I think I felt God poke me this afternoon around four o’clock. I say that because Daddy always told me I was born right after the four o’clock work whistle on this day 63 years ago. Daddy’s gone now, but I still hear his voice, and that laugh of his. “The whistle blew, and it must have scared you right out” I don’t know why the 20 til four whistle didn’t do it..must have been cause they didn’t blow it as long. I remember keeping time by that loud old work whistle til I was eleven years old and got my first watch. Anybody else remember that thing? I think it went off at 7:40 a.m., 7:55 and then at 8:00 and then in the afternoons at 3:40 p.m., 3:55, and 4:00. The third shifter’s didn’t get it I don’t think. I remember walking to school from 8th street and being right across the street from that thing at 20 til 8. Scared the crap outta me. I don’t know when they stopped blowing it..or what ever happened to it. Some of the historians might know. I saw an old Merry go round on the corner of Simmons st and Sunset lane that looks like the one that used to be at the Grammar school. It was all rusty and dirty, but now they painted it up all pretty. I wonder if that’s it? I remember old Mike Eddards breaking his leg on that thing in the 4th grade. Anybody else recall that? It would be neat if that’s the same one (eddards probably still don’t like it)
In any case, when God poked me I think I heard him say: “3/4 done” Least that’s what I hope I heard! Thanks to all y’all for the birthday wishes.
Writing for Sanity's Sake 