A Virgin No More!!!

MY Squadron 26 Buddies could not wait to take goody two shoes to the border town of Nuevo Laredo.I am talking about Mr. Virgin Eric ( Ricky Green).--------------That would be me!!!!
First let me say that I had knowledge of sex and had actually come as close as possible to erasing the V off my chest but honored the girl friends request and found myself away from home with a group of Navy Buddies who had decided that I was gonna come back from the trip a man of experience.
My old girl friend had given me the heave Ho,seems I was a high school boyfriend but did not have the credentials for college and beyond.
The car meandered south-practically filled to capacity,the little crows in the front seat telling me about the sin city just over the border. THe place was called boys town and many a Texas Lad or navy guy had lost their innosense there.
Frankly the guys taking me didnt seem all that experienced--and I think they were just trying to get someone to show them how to act in the presence of the ladies of the night.( how would I know?)
THe trip was entertaining but the scenery was sage brush and mesquite trees. It's a pretty fair trip from Beeville Texas to Nuevo Laredo and soon it became dark .---------------more later Codgerman

I wrote the next installment of this return trip and it did not post on here so I'm not gonna write it again--just gonna throw it together now!
When I left in 1958 there were no businesse's except High Springs Dairy store and Mr. Pooles Mkt.---What greeted me were wall to wall businesse's. I pulled into a shell station where Mr. Pooles little wooden grocery used to be. I told the lady I had just returned after 47 years--she said the place has changed a lot----LOL no kidding !!!
I went up the road by my elementary school and told Marty where I was robbed as a kid going to Mr. Pooles store for milk for my mom. It was a shakedown--bigger kids took my money.
Edgewater Elementary hadn't changed any except for an addition--it was still the same--which made me feel good.I had heard that people didnt like the school cause bad kids went there. People were putting their kids in private schools.It was an awesome school when I went it was also only 1 year old when I enrolled. The teachers were supurb the administration and student body exemptlery.
I glanced across the field and saw the club house and property around it and our old ball field still in place and felt so good,at least these things were the same.
I drove into the park on river road---the way I used to go when I carried Nancys Books for her. The Farm was gone --it was a tobacco farm and was really cool. We used to go check out the bedding plants under muselin and watch the tobacco drying in the big barn.
The minute I was on river road I was shocked to see so many houses.
Every square inch of property had been sold for houses and to me it made the place look terrible.There were even houses built in odd placement to conform to the odd shaped lots that were available.
I saw our old house and hated it. It was a nice little 2 story now but the 2 1/2 acres that we had was crammed with houses,no one had a yard --it was gross. I tried hard to catch a glimpse of the 80 foot Scotch Pine Tree that I liked so mush. I saw a little of it and what I saw looked anemic. It actually looked shorter--the long needles looked a faded green. and the trees growth had been stunted by all the trees growing next to it. It's unhealthy appearence just fortified the disgusting introduction to my favorite place I had ever lived.
The foliage around the park looked burnt up from a draught they had been having which further added to my less than joyful reunion.
I went down the road to where our beautiful old boathouse used to be and there in its place was a yellow one with vinyl paneling like some cheep row house--but waht really got me was the putrid brown water with scum floating on the surface--and boats and docks everywhere sharing the mudhole which used to be a Green and vibrant cove with wildlife and fish and beautiful blue clawed crabs and green lawns down to the waters edge or high bluffs.
47 years might as well have been 100 --the beauty was gone--the joy was gone--at least for me--thank God the memories of the past still remained.
I tried to find the old beach but couldn't. My wife was griping about wanting to get onto the rd. to our West Va. destination.
I wnt out the old road by the community building and our ball field was still as it had been for 47 years--and I could hear the voices of us kids having a blast . I turned right down to Route 2 and headed for the interstate---I saw the airport where dad had spent so much time. It was still there thank goodness----and the expression came back to me that you can never go back----Yes ya can ya just might not like what ya find.----------------later my Friends Rick The Codgerman

I could go on and on about how special South River Park was,the school,the water the friends , the baseball games,riding bikes,dinners and holiday events in the community club house. My first crush happened there ,I was first kissed by a girl there ,learned to swim,water ski and brave the hill on my bike and live to tell about it. All these memories are contained in my writings,the ones lost on computer crashes are gone forever and maybe shall be reclaimed ,maybe not as my mind is beginning to be uncooperative sometimes. I thought I might never return to my favorite place by the water but circumstances and fate interceded and when my wife made a purchase of an antique baby carriage to benefit Hospice and it had to be picked up in Severna Park Park Maryland--the chore became a detour in life and our trip to visit friends in West Va . would be interrupted by a day and I would actually see the place of so many childhood memories. I was thrilled,my heart jumped at the prospect--------the home coming in the next article. Eric---the Codgerman

My Favorite place!
The return visit
after 47 years

I have long maintained that South River Park,Edgewater Maryland is the favorite place I have ever lived.
I left my favorite place in 1958 at age 13 with my family,trading our awesome home on whse. cove for the warmth and wonder of the the Sunshine State.
I had it all in South River Park, a sprawling home with basement,a 2 1/2 acre yard with a privacy hedge in the front about 7/8 foot high.
We had a garden walkway made of white lattice that went across the back of the property and down the end to the road,river road. The walkway was like a tunnel and every so many feet there were benches to sit and lillys of the valley grew in abundance on and beside the walkway.
I had huge trees for climbing and one awesome 80 foot scotch pine tree that was so thick it held back the rain and snow when ya sat under it. It also furnished huge pine cones which we decorated and used at Christmas.
We had a private beach for the community and a community building for dinners and dances and Halloween and other holidays and my favorite perk of all was our 2 stall boat house with a roof over the front and benches and a fish cleaning table and it was on that dock that I caught bushels of huge blue clawed crabs and in the waters around the cove I netted soft shell crabs and on the dock we caught all kinds of fish.---------------------more tomorrow---The Codgerman

I was assigned to Squadron number #26 and it was the top floor at the barracks.I went to the office and spoke with the Master at arms who had the duty that day and he said my squadron was at the park at a beer bust and softball game and the chief in charge of my unit was there and I should go see him. I unpacked my stuff and had to take the top bunk in the room assigned me.
I was given directions to the park and off I went-in civies this time as I had already reported in to the Officer of the day. I took my orders with me to show the chief.
The Chief was sitting in chair with a ice cold beer in his hand--he also was in civies as were the squadron personel. He stuck out his hand after I told him who I was and he welcomed me with a good strong handshake and said Green get a cold one man--then he qualified his statement with a question--" Ya do drink don't ya" ? he said half laughing--and I thought to myself-that the 2 send off beers a co-worker gave me were the first of my young life but I said sure do like I was a long time lush--to which the chief said Good Green never did trust a man who didn't drink!!
Later after I was lit like a 4th of July firecracker the Chief took me to the EM club9 Enlisted Men's Club , he introduced me to the bar tenders and said whats your poison--I didnt know what to say--a babe in the woods was I -so I said Rum and Coke and he said CC and water for him and we sat down and the Chief asked me more about my life. He really did want to ln pw more about me which I thought was nice.---more later The Codgerman