Almost 65 and retired. Raised by an East Coast liberal. I am also a child of the sixties.

Since some seemed interested. Absolutely nothing political here.

Posted Tuesday, January 24, 2012, at 7:36 PM

I was born in 1950 in Salt Lake City. My first real memories were in 1955 or so. It was in the first house I remember. It was here I got my first whipping with a metal coat hanger, experienced my first major flood, and being abandoned by my father.

It's still there.

After that I lived more places than I can remember, but a few stand out.

El Cajon, Ca. 2 adults and 3 kids in a 15' travel trailer and the retired couple that wanted to adopt me.

Late 1959 or 1960, San Jose, Ca. Just down the 101 from Mike of all people.

I can't believe that house is still standing. It was OLD when I lived there. That 2nd story window was my room. That was where I would take aim at speeding cars with my slingshot and modeling clay. This was a house the local police knew all too well, because my step-father would get drunk and beat the crap out of my Mother. This is also where I had my first 2 jobs. Delivering the afternoon paper, and working for our landlord in his pharmacy.

I think it's the old arched doorway I think.

While living there, I experienced many other things, many not so nice. I got the crap beat out of me for sticking up for my friends who were called most of the names I listed in another blog. It was also here, that when I got to Jr. High, I had my sorry butt saved by Carlos, leader of the local gang who remembered me. Across the street from the pharmacy was the Jr. High, where I was in swimming class the day JFK was killed.

Fast forward to 1968. 2 months short of my 18th birthday I HAD to get married. Those of you my age know what I mean. Back in those days, it also meant getting kicked out of school. On my 18th birthday I was invited to find a home for me and my bride. I took any and every kind of job I could just to get by. Fast food, busboy, dishwasher, gas jockey. You name it.

I'm going to leave off here and pick up circa 1972 in another blog.

Don't feel sorry for me, because I don't. Life is a series of adventures.

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Not since I moved here. Absolutely no reason to.

Story and the 101 huh. The stories I could tell you.

Remember KLIV and KEEN??? Fisher Middle School? The Pink Elephant?

-- Posted by royincaldwell on Tue, Jan 24, 2012, at 8:08 PM
See Roy, that wasn't so hard. Thank you for sharing.

-- Posted by KH Gal on Tue, Jan 24, 2012, at 8:36 PM
OMG ! Roy you could be my brother. The picture of the second house looks so familiar to me even the tree out front. I know its not the same house because I lived in Superior, Wisconsin until I left home at the age of 15. My life was similar to yours. I'll send you a picture of the house, you could google it but it might look different now.

Thanks for sharing. I know it wasn't easy!

-- Posted by MsMarylin on Tue, Jan 24, 2012, at 8:48 PM
If I ever do go back to San Jose, I plan on stopping by the old house and see if they will let me take a look inside. See how good the old memory is.

-- Posted by royincaldwell on Tue, Jan 24, 2012, at 9:04 PM
I do have 1 really good memory from that old house.

Falling off the couch more than once from laughing so hard at Red Skelton.

-- Posted by royincaldwell on Tue, Jan 24, 2012, at 9:23 PM
My room was the second story room also. There was only that one room up there, besides a door that led to the attic which was on the same floor. One side was the bedroom the other side was the attic.

There was a roof over the stoop and I used to climb out the window to sit on the roof.

-- Posted by MsMarylin on Tue, Jan 24, 2012, at 9:37 PM
Rock and roll, country music. In that order. didn't you ever get up to Story and King?

-- Posted by royincaldwell on Tue, Jan 24, 2012, at 9:42 PM
MsM, I gotta see those pics if you ever find them!

-- Posted by royincaldwell on Tue, Jan 24, 2012, at 9:44 PM
I'll look tomorrow. Shouldn't be that hard to find I was looking at old black and white pics the other day. I'll scan it and send it to you...

-- Posted by MsMarylin on Tue, Jan 24, 2012, at 10:00 PM
Funny, no. Heartwarming yes. I can still find many of the places I lived in growing up because I walked or rode a bike everywhere and can remember landmarks. Google earth is a great tool.

-- Posted by royincaldwell on Tue, Jan 24, 2012, at 10:08 PM
After I left home and went back years later with a husband and 2 kids I made my husband circle around the block about 5 times before I could get the courage to park and go up to the door. Home was not a good place for me.... I spend most of my time outside winter or summer until it was time to come in and go to bed. I walked and walked all by myself and always stopped at stores to look for a clock so I could see if it was my bed time. Bedtime was 10 pm.

All my schools have been torn down but the house is still there. I google it once and awhile. Looks a little different now then when I lived there.

-- Posted by MsMarylin on Tue, Jan 24, 2012, at 10:17 PM
Good blog....

My memories are mostly all fairly local.

Welcome Babyface!

-- Posted by jessiemiller on Tue, Jan 24, 2012, at 10:27 PM
Welcome from me also. Bed time for me also. 5:30 gets here early.

-- Posted by royincaldwell on Tue, Jan 24, 2012, at 10:34 PM
I get a little teary eyed when I know I am back in Idaho.

I love Missouri, but there is a special place in my heart for Idaho.

If I have access to a car, I try to drive around and take as many pictures as I can of the old familiar places.

-- Posted by KH Gal on Wed, Jan 25, 2012, at 7:42 AM

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