It was nearing the end of the day for my students and the summer-school class I was teaching for Del Norte County Parks and Recreation. The last half hour of school, I usually allowed my students to do whatever they would like, barring destruction or death. This afternoon they elected to have an informal dance.…

Vestal Skaggs lived across Highway 101 from us when I was a kid. He used to come over and help fix our cars and trucks. One time I hired him to fix my 1968 Dodge Charger and I paid him with a keg of beer. I don’t think you can find guys like that anywhere…

North of Redwood Drive is the Trees of Mystery. Mom worked there for a number of years, in both the gift shop and in the ticket booth at the entrance of the trail. At the time my best friend was Diana Webster. Her mom was married to Bill Thompson, the son of Trees owner, Mary…

Rememberin’ the olden days of my Grand Pappy’s youth, Before the Super Highway and its Silicon Toll Booths, When information was shared by word of mouth, From neighbor to neighbor and house to house. This seems worse than my hoss throwin’ a shoe. With that, I’d know just what to do. But this here ranchless…

It didn’t happen very often that I can recall, but Dad came home having had one too many. Worse yet he drove home like this. He had called Mom to let her know he was at the Three-7’s NCO Club at Requa Air Station, drinking with the guys. This caused Mom to get her mad-on…

The week before, I had been out of school, sick, so I didn’t know that playing marbles was no longer allowed since it was considered a form of gambling. However, I still had a large bag of marbles in my desk when I returned to school the following week. Designed into the bottom of our…

Jeff Morgan’s home was located jus’ east of my home. Inside, he had a World War II German helmet and my friend, Robin Kohse wanted that helmet. I agreed to get it for him because our life-long friendship was falling apart and I was willing to do most anything to save it. Watching a friendship…

Adam and I were in the pasture picking black berries when we discovered a square-shaped hole dug into the ground. It was about 3 feet by 3 feet at the opening and around five feet deep. It was located near the left field fence of the old baseball diamond, partially covered by brambles and other…

Mom had jus’ purchased six lugs of apples from the traveling fruits and vegetables salesman. They were neatly stacked up in what had been our garage, but renovated into a family rumpus room. Both Mom and Dad were gone to Eureka as it was a few weeks before Christmas. They left Adam and me alone…

The sun had dropped behind the Sages Riddles by the time I came to the last deliveries in my paper route. They were down a steep, gravel road, 100 yards south of Redwood Drive. Once finished and knowing I had to climb back uphill, I shifted to the lowest gear on my 10-speed. Then I…