and we went one Sunday to borrow money from him to put tires on the truck. Dad came home empty handed and with a broken spirit. I was young but I can still remember the hurt on my dad's face that day. I don't know if that was his only option for the money or if it drug him down to far to recover. Over 50 years later my blood still boils when I write this.

Dad sold the mill and traded the log truck to Uncle Lloyd (mom's sister Sallie's husband) for a 1941 2dr. Ford sedan and we were off to California again. Aunt Sallie and Uncle Lloyd had the first TV I ever saw. I remember we would go see them on Sunday and stay for the Ed Sullivan Show.

My dad said he would not come back to Arkansas again. Later when he was too sick to work, we did move back to Arkansas so mom would be close to our extended family when he died.

1 Comments:

Blogger squire said...

Just checking on my comments page.

7:22 AM  

Post a Comment

<< Home