I basically have a few groups with which I am connecting and re-connecting. I have my YMCA friends across the country. I have a group of my Shelby friends. I have those old friends from Wingate College days. I have those older friends from my Mauldin High School and Holly Tree neighborhood. I have a few friends from my years living in High Point.
But one of my favorite groups are the Thomasville people on Facebook. I lived in Thomasville from 1st grade through 7th grade. Everytime I watch the movie Sandlot I think of my life in Thomasville. It was a life of great friends. It was nothing for me, David Saintsing, Press Farabow, John Dunning, Ken Dennis and others to ride bikes all over town or play basketball all day at the Y. I can remember the Thomasville fight song but not my own high school fight song.
It was a life of being the bat boy from my brother's baseball team and worshiping Billy Freeman. It was a life of being scared to death of being hit by a pitch by Darwin Parks. It was a life of being thrown off the school bus by Mr Burgess. It was Kern Street school and the Thomasville Bull Pups. It was First Baptist and Craig Greeson daring me to walk to the front of the church with him so we could be baptized by Joe Hester.
Thomasville was Warren King and the good word.
It was also a life of teenage hormones. I didn't speak to my parents for a month when we
moved to Greenville because I was in love with Sharon Mills and moving ruined my life. It was a life of living next to Laurie Bryant and her being one of my best friends until I was 12 and then it was wow Laurie Bryant!! Same thing goes for Susan Thomason, Pam Manning and Chrystal Hubbard. It was having Paula Porterfield (see picture) speak to me and me not being able to concentrate for the rest of the weak. My first real kiss was Barbara Martin who was two years older than me. I think she did it on a dare or she lost a bet.For me it was one of those moments like when Squints kissed Wendy Peffercorn.
Life was great then and the fact then many of these wonderful people even remember who I am is staggering. For me to remember them is easy. When you are twelve they are your best friends in the entire world. And now at 44 it feels like they are still my best friends.
1 comment:
Cam, that makes me laugh!! Wow, you made me think of things I haven't in years. I have such fond memories of those days and remember the sadness when your family moved. Your right, at 44, our lives have gone on but somethings never change!!! FRIENDS!! (Really Barbara Martin??)
Sharon Mills Hutchens
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