Reminiscing About Childhood Friends

This is something I recently posted to a childhood friend’s timeline. The neighborhood mentioned is in Canton, Ohio. 

~As I get older, I find myself reminiscing more and more, and as I read your posts, I find my reminiscing going all the way back to the early to mid-70s. I reminisce about the neighborhood block made up of Colonial Blvd to Gross Ave to 25th St to St Elmo Ave, and back to Colonial Blvd. About long summer days outside, playing basketball at the home courts on Gross or 25th St. About playing football on 25th St. About trying to grab an apple from the small "apple orchard" on 25th St without catching hell from the owner. About riding our bikes on all of those streets and more. About going to Schreiber Park (then Maple Park, I believe). About being outside all day, until the sun started going down—our signal to get our butts home!

My reminiscing about that era also turns to shorter, winter days. About sledding down icy, snowy Warrick Place. About snowmen and snow angels we’d make. About those Wonder Bread bags our moms would put on our feet over our socks. About how it sometimes would take longer to get dressed for the cold than the time actually spent playing in the cold.

And most importantly, my reminiscing turns to people—those people with whom I spent countless hours playing outside, engaging in those above-mentioned activities. There is, of course, you, and… There were more, but these are the ones I can remember. (names removed for privacy)

As I think back on all of this, I can’t help but miss those times, and especially those people. It’s hard to grasp the fact that nearly a half century has gone by since then. Within that time, so many events and changes have occurred—some good, some horrific, many life-changing. Who knew back then that one day we’d be adults—back when the toughest decision we had to make was whether to play football or basketball.

I miss those times… I miss those people.