I was 4 years old--we were still living in the sea of red brick apartments called the Waldorf--it was Christmas morning and one of my gifts was a matched pair of Gene Autry chrome plated cap pistols and gun belt-I put them on and my cowboy hat and headed out into the yard to show them off. I wasn't out there 2 minutes when 2 kids about 10 years old took them from me and walked off--they were from another apartment--I had never seen them before.
I was crushed and went in and told my parents and dad was furious--he said I needed to stand up for myself--and fight for what was mine--those boys towered over me--he said if you see them again demand your guns back or come and get me.
The next day here they come again--I summoned all my courage and walked up to them and said give me my guns back and they just laughed and then each one of them grabbed my shoulders and they led me off forcibly to their apt building which was some distance away. They tied me up and took off my cloths and to my horror hoovered above me with a butcher knife and said if I turned them in they would cut off my private parts.
Dad ask me some time later if I had seen those boys and I said no--they must have moved!!

I guess I was 3/4 years old-living at the Waldorf apartments, me a my buddy John were riding our tricycles on the landing--the raised concrete porch of our apt. building-about 3feet above the ground.
John said dare ya to ride your bike of the edge and I said--------------------double dare you!!!-----and he said--------------------------------------------------------------double darers go first!!!--!
!
!
! *
crash!!

I rode right off the landing as instructed cause double darers always go first-went into a dive landing headfirst into the brick abutment in front of the basement window--splitting my head open--I could barley make it up the five flights of stairs to our apt--cause blood was in my eyes--mom freaked and they took me to the hospital--they bandaged my head up like a mummy--I was out in the yard the next day--fire trucks had come to the apts across the street--a nice fireman talked to me and said what happened to your head--I said I drove my bike off the edge of the landing--double darers didn't seem like a good thing to do anymore--the fireman just patted my shoulder--said take care of yourself kid. Eric

There were two things I hated when I was a small child in the Waldorf apts.--One was going shopping with mom at Macy's-to the bargain basement---think of a little child in a crowded store with a herd of women fighting over cloths in a bargain bin--looked like land of the giants to this 3 year old--the other thing I hated was going down into the basement with mom to wash cloths--what fun!! Maybe I had a thing about basements cause I almost got killed in one-but that will be a later story!
Anyway--here we were heading to the basement-mom opened the door with the key and left it in the door as she struggled with the large basket--the door closed and I found myself on the outside with the key.
I really don't know why I did it--but I did--I turned the key--I don't remember if mom was screaming at me as I headed up the stairs to our unlocked apt.--I got a big towel and made myself a cape like superman--and I got into the kitchen drawer and got a butter knife for protection and headed out of our apartments to see the world and introduce myself to new people.
Mom was locked in the cellar for 5 hours till dad got home--no one else came down there all day--meanwhile I had gone to 3 different apt buildings and knocked on multiple doors introducing myself--and finally came across a lady who knew me and took me home to freaked out parents--I can't remember if I got my butt tore up that night or not--wouldn't matter--they called me rock bottom--I would never cry if I got spanked----ERic

Back in the 1970's I was with my brother visiting his friends--they were having a jam session--and since I'm not a musician I was feeling a little left out--
I told him I was gonna write a song--so since I shot off my mouth-I had to do it--
THe following is that offering--now all that is required is for Willy Nelson to call and say he will do it-and everything will be cool.

Southern Women

Southern Women they're so pretty yeah, they've got fire in their eyes and a touch of scarlet deep in their soul. Southern breezes smell of jasmine and magnolia, but now the past is gone and the present here: but does the stench of black powder and death still linger in the air for the Southern Woman?
Concrete Towers have grown where stately mansions once stood, is this the progress of man or the Destiny-the destiny of fools. How could they trust their lives to fate when they had thrown away all the rules
THe old manners and decorum-are they ashes of the past or are the memories that last, the ones kept alive by the spirit of the Southern Woman?
Southern Women they're so pretty yeah, they've got fire in their eyes and a touch of scarlet deep in their soul, southern breezes smell of Jasmine and magnolia,but now the past is gone and the present here:but dooes the stench of black powder and death still linger in the air for the Southern Woman?
If ya go down south today my friend-respect it's history be kind to its land , think reverently of the pain endured by the land and the Southern Women. ERic

When I was a little guy of 3/4 years-I was afraid to go to bed and have the door shut to my room-because there were little creatures in my room--less than 2 feet tall--they sat on my bed, jumped up and down when the door shut and the lights were out. They were a smokey white color and easily visible---they didn't hurt me but I had to hide under the covers to go to sleep--parents just think your being a kid--when I got older the same creatures followed me to my Grandparents house--but only when the door was shut and the lights turned out.
You younger folks may find it interesting that doctors used to make house calls in the 40's--and when my friend John downstairs got a shot I could hear him wallering--and the footsteps of the doctor coming up the stairs--I had no where to hide and the damn creatures in my room were no help--
I got very sick and had to be taken to the emergency room, I was put into isolation and they kept giving me shots--I was terrified and screamed for my mother to help me--all she could do was hold out her arms on the other side of the glass--I was having convulsions--something to do with an infection from bad tonsils--they said I had to have my tonsils out--I was so scared--but they said I could get all the ice cream I wanted after the operation.
When I went into the operating room they said I was going on a trip to the moon and put a breathing mask on my face and told me to count down as they instructed me--I think I just made it to 5---
When I woke up in a ward--my throat hurt--it was dark and no parents were there--kids were crying all around me and some were screaming
I had no ice cream and felt abandoned in a nightmare world.
When the sun came up the nurse brought me ice cream and my parents brought me presents--things were a lot better then.