Page 73 - Firehouse Pond

My father would come to my school, lie to the teachers, and take me away.

He would tell me I was a bad boy and that it was all my fault mom left him.

My brother and my sister’s husband would find us and get me away from
him. There were times when my brother would hide me in the attic of the

grocery store where he and mom worked. My father would come into the
store looking for me and threaten to take me home with him.

My mother finally divorced my father. A condition to the divorce included a
court order that my father was to leave the state and never return. I did not
hear from nor know of my father again until I was in basic training in the U.S.
Army years later. He called me during basic training to say he was proud that

I was serving our country.

I was successful at forgetting my father and Charleston. It would be years

later before I would return for only a few hours. The return was under less
than happy circumstances. I’ll leave it at that. Some things and events are
better left in the shadows.

After the divorce, life improved significantly. I made friends, improved in
school, and did what most young boys do.

Mom and I moved into a small “cracker-box” house in a different part of
town. She was closer to work and I could walk to school with my friends.
Life really was normal.

My brother taught me how to swim in the Iowa River. He pushed me off a
low bridge and said: “swim”.