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| GROWING UP IN A SMALL WESTERN NEBRASKA TOWN |
| I WAS BORN AND RAISED IN A SMALL , WESTERN NEBRASKA TOWN, IT WASNT MUCH BUT IT WAS HOME TO ME.. OUR HIGH SCHOOL HAD ABOUT 250 KIDS AND THAT WAS GRADES 7 THROUGH 12 WE HAD NO jUNIOR HIGH OR MIDDLE SCHOOL AS THEY CALL IT NOW. tHERE WASNT MUCH TO DO, ORGANIZED ANYWAY, SO WE MADE OUR OWN ENTERTAINMENT.. SOME GOOD SOME KINDA ONERY, BUT WE HAD A LOT OF FUN.. FIRST LET ME DESCRIBE THE TOWN.. THE POPULATION WAS 1520 ACCORDING TO THE CITY SIGN,, I THINK THEY MUST HAVE COUNTED DOGS AND CHICKENS TO GET THAT MANY.. WE HAD ONE MAJOR INDUSTRY AND THAT WAS AGRICULTURE.. EVERYTHING WITHIN THE CITY WAS DRIVEN BY THE FAMS AROUND THE AREA,, WE WERE IN THE NORTH PLATTE VALLEY, THE RIVER BEING 2 MILES SOUTH OF TOWN.. A SMALL STREAM NAMED WILDHORSE CREEK WOUND DOWN THE WEST SIDE AND THE SOUTH SIDE OF TOWN AS IT HEADED INTO THE NORTH PLATTE,, THE TOWN WAS BUILT ON A HILL IT HAD AT THE TOP OF THE HILL THE CEMETARY, THEN A PARK WITH THE POOL BUILT IN THE MIDDLE 50'S THEN ABOUT 3 OR 4 BLOCKS DOWN THE IRRIAGATION CANAL RAN RIGHT THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF TOWN. AND ALONG SIDE OF THAT WAS THE COMMUNITY HALL WITH A PARK ALSO,, NOW YOU SAY WHO WOULD BUILD A COMMUNITY HALL AND PARK RIGHT BESIDE THE IRRIGATION CANAL.. WELL THAT IS WHERE IT WAS PEOPLE LOOKED OUT FOR CHILDERN THEN.. I ALSO REMEMBER FONDLY YOU DIDNT HAVE TO HAVE AN "ESCORT" TO GO ANYWHERE.. EVEN THE YOUNGEST OF US.. eVERY ONE KNEW EVERYONE, AND THERE WERE NO STREET SIGNS,, ANYWAY.. A COUPLE OF BLOCKS BELOW THE COMMUNITY HALL BEGAN THE BUSINESS DISTRICT ABOUT 4 BLOCKS OF BUSINESSES WAS ALL AND THAT REALLY WASNT VERY MANY.. A COUPLE OF GROCERY STORES, A CLOTHING STORE, THEATER, DRUG STORE, 5AND 10 STORE A COUPLE OF GAS STATIONS AND THE POST OFFICE AND CITY OFFICES AND FIRE STATION.. WE HAD A CAR DEALERSHIP AND A DRIVE IN RESTERAUT THAT SERVED A REALLY GOOD BURGER,, AND A DAIRY QUEEN BUILT IN THE 50.S ALSO.. SOME TIME ALONG THE LATE 50S SOMEONE BUILT A BOWLING ALLEY, I THINK IT HAD 8 LANES.. THERE WAS ALSO A FARM IMPLEMET DEALER AND A HARDWARE STOR.. THE LEGION HALL AND, BANK AND COUPLE OF RESTERANTS.. LIFE WAS PRETTY SLOW, WE ALL WORKED AS SOON AS WE WERE OLD ENOUGH I THINK I WAS ABOUT 7 OR 8 WHEN I STARTED RUNNING A TRACTOR.. AND HOEING BEETS AND BEANS AND SUCH THINGS WERE DONE BY HAND THEN.. THINGS WERE NOT REAL EXPENSIVE.. HAMBURGERS WERE 25 CENTS, POP WAS A DIME, CANDY BAR WAS A NICKLE AND MUCH TO MY CHARGRIN CIGARETTES WERE A QUATER OUT OF THE MACHINE.. AS KIDS WE PLAYED WITH ALL THE KIDS IN TOWN,, OF CORSE FIGHTS BROKE OUT BUT THEY WERE FIST FIGHTS NOT GUNS AND KNIVES, AND YA ENDED UP BUDDYS LATER.. AND WE ALL HAD ACCESS TO GUNS I THINK EVERYBODY HUNTED AND FISHED AT LEAST EVERYONE I KNEW.. I WAS ALWAYS IN TROUBLE WITH MY MOM FOR BEING WET AND MUDDY BUT IT WAS OK,, SHE DIDNT SPARE THE ROD IF YOU KNOW MY MEANING.. AND NEITHER DID THE SCHOOL.. IT WAS NOT UNCOMMON TO GET A 5 OR 10 WHACKS FROM THE SUPERTENTIDENT, AND THEN YA REALLY GOT IT WHEN YOU GOT HOME.. |