Saturdays

Saturdays were usually "Movie Day" when I was a Teen...There was a Theatre within walking distance of my house and at that time, when you went to the "show" , as we all called the Theatre then, on Saturdays, you could see the weekly chapter of your favorite adventure , and all the previews, and the main "picture", which took almost 3 hrs,..so that was our favorite Saturday thing to do...We would all get together, my friends and I..Donnie Barlow, *lived next door), sometimes her older Brother(full of himself), most of the time, her younger Brother, Donald Bateman(lived next door, on the corner), Patsy (Patricia) , on the street , behind me, Frances Hasty, (on Oswego, street behind me)...This was the usual crowd, ..when someone had to do something else, there were others that went...We all walked down the railroad track that ran right across the road from my house(Market St. Rd.), Now Market St Rd., was a "busy" main st, that ran thru Jacinto City..At that time, Jacinto City was a pretty small town, that had a Post Office, Theatre, Baptist Church,  a few other Churches of various Faiths...all of us , Kids walked everywhere, as everything was within walking distance from our homes, and we usually went together...3 of us took Piano lessons for awhile , a few blocks across the track from us..we would stop at "the little store" for candy on the way back from our lesson...now, our Mothers thought we would "love", the piano, and become "great ", well, we hated the lessons, and mostly all of the practice that went with it...and our Teacher was so sweet and so kind to us..As the cost was so small , even then, the Mothers would just take that from their"grocery money"..I know now, how hard my Father worked for that money,and this was probably money wasted, but I was a Child, and Children don't think of those things...It was a good memory, in a different time...which brings back the memory of catching the Mumps from Donald Bateman...his Mother wanted me to come over and sit with him, when he came down with the mumps..Now he liked to play board games, so we sit on his bed, and played cards, board games, put puzzles together, and I think I talked him into playing paper dolls, with me...that was "preteen"..well, I came down with the dreaded mumps in a few days...I will NEVER forget the mumps, oh how I hurt, my whole face was swollen, and I looked so "funny", as I was a thin child, and my face was "fat" with the mumps...Donald came over and brought his board games, and kept me company, as Donnie(best girl friend) had not had the mumps at that time...
donald, when he became a man went on to be a business man that was in Real Estate for awhile, and different ventures..Sadly, I have lost touch with these childhood friends, but the good memories are still with me...Donnie, went on to marry very young, and have a child..she married, at last count 3 times..and had 3 or 4 children,,,would love to find her, and just "catch up".. one last memory, about Donnie's Mother...She worked at the Ship Yard during the War(2nd W.W.), and hired a lady to take care of her children, and the house while she worked...this lady was Deft and not able to talk, she was a very sweet woman, and took very good care of children, house and became a part of that family..her name was Oma..All of us kids would go to her while she was doing her housework, cooking and get her to teach us how to "talk with our hands"..She always had the time to stop whatever she was doing , and try to teach us..well, we would practice with each other,wish some of that wuold come back to me, but that was a long time ago...Oma was with Donnie's family for a couple of years, and so like a Grandmother to Donnie, and her Brothers, one of the Special People in our lives...by the way Patricia(patsy) Hughes married a boy that she met thru a boy that I went out with a couple of times(we were 22 at that time) We double dated..The boy that I dated, had a friend with a car..now I am sure that Harry (the boy that I dated) , had a car, but for some reason, Charles always drove his car..Well, Charles and Patsy kept dating, and married the next year..so, I was happy that I got to play "matchmaker"...