GARDEN ROAD

The sun porch was one of the nicest things about the small cottage we lived in, especially during hot summer nights. I can remember Mother sitting in her red metal lawn chair and Dad in the red and white Adirondack chair on the sun porch with the windows opened wide to try and catch the faintest breeze. In the corner was a small stand and on it a lamp and a radio. Byrum Saam would be calling the Philadelphia Athletics game and, since my sisters and I slept in the bedroom right off the sun porch, we could hear the game also. We were supposed to be asleep, of course, but sometimes it was hard to fall asleep on those still, hot nights. One of our windows faced east and was between the crib of baby sister Gayle and Margie's and my twin bed. A window with no screen, right at the end of the bed, looked out into the porch. Sometimes I'd be sitting up leaning on the window sill looking over my father's shoulder. Since it was hot and my sisters were sleeping, I would be allowed to stay up awhile. My favorite player, the A's short stop and the man I was going to marry, was Eddie Joost. I was nine years old and I thought he was the greatest. Other times the games were slow and boring and the last thing I would hear was, "...strike two...three balls and two strikes...a full count for this young outfielder..." To this day, the sound of a basefall game, the announcer, the crowd cheering and roaring and all that is associated with that long ago and far away place can bring me right back to a soothing and peaceful place.
To Be Continued...