Life & Times, by Rusty Mitchum, Lindale News & Times

First, let me start off by sayin’ that yes, that was my picture above my column last week. Of course, that was taken before my nose was broken, my hair fell out, numerous scars, liver spots, and facial hair. Not that the picture you see up there now looks much like me either. I’ ~e been told that I need an updated picture taken. Well, maybe one of these days.

Next, I’d like to tell Gayle Farwell, who wrote the letter to the editor last week, that yes, I will miss Kris Burton's music. You see, I’ve known, and been in love with Kris Burton for over thirty years. Back when I was a teenager, I had an unbelievable crush on her. But ales, she was spoken for and I was just a skinny kid. Anywho, she’s a treasure, and a good lookin’ one at that.

As I am writing this today, I am celebrating my forty-seventh birthday. At Church this morning I was given a birthday card from Kayla Dudley. Kayla is the daughter of David and Fern Dudley of Lindale and is in the third grade at Velma Penny Elementary. She’s my sweetie. Anywho, this card she gave me was a real hoot. On the front was a picture of an old dog, and the caption read, "Happy Birthday! Gosh, let’s see, in dog years you’d be," Then you open the card and it said, ‘Dead." Thanks Kayla. That’s my kind of card.

Well, to tell you the truth, I ain’t dead, but I’ve got all the symptoms. Man, am I feelin’ old. I know there’s a few of you out there who are older than I am, and a bunch who are younger. The older ones know where I’m comm’ from so I’ll speak today to the younger crowd. I would like to tell you what I remember. No, I’m not goin’ to tell you that I walked to school through the snow. I’ll let your own dad tell you that. I’m gonna tell you stuff that was important to me.

I remember when candy bars were a nickel, and cokes a dime.

I remember when every boy would get a new toy gun for Christmas. And look, we didn’t grow up to be mass murderers. Go figure.

I remember when every boy’s Christmas stockin’ had a tube of BB’s in it.

I remember getting’ out of school for Christmas, instead of winter break.

I remember getting’ out of school for Easter, instead of spring break.

I remember havin’ to recite Bible verses at school. That was after we had prayer.

I remember when Halloween was not considered bad. We participated and we didn’t grow up to be heathens. (My mom might argue that point.)

I remember when if you didn’t do what your parent or teacher said, you got a whippin’.

I remember puttin’ on extra underwear when you were pretty sure you were fixin’ to get a whippin’.

I remember tryin’ to keep score of how many girls I kissed. (Believe me, I didn’t have to try that hard.)

I remember smokin’ grapevine and rabbit tobacco.

I remember chewin’ my first plug of tobacco.

I remember pukin’ up my toenails after chewin’ my first plug of tobacco.

I remember bein’ in love with every cheerleader I ever saw, even though they wouldn’t give me the time of day.

I remember teachers tellin' me that I was nothin' like my sister and asked if I was adopted.

I remember when we drew names for exchangin' gifts at Christmas in the first grade, my teacher Mrs. Gregory drew Kathey Bell’s name for me because she knew I liked her.

I remember when you liked a girl, you traded disks. Disks were a little flat metal disks that had your name engraved on it, and you wore them on a chain around your neck.

I remember bein’ asked by teachers if they could borrow my pocketknife.

I can remember what my school smelled like while walkin’ down the halls.

I can remember swimmin’ in any creek or pond or lake we came across.

I can remember drinkin’ out of some of those creeks:

I remember racin’ across sticker burrs fields barefooted, just because.

I can remember doin’ a lot of stuff, Just because.

I can remember the phrase "just because" was not a usable excuse, and if used as one, would probably be followed by a whippin’.

I can remember, and still do, wonderin why girls never got whippin’ S.

I can remember bein’ taught that if you ever hit a girl, you’d go

straight down to you know where.

I can remember the difference between doin’ the right thing and doin’ the wrong thing, but doin’ the wrong thing anyway. I sometimes still have trouble with that one.

I remember when a boy’s best friend was his mother, and his best buddy was his dad.

I remember what my first kiss was like. It probably wasn’t the best one, but it se~ems like it was.

I remember every girl I fell in love with, which, I must say, was practically every one I ever met.

last week, and I’m shocked when I look in the mirror now and realize that I still don’t look like that.

I remember when I didn’t used to write this junk. I bet a lot of you wish you could remember that.

Ahhhhhhh,....I remember.