My Childhood

My family moved to Portsmouth Virginia when I was 3 months old . We settled into a small two bedroom home at 60 Green Blvd. (Not sure why I still remember that address.) The neighborhood was full of young families and my parents made friends with other couples in the same situation as ours. Young families with children our age and so we all grew up together.

Three families in particular I remember. The McClellans had 5 children, Peggy, Patsy, Jim, Ron, and Sandra, the Goodrichs one son, Jackie and the Hills 3 children, Paula, Paulette and Paul ,Jr. The McClellans youngest daughter, Sandra or Susie as we called her, was the same age as me and so we became best friends. The four families were in and out of each others homes all the time and no one in those days locked their doors, so we just called out as we entered their homes.

Summers were fun because we lived so close to Virginia Beach. Each Mom took turns taking all the kids to the beach each week. Two Moms in two station wagons would drive the kids out to Virginia Beach and we would play in the waves and build many sandcastles. Picnic lunches eaten and snocones melting were an additional fun aspect of days at the beach.

Life in the 50's and 60's was so much safer and more carefree than today. Nighttime chasing lightening bugs, catching them in mayonnaise jars and setting them on the table in the dark and watching as they flashed all night is a great memory. Nobody had fenced yards so games of baseball in the backyards was always fun and involved most of the neighborhood. We could run the streets til our Mom's called us in for bedtime. Halloween we could go for miles away from home with not too much worry. When I was 11 years old we moved to Richmond, Virginia and continued the easy childhood I had been used to in Portsmouth. New friends but, the same carefree life. Baseball in the backyards, chasing and catching lightening bugs, trick or treating for miles away, walking to school, and sitting on the front porch in the dark telling scary stories.

Illustration 1: Emma Marie-Ann Braswell age 11

I remember babysitting for the neighbors and making some great spending money. I earned a whole 50cents an hour and 75 cents after midnight. Saving for treats at the local soda shop and buying lipstick I wasn't suppose to wear. We would ride the Bus to town and go to the movies and someone's Mom or Dad would pick us up when the movie was over. Almost always a scary movie. When we got a little older we would go to the Sock Hops at school on Friday nights and I remember winning the dance contests doing the Twist. Now I don't dance at all. Less intimidated then I guess. Life was fun and easy as a child and I am grateful my folks let me be a child.