By David Tepera, August 30, 2023
As most of you know, I was raised in La Marque beginning in 1968 when I was seven years old. Somewhere around 1970, we moved into the neighborhood I grew up in on Noble Road near College of the Mainland. There were lots of boys my age, with many days of kickball, sandlot football, driveway basketball, Evil Knievel bike ramps and anything else sports-related.
Even though this was rural living in the 1970s, it was nothing compared to the country boys I visited almost every month at grandma’s house.
Grandma, on my dad’s side, lived in Cameron, which is close to Central Texas. Growing up, we typically visited her once or twice a month, except during football season. Remember, my dad was a high school football coach.
I didn’t mind visiting grandma because there were four country boys living next to her. Just know, my grandpa passed away when dad was only six years old, and grandma never dated or remarried. That’s why we went so often to help with country farm chores.
Anyway, hanging with the neighbor Czech-Wyvotek country boys was a blast. Our activities consisted of chinaberry fights, garden rotten tomato face smash, Red Rider tin can shooting contests, chasing chickens and skipping rocks along the creek.
You see, country boys didn’t care about sports. Their days consisted of baling hay, milking cows and other farm responsibilities. I didn’t realize it at the time, but what a wonderful experience it was to be out in the country where everyone knew each other.
If we wanted extra entertainment, then we all headed to the only bowling alley in town or played bingo at the Knights of Columbus Hall.
How many of you old fogies are reminiscing on your childhood right now?
Well, grandma passed many years ago, plus the Wvoyteks have grown and moved away, and all that’s left are great memories.
My children and most others will never have that experience of life without all the spoiled technologies of today.
I challenge you to give up your phones for at least a weekend. I promise, your stress will reduce tremendously.
Maybe it’s time to take a drive to see the countryside. Get away from the cement mountains that are being built to block our view. Take a walk through a patch of land, go fishing in a pond or just have a picnic under the shade of an oak tree.
I really miss the wonderful memories of visiting grandma and hanging with the country boys.