My parents were longtime friends with another couple that I grew up thinking were my aunt and uncle. I was a teenager before I realized we were not blood relatives. No matter. These folks were my "other" mother and dad. My uncle was a Texas Game Warden and an avid arrowhead collector ( he is retired now). His collection was vast, and he created pictures on framed wire screens with his finds. Being a game warden meant several moves for his family. This picture was taken when they lived in Ballinger, Texas ( I am the cotton-headed one). Note the two little boys behind us were my "cousin" and my brother. They moved from Ballinger later that year to Robert Lee, Texas - all small towns. Such memories growing up with this wonderful group of people.
When I think back to those years, I remember the Kingston Trio albums on the old hi-fi, our dads drinking Lone Star Beer, card games of bridge and canasta long into the wee hours of the morning with the intermittent swearing and laughter, of fish fries and deer hunts, whirlygigs and mopeds, and of four kids who got into infinite mischief.
Rock throwing fights on the river, getting to drive the car and "do the drag" down Main Street without a license, roman candles in the yard on a hot July 4th (and setting a tarantula on fire), Friday night six-man football, the boys and their silly attemps at lighting farts (oh, yes, indeedy!), and lots of room to grow and be a kid, unlike my home in Cowtown.
My aunt and uncle still live in Robert Lee. So hard to watch them grow older. When my dad passed away in 2000, my uncle was grief stricken. His best friend was gone. I love them all dearly and wished that we lived closer (although, it is only a little over four hours from my home to theirs). Sadly, our own children are not close at all. I can't imagine my childhood without this extended family, they have always been there for me. When the rare opportunity arises that my "cousins", my brother, and myself can get together, the years fall away and we are 10 and 12 years old again. It's not intentional, but I am sure most of spouses feel like outsiders when we are all together in a room. Excuse me, but I am going to call them up right now....and hear my aunt's voice, "Well, hey stranger! How the hell are ya?"
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