Editor’s note: we’ve been encouraging club members to share stories of their lives, even when it’s time not spent fishing. Some time ago Charlie Higgs wrote down his memories of the summer of 1945, which we share with you on this Memorial Day..
DAD’S DISCHARGEI
It was great news “Dad is home for good!”
In the summer of 1945, Joe was almost 10, I was 5 and Rich was 3. The big war was over! Soldiers, sailors, airmen, husbands, fathers, brothers were being discharged from the military service and returning home.
Those are the historical facts. As a 5 year old, what was important to me and my brothers was that Dad was home to stay!
He had been away for almost 2 years serving in the navy. We had seen him only two times when he was allowed to come home on short furloughs. On one visit Dad and Mom took Rich and me to a photographer in Memphis. They had our pictures taken wearing little sailor suits.
My most vivid memory of Dad’s homecoming was the big family picnic held to celebrate his safe return. In addition to Dad, Mom and my brothers, there were lots of other relatives present. Grandma Haynes and Jack – Dad’s mother and step-father, and Aunt Christine were there. Dad’s step-brother, Uncle Richard, his wife Edna Earl and their two daughters Shirley and Barbara Jean (BJ) came over from Memphis.
Mom’s sister, Aunt Katherine who lived with us during the war was there. Her husband-Uncle Pate, who was an airman, had not been discharged yet. Another sister of Mom’s, Aunt Mary and her husband Uncle Bill came down from Hickory With for the day.
As usual at such family picnics, we had fried chicken, potato salad, baked beans, cold slaw, sliced tomatoes, deviled eggs, pickled peaches and lots of iced tea. For dessert we had Dad’s favorite – lemon meringue pie and a coconut cake. A big watermelon was cooling in a tub of ice water.
It was one of those perfect summer days, not too hot, especially if you found a spot under a shade tree. Later in the day, some of the adults played a game of lawn croquet. We kids played games of tag and hide and seek. We also played a game of rolling down the small hill in our side yard. When you got to the bottom you would try to stand and race back to the top before the others. It was hard to do because you would be so dizzy from all the spinning on the way down.
One of the men carved the cold, sweet watermelon. He handed out the half-moon pieces of the juicy treat. We didn’t need spoons or forks. We spit the seeds on the ground. Soon we were laughing at the site of red, dripping faces.
In the early evening as it was starting to get dark, someone brought out a big jar and cut some holes in the lid. It was up to us kids to run around in the fading light and try to catch lightening bugs. Once we caught one, we would put it in the jar. Soon the jar was aglow with so many of the little bugs inside. Once it got completely dark and the long day caught up with us very tired kids, we opened the jar and released them.
I have lots of childhood memories – bits and pieces that occurred before this picnic. There is no question this family celebration of Dad’s homecoming is the most important and memorable event of my young life.
Like families across the country, I think we all sensed this homecoming was the turning point for us to get on with the hopes and dreams of our lives.
Later that year, probably in early fall, I had another memorable experiencewith Dad. He and Mom had decided to move our family to McCormick, Arkansas. They would rent 40 acres of land along with a 4 room house and we would become cotton farmers. One thing that made this farm special was that it was located right next to the one where Grandma Haynes, Jack and Aunt Christine lived.
I think because Joe was in school, Dad decided to take me along when he made a trip to our new home to deliver furniture and other household goods. What I remember was a feeling of pride and happiness that I got to spend these two days alone with my Dad.
I sat on the truck seat next to him, barely able to see outside. We were traveling in areas I had not been before. I do remember it rained most of the way. When we arrived, Dad had me stay with Grandma, while he and Jack unloaded the truck at our new home.
I recall little about the rest of the trip. But even as a 5 year old, I sensed big changes were coming.
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