Years ago, May 1951, my dad dropped dead and we did not have a pot to eat beans out of.. After he died and we returned to West Virginia and we buried him without a tome stone. We moved into my aunt's home with two bedrooms and one restroom. To put it mildly, it was crowded. After two years mom got a life saving job at the prison and it felt so much better to live in a house on maple avenue.

The first kids I met were Steve and Daryl Light, Bill Joe Johnson and Johnny Johnson. I thought I was in paradise and it felt wonderful to have a bedroom. Anyway, mom hired Janet Harvey, which mean Jewell and Judy were there also. Their main duty was to watch my little sister.

One day on a Wednesday, after two weeks in Alderson I woke up and at about ten o'clock that morning I walked down to the river road stuck out my thumb and caught a ride to Pence Springs. Then I caught two more rides and arrived in Talcott. From there I walked up that long high hill. Then I got a ride to the bridge which crosses the Greenbrier way up from Skidmore. Then I got another ride to Bellpoint, walked across the bridge toward Avis, walking about another mile I got a ride right to edge of downtown Hinton. It was wonderful to walk around downtown Hinton. It was a very attractive downtown area, buildings were nice, and there was a great movie theater. Soon I realized it was time to go home.

Right across from the post office I caught a ride to the midpoint of Avis, from there I walked to the bridge which put me in Bellpoint. I walked up to the most advantageous place in Bellpoint and caught a ride past Skidmore. From there I hoofed it all the way to the bridge way up which by crossing the bridge I would be going the right way to Talcott. Then luck was on my side I caught a ride all the way to Alderson

My benefactor asked me where I wanted out and I got out. Then I walked up to our rented home on Maple Street, It was exactly fourth thirty, mom didn't get home until five thirty. Janet and Jewell both asked me where I had been and I told them. Their reaction. Was one of shook and skepticism, they could not believe I did that.

It's fascinating how much our culture has changed, I am certain I would have been in lots of trouble and it's hard to tell what they would have done to mom. Anyway, once was enough I never did that again.