REMEMBERANCE OF TROY OHIO

WHEN I WAS RAISED IN TROY OHIO I WAS A STUDENT OF THE ARTS IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. OUR LARGE OLD HOUSE WAS JUST ONE BLOCK FROM THAT SCHOOL. MY MOM STAYED HOME TO RAISE MY BROTHER AND I FOR ABOUT 10 YEARS. SHE WENT TO AN OSTEOPATH FOR HER ARTHRITIS. I REMEMBER HAVING A FUN CHILDHOOD AS SOME OF THE KIDS ON OUR BLOCK WOULD CHASE AROUND AND PLAY TAG IN A LARGE UNDEVELOPED BLOCK BEHIND OURS. IT LOOKED LIKE A JUNGLE OF SORTS AND HAD MANY BUSHES AND TREES AND VINES. WE LIVED ON MAIN STREET JUST ACROSS FROM LARGE COMPANY CALLED HOBART MANUFACTURING. THEY ALL KINDS OF PARTS FOR VARIOUS TYPES OF EQUIPMENT SUCH AS KITCHEN AID EQUIPMENT AND MIXERS. I REMEMBER WALKING PAST THEIR SMOG FILLED BLOCK TO HIGH SCHOOL. OUR HOUSE HAD A POOL TABLE AND WE PLAYED POOL WITH OUR FAMILY AND KIDS FROM SCHOOL. MY DAD AND HIS BROTHER WERE PART OF THEIR FATHER'S SMALL WESTERN STORE IN DOWNTOWN TROY WHEN I WAS A KID. THEY SOLD ALL TYPES OF GEAR THAT WAS FROM KANSAS AND INCLUDED HORSE SADDLES, COWBOY AND COWGIRL WESTERN CLOTHING, WOMEN'S ANS MEN'S BOOTS, AND WESTERN HATS.

IN TROY I TOOK LESSONS IN JUNIOR HIGH FOR LEARNING TO PLAY A CELLO BUT NEVER EXCELLED AT IT.I REALLY ENJOYED BOTH CAMPFIRE GIRLS AND ACROBAT LESSONS. OUR FAMILY'S STORE WAS FINALLY SOLD WHEN I WAS IN ABOUT 3RD GRADE AND MY MOM WENT TO WORK FOR THE GOVERNMENT. I HAD MADE A NUMBER OF FRIENDS WHO I PLAYED WITH AFTER SCHOOL AND ON WEEKENDS. OUR BACKYARD WAS LARGE AND I GOT POISON IVY ALL THE TIME. WHEN I WAS YOUNG WE BURNT ALL OUR BOXES AND PAPERS IN THE BACKYARD (OF COURSE THEY DON'T TODAY).

THE WINTERS WERE PRETTY FIERC AND OUR HOUSE WAS AT LEAST 100 YEARS OLD. THE SUMMERS WERE NEVER VERY HUMID. IN ANY CASE WE ALWAYS HAD TOO MUCH OF A HOUSE TO CLEAN. I USUALLY DID HOUSEWORK ON SATURDAYS AND WE WENT TO THE LAUNDROMAT ON SUNDAYS.

FINALLY BOTH OF OF MY PARENTS WORKED IN A NEARBY TOWN OF DAYTON. WE MOVED OUT OF THAT OLD HOUSE WHEN I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL. THAT WAS A BIG CHANGE FOR ALL OF US. I HAD TO MAKE NEW FRIENDS.