In My Life

The summer I came to Tennessee It became a thing for My sister,my cousin mike, and I to walk the two miles or so into Monterey. We would have enough money to buy candy, or a snack of some kind, and an R. C. cola. Or a small toy of some kind. These trips were always so much fun for us kids, and I look back on them now as precious memories. Ofcourse after summer, Mike was back in Chicago. And my sister, and I were still strangers in a strange land.
The details are fuzzy, but I remember the day Anna, and I walked into Monterey to buy Rubber Soul. (today Rubber Soul is my favorite Beatle album. Yesterday it was Sgt. Pepper, and next time I listen to Abby Road.....Well You get the picture.) The songs on Rubber Soul play in my heart though, weave mermories, bring the past into sharp focus. My Mother. Monterey.My first Tennessee friend, Larry Poteet....In My life..I loved them all...


It was two,and a half miles to town from the Lizzy Ann grant house. The tin roof, tarpaper shack with no running water, that we lived in. We used to walk it almost every day ,in summer.. I can close my eyes,and see every curve,hill,pond, and house.You turn left out of the yard onto a gravel road two small hills ,and the railroad tracks in the distance. Ten yards down the road there was a dying greenscummed pond choked with reeds on the left. On the right was the Neal farm. Nice big healthy pond with a big hill behind it. Behind that hill was the THRUSH HQ. barn from my "I Was Illya Kuryakin" blog. At the railroad crossing the gravel turns to pavement.

Just beyond that is the cemetary where my Mother & father are buried, and the Woodcliff Babtist Church. All the land for these was donated by my Grandfather so my family has a large plot there, and one day I shall go there nevermore to leave. Next is my Aunt Goldie's house. Ancestorial home of my Mother's side of the family..The Holloways.(Oh the tales I will tell of this place!) Standing in front of her place you see three hills each a little larger than the last, and standing on the third larry Poteet's house. My fellow secret agent,and constant companion in the woods and hollows of summertime.

There will have to be a blog about Larry someday. But right now were walking to Monterey after Rubber Soul. (Which is on the cd player now ofcourse.) Beyond the Poteet farm was a beautifull hollow with a large pond at the bottom. Owned by some kin of mine that I don't remember..Neals I think. After that It starts to civilize some. more houses. Less ponds. Being on the edge of the Comberland platau you walk very far off the road, and you will be going down hill. There were a few level places though .

Kelley Neal's place was next.(I know...the place is eat up with Neals.) He was a bully I knew from school, and even his dogs didn't like me. If Anna,and I made it past them we were alright. He was always mad,drank like a fish, and just stupid enough to hate intelectual little yankees like me. I think he's dead now. C'est la vie.

Next came The House Of Green Gables. I t was a big green house ok? lol. WE used to fantisize we lived there. An escape from the tarpaper shack with outdoor plumbing that was our lot at the time. As I said the houses got closer together at this point, and after one more pond with pasture,and woods, you were in beautifull downtown monterey.A walk up a long steep hill of houses led to the two block business district.Beyond that was clarkrange highway, and more ponds.

The post office anchored one side of the street. The drycleaners where my mom worked the other. And the little country store where the Beatles awaited. Cold Royal Crown colas. Chocolate covered raisins. And an album my sister had saved change for. Listened to on wls. And there it was! We hurried home, the return a blur. The fab four filled our little shack with joy the rest of the afternoon, and well into the night.....

joe said That