The old brain cells are never what they used to be, John Turner. Otherwise, I would at least be able to visualize you. Did you, by chance, used to play baseball with us up behind Grandmother's chicken house or join us in Sunday afternoon horsehoes at Andy and Wayne's? I am in the process of writing a screenplay from Jean Jones Park's wonderful book "Water Under the Bridge: For my Children". She married William John Park, who ran the old Geo. W. Park Seed Co. on Spring Street, back behind us, on what they called "Lake Parkton". My grand-daddy called it "that stinkhole", and we only later figured out that he must have named it unkindly to keep us from deciding to go swimming there. Do you by any chance remember Jean and William John's son Billy? They used to live at the corner of W. Creswell and Spring Street. If so, I will start forwarding your notes to her as well as I am sending them behind your back, my sneaky self admits, to my cousin Wayne, his wife Diane and their son Randy and Rob. They've had an interesting life, but I'll leave it to them to decide whether to fill you in on it. Yeah, I know... just when you think you've found a veritable fountain of knowledge and gossip... but it's their life and their business to decide whether to share. It will come as no surprise to you, and I don't think he'll mind that I mention this, that Rob, a very talented and sensitive guyas well as a good-as-Greenwood-raised football player, has now taken up TEACHING! And is no doubt thrilled to know that his grandmother -- can you really imagine that "Mrs. Wells" is now a great-grandmother? -- was your inspiration. She certainly has been mine. My husband is a medically retired Navy SEAL from 'Nam, but we don't talk about that a lot. we do, however, have high regard for the Navy, and for Wayne Wells' sake, the Army as well. He'd never forgive me if I didn't say that! Our son Jim is a hardware programmer for a GE-subsidiary up in Greenville, and he periodically e-mails us photos of what he's working on. This kid definitely needs a LIFE! Glad to have you home, sailor. Annie At 04:43 PM 10/10/2000 -0500, you wrote: >Annie, > >Bingo is right. I thought we would make a connection but the old brain >cells aren't what they used to be you know. > >I'm currently a Sr. Technical Editor/Writer for Raytheon Systems, Inc. >in Greenville, TX. We moved here from San Diego, CA after retiring from >the Navy in 1985. > >Please give your Aunt my hellos and I think she just might remember me. >John >

Annie, Sorry but no to horseshoes and baseball. I do know quite well the "stinkhole" you refer to though, and Park's seed co. You were a couple of years ahead of me in school I do believe. I got to be a smart-aleck along about the ninth grade. Knew more that the parents and adults above me. I finally had to repeat the eleventh grade and didn't get sprung until 1964 with a certificate (missed by .5 when I broke my hand my senior year and couldn't make up all my typing tests - Mrs. Hellams). Took me a few years to figure out that education was much more than I thought it was worth and I forced myself to get my GED in the Navy and finally a degree through various colleges (such as University of Maryland, etc.) at different duty stations. Nope, don't remember Billy. Do remember Andy and Wayne though. Mrs. Wells was probably my best teacher ever. No problem about sending our notes on to others. I'm getting too old to worry about being embarrassed now. Thanks for the welcome home and it is sure nice to talk to someone from the area again. I have been back through several times and even stopped in to talk to the lady who now owns our old home on Elizabeth Ave. Sounds pretty interesting about you writing a screenplay. Good luck and hope it's a big success. John Ann Massengill/John Evans wrote: > > The old brain cells are never what they used to be, John Turner. > Otherwise, I would at least be able to visualize you. Did you, by chance, > used to play baseball with us up behind Grandmother's chicken house or join > us in Sunday afternoon horsehoes at Andy and Wayne's? <SNIP>

At 03:48 PM 10/11/2000 -0500, you wrote: >Annie, > >... Do remember Andy and Wayne though. Mrs. >Wells was probably my best teacher ever. Dear John Turner, We have just gotten word that dear Aunt Mary Ellen died tonight. I talked to her yesterday and read her your note. She just said, "Doesn't that beat all?" She had a stroke before mid-day, and Uncle Jack had her taken to the hospital, where she died about 7. We've been on the phone notifying family, etc., and I finally got loose enough to let you know. Few people remember that Jack was captured on Christmas Eve, 1944 in Belgium. It was not know whether he was missing or had been killed. Mary Ellen's mother urged her to forget him and get on with her life. she never forgave Mama Lena for giving up on him like that. So Mary Ellen moved in with my grandparents, where my mother and I (three months old) were. They were not married then, but it didn't take them long after he got out of Germany and caught a troop ship back home. He was all of 20 years old! Nobody knew he was coming. He came in during the night on the Greyhound bus. The driver was from Greenwood and drove him right up to grand-daddy's house and blew the horn and let him in the middle of the night. They tell me I got tangled up with his dog "Scratch" chasing Mary Ellen downstairs to get to him. The dog and I apparently rolled all the way down the steps together. I just wanted to tell somebody. Thanks. Her funeral will be at Blyth's, probably Saturday afternoon. We are leaving in the morning, planning for the visitation tomorrow night. annie