Cousins Vol 1

 Growing up in a small town in the 80's/90's was kind of the best. It was everything that was great about America. We could still eat what we wanted, stay out until dark without adult supervision, ride our bikes across town, and make fashion statements without evidence showing up in the form of a picture...at least until the film roll ran out, and your mom took it to the local Wal-Mart and got it back a week later (even then, you could tear it up and never speak of it again. "Sike! Mom got double prints!").

I had the privilege of growing up around almost all of my family. My paternal Grandparents had 9 kids and a whole passel of grand kids.  My maternal Grandparents had 4 kids and 8 of us grand kids growing up(more now). We were blessed to have three Great Grandparents that I can remember. This is not counting Great Aunts and Uncles, second and third cousins, people claiming to be family, and people so close to your family, you weren't sure how they got there.  Most of these people lived within 20 square miles. As you can imagine, the lines were blurred. (Mom/Dad look away) I even remember getting out of some trouble with a police officer once, because he knew my Grandpa Penny. I still remember him saying, "He's a fine man. Would he approve of you doing this?". Granted, I don't believe acting a fool as a kid is against any laws. At least none that I've heard of.... If it were against the law, my cousins and I would be juvenile delinquents. 

I have some of the best cousins, and had great times with them growing up. I was blessed to not only get to hang out with them and not die in the process, but actually grow up side by side with most of them and live to tell about it. 

I think all my cousins would agree that our older cousin, Dave, was the coolest. We shared our birthday, but 11 yrs apart. He was into all the things that I wanted to be into; music, art, baseball, girls, etc. I remember him driving me around town, and teaching me how to be "cool" (the lessons didn't stick). We would drive by the jr high with the windows rolled down, Def Leopard blasting, our T-shirt sleeves rolled up to show our muscles, and sending out the vibe to the girls. Of coarse I was about 6 yrs old and had no idea why we wanted girls to see us, but I felt so cool.

                                                         Dave looking Studly in 1982

One time I stayed the night with Dave at my Grandparent's house. As usual, I used the time with my Grandma Penny to eat anything I could get my hands on. After going to bed, I started feeling sick. I threw up all over Dave's bed, not once or twice, but 5 times through the night. After my aunt had to change the sheets multiple times, I ended up on the couch. Believe it or not, Dave still wanted to hang out with this punk kid after that. Even though Dave was the coolest person I knew, he never once acted too cool to be with me. I have countless stories, like throwing baseball, snowball fights, Atari, John Hugh's movies, listening to music, watching the cowboys play on Thanksgiving, but I'll save those for another time. 

                                                        Dave the Angler 1980-something

 It's crazy, looking back, how many little things made such a huge impact on my life. I have tons more stories about cousins, and I will share a few in the near future. If any of my family reads this and wishes to remain nameless, tough. This is a little bit of honor, but mostly payback.

Free Fallin'

I guess when you grow up in the south, you don't know that everyone else in the world looks at you differently. It's kind of like that kid who doesn't know he has a "Kick Me" sign on his back, until about the fifteenth kid plants one in his backside. We were just living life like everyone else.

Picture this: A 1980's farm town in Southern Arkansas of about 5,000 people, with 4 stop lights and a couple of stores. The economy was based on the year's profit of cotton, soy beans, and rice. You hit the edge of town, and it's cotton as far as you can see. There was only one difference...we thought we were living out a John Hugh's movie. A bit of denial about our social status in the grand scheme of the world....

I was surrounded by family. Everyone knew who I was, and knew my grandparents. After all, they did raise 9 kids in that town and farmed a big chunk of the land for years. Around the time I was born, they sold off the farm and moved to town.  

That's where I start to remember things. We loved playing outside, so we were always getting into trouble. Some of us, more than others....  

I remember parts of that day pretty vividly, but others are a little sketchy. I was standing on a red Igloo ice chest that was turned upside down. I was facing the chain link fence next to the right side of our house on Evergreen St. Looking out, I could see the street through the spaces in the fence. I was only 3 years old, so I couldn't see over the fence. My oldest sister, Jill,(2 years older) was standing beside me offering words of wisdom. "Do it. Do it." she giggled in the sweetest angelic tone. Oh, did I mention I had a jump rope tied around my waste? Well I did. The only thing odd about this, now that I think about it, I was only 3 years old! I didn't know how to tie anything! How did that jump rope get there, and who thought this would be a good idea? "Do it. Do it." There's the answer.

          Jill (left), Me (right), Mom (middle), Joni (stranglehold)


The LAST thing I remember is jumping off and hanging there. The NEXT thing I remember is waking up on my parent's bed...much later. That was the first time I knocked myself out, but definitely not the last.

Don't get me wrong, my sisters loved....well they loved to amuse themselves by talking me into things. I am writing all of this down as somewhat of a pay back, and because I have the fondest memories of growing up. I wouldn't change a thing.

I will be sharing stories from my childhood that are dear to me. Some amusing, some serious, and some just leave a lot to be answered...but all are true-life stories of an Average Southern Kid.  Some of you will be named and will feel their version of the events differ a bit, but we can let others decide...