Where Did That Come from?

I had one of those vivid old memory flashes recently, and it won't go away. So I'm going to give it away.

This is one of those things that leave you scratching your head, and wondering what was that about? I was on the internet chatting on messenger, wasn't thinking about a thing, and this vivid flash of memory complete with soundtrack came to me. I had to stop what I was doing, and share it with my sister who ,as it happens,was in it anyway. So with out further ado.....

It's a cold winter night in Praraie Du Chien , Wisconsin of 1962. I am ten years old, and spending one of those rare periods actually home with my parents. My little four year old brother Tommy is in bed asleep. My sister Anna who is twelve, and I , are on the couch. I'm looking at a small stack(maybe three) of Batman comic books. I remember remarking to my sister how cool The Bat logo looked on the covers, and her replying that she didn't like it. (Girls. ) In the background You can hear Ralph Emory on the radio broadcasting live from Ernest Tubb's Record Shop. That program used to follow the Grand Ole Opry every Friday, and Saturday night.

I also had a picture puzzle of a fish in a fishbowl with a castle in the background. I took the puzzle to a chair by the front door. On the other side of the door stood the radio. it was one of those old tube models. Huge! It was three or four feet wide, and at least four feet tall. Next to it was a big old easy chair with my Dad in it. ever present cigarette in one hand. He is reading a magazine. On the right side of him there is a table with a lamp, ash tray, their cigarettes,and my Mom's constant companion, a cup of coffee. There is an other big easy chair with my mom in it. my Mom is wearing a floor length blue print dress. She is listening to Ralph, but I remember her watching us with a contented smile on her face. "Hi Mom."

I am in the carpetted floor in front of the chair. I'm shaking the puzzle making the pieces slide down so it looks like the castle is crumbling down into a pile of debris.(Boys.) I do this over and over. In the background...I can hear it right now in my head..Skeeter Davis is singing.....Don't they know it's the end of the world? it ended when you said goodbye........