William E. Elston
Biography: The Whole Cake, and How To Eat It.
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Children never remember the logistics and difficulties of moving. They remember living in one place, and then another. I was no different. We were in Spirit Lake, then we were in Glenrose Prairie, an unincorporated area southeast of Spokane. For the parents it is quite different. "One move is worth two fires," according to Benjamin Franklin.
Children never remember the logistics and difficulties of moving. They remember living in one place, and then another. I was no different. We were in Spirit Lake, then we were in Glenrose Prairie, an unincorporated area southeast of Spokane. For the parents it is quite different. "One move is worth two fires," according to Benjamin Franklin.
During our first year in Glenrose Prairie, a family moved next door, in the house to the west. The father was a greaser, with a ducktail and fins, and a pack of camels rolled up in his short shirtsleeve. His son Dickie was a carbon copy, sans the cigarettes. Dickie was my age, and had two teenage sisters, Sherry and Pernie.
During our first year in Glenrose Prairie, a family moved next door, in the house to the west. The father was a greaser, with a ducktail and fins, and a pack of camels rolled up in his short shirtsleeve. His son Dickie was a carbon copy, sans the cigarettes. Dickie was my age, and had two teenage sisters, Sherry and Pernie.
Bruce Redding had access to a transistor radio, and we carried it everywhere, listening to KJRB, a local radio station. Dee-jays of the period played an eclectic mix of genre, including show tunes and movie themes, rock & roll, rhythm and blues, gunfighter ballads and country and western, folk music, nightclub crooners and occasional jazz. We liked Roy Orbison, Del Shannon, Gene Pitney, Fats Domino, Bo Diddly, The Shirelles, The Crystals, Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, Bobby Blue Bland, Ray Charles, Nat King Cole, Marty Robbins, Acker Bilk, Mary Wells, Henry Mancini and on and on.
Bruce Redding had access to a transistor radio, and we carried it everywhere, listening to KJRB, a local radio station. Dee-jays of the period played an eclectic mix of genre, including show tunes and movie themes, rock & roll, rhythm and blues, gunfighter ballads and country and western, folk music, nightclub crooners and occasional jazz. We liked Roy Orbison, Del Shannon, Gene Pitney, Fats Domino, Bo Diddly, The Shirelles, The Crystals, Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, Bobby Blue Bland, Ray Charles, Nat King Cole, Marty Robbins, Acker Bilk, Mary Wells, Henry Mancini and on and on.
Hanging out at Silver Lanes Bowling Alley in Lincoln Heights shopping center was one of the few things that young boys were permitted to do. As long as someone was feeding the pinball machines we were tolerated. Not much thought had been put to providing meaningful pastimes for pre-teen youths with little or no cash. So much time was spent waiting for something to happen, and usually something never did. Sometimes a fight would break out in the parking lot, and everyone would watch.
Hanging out at Silver Lanes Bowling Alley in Lincoln Heights shopping center was one of the few things that young boys were permitted to do. As long as someone was feeding the pinball machines we were tolerated. Not much thought had been put to providing meaningful pastimes for pre-teen youths with little or no cash. So much time was spent waiting for something to happen, and usually something never did. Sometimes a fight would break out in the parking lot, and everyone would watch.
In every narrative there are some bits left out, sometimes to enhance dramatic effect, at other times because they just didn't seem to fit anywhere. Before I close out my early years I want to speak to those random bits and pieces. They happened in no certain order. Of course there were new experiences, like getting sick on green apples, picking scabs and other events common to all children. Smoking cigarettes at an early age and daydreaming were also activities that I engaged in.
In every narrative there are some bits left out, sometimes to enhance dramatic effect, at other times because they just didn't seem to fit anywhere. Before I close out my early years I want to speak to those random bits and pieces. They happened in no certain order. Of course there were new experiences, like getting sick on green apples, picking scabs and other events common to all children. Smoking cigarettes at an early age and daydreaming were also activities that I engaged in.
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Panther Lake Studio
4823 Panther Lake Rd
Snohomish WA 98290
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