I remember the first vacation we took after my retirement was to Arsenic and Old Lace Bed and Breakfast in Eureka Springs, AR.

I remember Great Grandpa Intemann had a little box where you could place a coin and a hand would emerge to pull it inside.

I remember walking down the spine of Spade Mountain, which separated the Mulberry Hollow and Rabbit Trap communities, with my brothers Willie, Russell, Arnold, and Charlie one day and locating the gangster Tom Johnson's old hideout cave high on the bluff.

I remember how much my mother enjoyed animated toys and gadgets of all kinds.

I remember Chris and I riding our bikes out to the lake at County Park in Jeff City and on the way back stopping by the Friese's house to ask for a drink of water.

I remember my dad would take Benny bowling about once a month.

I remember the sound of Benny's voice, friendly but allowing no room for response, posing an endless series of "Do you know..." non-questions that shed light on his favorite musical artists and radio DJs as we sat in his bedroom listening to records while my parents visited with Idelle in the living room.

I remember one day after working picking cotton in Shamrock TX, I decided I would walk barefoot the short way to our house instead of riding home in the truck, not realizing all the goatheads and prickly pear stickers strewn along that crooked sandy trail -- my poor feet were a mess and I never tried that again.

I remember hearing the chug chug of the old black steam engine train in Shamrock TX, and seeing the belching steam that billowed out of it as it passed our cotton field, which was the only time and place I saw the old type trains. 

I remember the old three room vacant house where all nine of us stayed for four weeks to pick cotton in Shamrock TX, and I still remember the smell of the kerosene gas stove Mom cooked on, which was fancy after using wood at home.

I remember buying comic books as a young child.

I remember the first time we went to Shamrock, Texas in the fall of 1954 to pick cotton, we drove all night when it was cooler and less traffic, and we got there the next morning at the farmer’s house and his wife fixed breakfast for all of us.

I remember at least once when we kids were going to bed in the middle bedroom at 2133, Grandpa came in and told us bedtime stories about Snoopy.