Well, I did it. I graduated Wheelersburg High. Was it a good feeling, you bet. Was it a great feeling, not exactly. You see, I really enjoyed attending school. I knew I would miss all my friends, that I would totally lose contact with the vast majority. I kept in touch with my friend, Sandy, for several years, then totally lost contact with her. I see her on occasion, by running into her somewhere, now, but that is about it. We don't correspond any more.
Well, after graduation, while waiting for school to start again so I could attend after highschool vocational school (college if you will), I worked at Jim's Dairyland. It was one of our highschool hangouts. One day, while working, my sister Julie, whom I hadn't seen in years, came up to the counter. I couldn't believe my eyes and was totally happy to see her. She was married by then (1972) to Eddy Landers, and had one little toddler, Peggy. She was just too adorable. Julie told me that mom was at Aunt Violets in New Boston if I would like to see her. Of course I did, so Julie picked me up after work. When I arrived at Aunt Violets, they were all sitting in the yard in lawn chairs. I spotted mom, and walked up to her. It was actually a strange feeling. I didn't know what to say or do. Anyway, we talked the rest of the day. Then Julie popped the big question on me. Would I like to go back to Cleveland with her. She said she would have me back when school started in a couple weeks. I quit my job at Jims, then packed, and went back with them. It ended up that I did not go back to Wheelersburg to attend schooling. I stayed there. In doing so, I lost the stuff I left behind. Probably the only thing I left behind, materially, that mattered to me was my poetry and short stories. There was actually a full book I was in the process of writing. I never got them, and after losing all that, I couldn't get myself to write again. Many years later I began with my poetry again, then someone stole them at work, lol. Guess I wasn't meant to be a writer. I have, however, had a few published before losing them.
I stayed with Julie and Eddy after moving to Cleveland. Several months after moving there, I missed Wheelersburg so went back and stayed with Janice and Walt for a bit, while working at Master Portrait Studios. I enjoyed that job, but knew I couldn't make it on my own, and also knew I couldnt impose on Janice any longer. You see, they had not been married long at that time, they needed their privacy. Got to tell you some cool stuff about my stay there though. Janice and Walt lived on top of a small hill. You had to climb steps to get up to their house. That house was haunted. Many of you may not believe in that, I didn't either. Let me tell you a few things, then you decide if I am nuts.
One night, me, Janice, and I think Paula, (her sister-in-law) were sitting on the floor in the livingroom playing cards. Walt and her husband were out hunting. This was in the evening, purely dark outside. All of a sudden the rocking chair started rocking. It didn't freak me out right then. I just reached over and stopped it. Well, it started up again, and rocking pretty fast. I figured there was a draft, but there wasn't. It kept going on, so we three girls took off to the 'Burg and hung out at a restaurant. Jan had told me the place was haunted before, now I believed her. If that doesn't convince you, I think this following story will
I slept on the couch when staying there because they only had a one bedroom house. Walt would get up really early to leave for work. Usually Jan would get up and cook this elaborate breakfast for him, and I would hear her in the kitchen, but didn't get up. This one particular morning, still dark outside, as it always was when Walt got up for work, I was awakened by noises in the kitchen. I could hear dishes being moved around, cabinet doors opening and closing. I kept my face to the back of the sofa, kept my eyes closed so I could go back to sleep, which I did. When Janice and I got up that morning to begin our day, I commented on the noise she made in the kitchen when cooking Walts breakfast. She looked at me funny and said "Carol, I didn't fix breakfast this morning. I wasn't feeling well, so he told me he would grab something out." Talk about freaky. this was the incident that convinced me of ghosts, or spirits, or something not seeable.
If I remember correctly, when Wheelersburg had that horrible tornado when I was in seventh or eighth grade, there was a home ripped apart next door to where Janice lived. It was a vacant lot when Janice lived in that little house. I believe, if my memory serves me, that a little girl died in that tornado in that house that sat on that vacant lot. If I am wrong, Jan, correct me.
Anyway, I didn't stay long at Jan and Walts little house on the hill, their first home together. I went back to Cleveland.. This time I stayed some at Julie's, but stayed a lot at mom's house too. I would hang out with Julie's husband's (Eddy is his name) sister, Jeannie. Sometimes hung out with his brother, Larry. I had a nice time with them. They didn't live far from Julie and Eddy, so I would walk back and forth a lot. Julie had a little girl, my niece, Peggy Sue. We did a lot of picnics together, mostly at Hinkley Lake. A lot of Eddy's family would always go, and Mom and Carr with Penny would go. We don't do a lot of those anymore. Everyone is split up, gone away. I miss those times.
Well, during one of my walks to Jeannie's house, I met Jim and Pat Clark. They were across the street visiting their sister. Jeannie had a crush on Jim and wanted me to go over there with her to talk to him. He was standing outside with his brother, Pat. They were cuties, I will admit. Well, one thing led to another, and Jim ended up askng me out. Jeannie told me to go ahead, he wasn't interested in her anyway. I went out with him. We ended up seeing each other regularly. Next thing you know, I married him. Was it a mistake???? No, or I wouldn't have had my daughter, Carissa, whom I wouldn't give up for any other daughter in the world. . Did we marry too soon??? Definitely. Just click "next" for the rest of the story.......... |
