(This picture could actually be my old bike, except for the handlebars and seat. Mine was red and had that gastank looking part. And I kinda remember a smaller “hood ornament”). The seat was red though, and had white on the front.)

In elementary school  between first and second grade, we moved from Rockville, Maryland to Moberly, Missouri. I didn’t know anybody, obviously, and I was out riding my bike after it rained.

Back in those days there were a lot of gravel roads and I had an ancient bike with full fenders that covered half the bikes tire. I got stuck, I had mud and gravel all crammed up between the fenders and the tires and they couldn’t roll.
I had a stick, and was trying to get the mud out when this big girl (Carol, still keep in touch with her on Facebook) came by. I was amazed how easily she picked my bike up and moved it to my yard. Then she said she had a little brother about my age, and she lived two doors down. She invited me over to meet him.

We walked to her house, and she took me upstairs and showed me his room and said he was in there. I can’t imagine why I didn’t knock, I think the door was half open, but I went in and there was Greg, naked. He started yelling and I walked out. A minute later he was dressed and came out of his room. He and his little brother, Danny, and I were friends and hung out together all the time, back in the woods in Missouri.

We are still friends to this day. He has a bunch of kids and is a school teacher.

My other best friend, Doug, I don’t remember meeting him at school, but after school, I was dragging him home with me to meet my mom. He was saying he had to go home. I was saying “No, it’s just a little way further.” He said he was going to get in trouble and he’d give me his phone number and I could call. I said “No, I won’t remember, just come to my house so I can write it down. He said “263-6581”. All stop. I said, “I can remember that” and I let him go. I still remember it, and that is the actual phone number. I remember it seemed important for me to show my Mom what a great friend I had made.

You have to remember, this is 1967 and 1968, I was new in town and wanted to make friends. Greg and I were inseparable in grade school, but didn’t hang out much as teens, Doug and I were big time friends as teens and in high school. Doug also has a younger brother, Phil, who I keep in touch with more than Doug.

Although we don’t communicate much anymore, I’ve been in contact with them both within the past 10 years. (You know you’re getting old when “the past 10 years” counts as recently)

This post seems cheesy, it didn’t come out like I wanted. But oh well!

Have a good week!