When James was seven years old and attended College Street Grammar School, he recalls the day they were in recess and were coming down the stairs from the second floor. All of the kids started stomping their feet once they entered the stairways, until they reached the first floor landing. It just happened to be his bad luck that the old school house wasn't in the best of shape during those times. James was one of the first kids in line as the ceiling caved in from all of the stomping, dropping hunks of plaster and other debris onto their heads. The only one that was injured was James and he was taken directly to a doctor. He received fourteen stitches to his forehead that day. Did the parents sue? In those days an accident was an accident and no one tried to make something else out of it. The school paid all of the bills regarding the injuries from the accident.
Two years after the customizing of the Buick Pick-Up had occurred, Jeanette, James’s sister and he, had gone to a movie after school. She told him during the movie that he was to stay by her side and that she was going to make sure that he got home safe and sound. Somehow he got away from her and decided that he was old enough and smart enough that he didn't need any old dumb ole sister to hold his hand. After all he had walked home from school before and had been doing it for two years and knew the way. Thank you, but no thank you, James would be a man and find his own way home. When he left the movie he had no idea what was waiting for him back at the little house by the Incinerator.
When he arrived there, he got the shock of his life. First of all he found that his dog, Tina, was tied to a tree in the side yard and leaning next to the tree was his most favorite weapon, a Daisy air rifle. (Bee-bee gun) Now what on earth would they be doing tied and leaning against the old oak tree? James untied Tina and they went into the house. He was so hungry. He loved to eat white bread with mayonnaise on it. As he stepped into the house, his mouth fell open. “We have been robbed.” The only thing left was his dog and the air rifle, plus the lead rope that James now held in his hands. There was no furniture, no bread, no mayonnaise, no sister or parents.
Then it hit him they had been talking about moving for a few days now, but really did not include James into their conversations. After all, he was a little boy of eight years old and had a ten year old sister that would take care of and be responsible for him if need be. If she had told James that they had moved that day or any other day, he sure didn’t recall her saying it. James, in all honestly, has always had a fantastic memory and if someone had told him that they were going to move to a certain location and on a certain day, he would have remembered it. You can take that to the bank. He does recall them saying something about moving and mentioning Chester Street, there was nothing definite about it, except the fact that the house was now empty and he had to start looking for them somewhere. He was smart enough to recall where Chester Street was, matter of fact he was born just a few blocks south of there and knew exactly how to get there.
So he grabbed the trusty air rifle, his dog Tina, and off they go. It was a good three- mile trip. Of course he had no idea of the time and the distance it took to get from one place to another in those days, but he can, today, tell you now for a fact, it was that far. The weather was dry and clear and still light out when they arrived at the house on Valley Street, just three short blocks off of Chester Street. James didn't see his father's Buick pick-up sitting in the driveway as he walked into the front yard. “Perhaps he is doing some shopping I certainly hope so as I am getting very hungry.” He thought.
Mr. Hobach was sitting in the swing on the front porch as James and Tina approached the stairs. "Hey, Buddy what the hell are you doing way over here?" He asked. "I am looking for my mother and father, have you seen them yet today?"
It seems that he had not seen or heard from James’s father or mother for a few months. Mr. Hobach rented the house from James’s parents and had lived there shortly after the house was almost lost in the fire a few years back. "Well I shore hopes that you find em, I shorely does. Say hey-do when you does." James made sure that Tina and himself had a long drink of water before leaving in search of his now missing, parents.
Why did Mr. Hobach allow him to leave, as he knew that he was looking for his parents? James has thought about that many times over since that time in his early life.
As they started down the gravel road and back towards the city, he remembered that his father worked at the wrestling matches on Wednesday nights and this was Wednesday. He was a deputy sheriff, as well as a dogcatcher, a garbage truck driver, and worked part-time as a bouncer and ticket taker at the Armory that held wrestling and boxing matches. Matter of fact, the Armory is located on Chester Street. Now the bells are starting to ring for James. He was certain that they were talking about moving out onto Chester Street and not on Valley. “I should have paid more attention.” He thought out loud.
His father would be there tonight without a doubt. The only problem was that James was afraid of his father. He respected him is perhaps a better word. All he had to do was to give James one of those looks and it would hurt deep down inside his little young heart. His father wasn't one for the nursery rhymes and stuff like that. He was much too busy for those things. His mother would do the raising; dad was the breadwinner. Back in those days the children respected their parents, yes and loved them too. When they told the children to do something they did it and there was no back talk or any dirty looks from anyone. It was just not done.
Tina and James, after walking the two and one half miles to the Armory from Valley Avenue, arrived at the building and sat down on the curb, directly across the street from the main entrance. James knew that would be the doors that his father would use to enter the building.
After sitting there for about twenty minutes (he was guessing as in those days an eight year old boy did not own a watch) so when he saw the black 1940 Buick, pulling up to the front of the building, James knew that was his brother Floyd’s car and that his wife Kathleen, was driving. His father was sitting in the front seat on the passenger's side. He got out and walked towards the building. He was in his favorite black suit with his black hat, minus the chicken feathers. Haw, what a funny thought, he was thinking at the time. The last time James had seen his father in that suit and hat was when he was in the Buick when it turned over with John driving when they went to the gin mills. He had the appearance of a much bigger man than he really was. He was only five foot ten, but with the hat and his broad shoulders and going two hundred and ten pounds he appeared to be much larger.
People were surprised when they found out how short he really was. He was strong as a bull, but not quite six feet tall as thought to be. He would pick up 55-gallon barrels filled with garbage over and over all day long and throw them up into the back of a city dump truck. They didn't have the trucks that you see today with the little fat men running around and pressing levers and the automatic loading and compacting of the trash being done with the press of a button. He worked very hard all day long and earned every dime that he got paid back then, which amounted to a grand total of six dollars a week. People that knew him respected him and those that crossed his path and challenged him paid the price. He had not seen Tina or his young son James, as he got out of the car. James had kept her very still once he saw the car approaching.
Kathleen had made a turn in the middle of the next intersection and was coming back towards James’s direction. She passed by before he had a chance to gain her attention. It was 7:30 p.m., He knew that because it was getting dark out and that would be the time that his father would have arrived at the Armory that night. Following her black Buick was going to be a challenge. He watched her taillights as they became smaller and smaller off in the distance. Tina and James were now running down the street as fast as they could in a vain attempt to catch her.
When the two reached the intersection of Chester and Highland they had already lost sight of her car. Did she turn? Did she go straight? What were they going to do? This was a lot for a little boy of eight to ponder. James decided to keep walking, after all he truly thought that they will be spotted somewhere on Chester Street. He had a gut feeling, (even in those early years he would get those feelings), “if I can't find them, then I will just return to the Armory and wait outside for my father.” He thought to himself.
Suddenly he saw his mother standing on a porch a few houses down the block talking to Kathleen. He released Tina and she ran to his mother’s side, barking all the way. She stopped in front of James’s mother wagging her tail, an indication that they had prevailed and found their new home at last.
"Tina, Tina, where on earth did you come from?" His mother asked. Then she turned and looked at James as he walked towards the porch. "James D. David where on earth have you been? We have been looking high and low for you." When his mother would call him James D. David, it was because she was upset. He wanted to ask her the same thing. “Where have you been?” But he knew better. He was just happy to be at home, his home!
Did James get a spanking? No, he did not. Matter of fact he got hugs and kisses from his mother and the best thing of all was he got food, giving some of it to his trusty sidekick Tina.
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