1963

4 years old.

Decided to call Mommy and Daddy "Mom & Dad" because I thought it sounded more grownup.

Gus and I were allowed to stay outside until the streetlights came on. Many times I would watch as they came on, one by one, down the block from the north to the south.

We were watching a cicada break out of its shell once when my mother made us come into the house.

JoAnn, my little sister, is born.

I am amazed that she never opens her eyes

Ran around with the gang of kids on the block, including Eddie Oberkramer.

We liked to go exploring the basements of the big apartment houses on the corner where all the old people lived, searching for the mythical little old lady sitting in a rocking chair playing tiddlywinks by herself

Watched the Beatles on Ed Sullivan with my Aunt Suzy and Uncle Bill at my maternal grandparents house. I ask several times what all those girls are screaming for.

Played house, a bit reluctantly, with Sheila, the girl downstairs, until Sheila, who sucks her thumb, comes down with worms. For some reason I never sucked my thumb as a little kid. I remember Janie and Carol Jenkerson trying to convince me to suck my thumb, too. I gave it a try, but never really saw the appeal.

Sheila's mom Brenda has a baby, and I'm not allowed to see her breast feed it and can't understand why.

Once, during a tornado alert, I go into Brenda's apartment, which always smelled terrible from all the dirty dishes on the table, and saw her frying Easter Basket grass in a skillet to keep away the tornadoes. My mom told me that Brenda was a witch. I've never heard of frying Easter egg grass to ward off tornadoes before or since.

Gus holds JoAnn
while I watch