In January of 1978, my friends and I started getting out on weekends to spend time together. We would occasionally go to the movies, go bowling or visit an arcade. Most of the time, we would ride the streets of our little town in search of girls to talk with. During this time, an 8-track …
Author Archives: elvisgumby
Valentine’s Day Father Daughter Dance
When my girls were young, it became a tradition for us to attend a Father Daughter dance around Valentine’s Day. My oldest daughter was three years old when we went to our first dance. She was so excited about the dance that she did not get her normal afternoon nap that day. There were struggles …
Boston Concert
August 15, 1978 marked the eve of the first anniversary of the death of Elvis Presley. This would be the first time I would visit Memphis on August 15 that I remember but this first trip was not to attend an Elvis Candlelight Vigil. I’m sure the Elvis fans gathered there that year just as …
McDonald’s Cheeseburger
My father was traveling through Memphis when I was a kid. As he was leaving Memphis he stopped at a McDonalds on Summer Avenue near the edge of town. He went into the store, went up to the counter and placed his order. He wanted a cheeseburger. A cheeseburger costs 65 cents. He told them …
Done With Diapers
It was a cold Sunday morning in February. I was still in bed but my wife had already gotten up and was in the shower getting ready for church. I was drifting in and out of a state of sleep when I felt a tap on my shoulder. It was my son. I rolled over …
Breadsticks and Giant Men in Diapers
Last Saturday evening, my wife cooked a chicken and pasta meal. It had lots of vegetables and the sauce was very light. This meal was very similar to others that she has done in the past. There are some variations on the types and amounts of vegetables and noodles. There is also variation in the …
Star Wars…Nothing But Star Wars
When I returned to high school in the fall of 1977, one of the kids in my class was wearing a shirt with a phrase on it that said “May The Force Be With You”. I found out quickly that this was related to the film Star Wars which had come out earlier that year. Obviously, I …
Christmas Communion
Among our family Christmas traditions is Christmas Eve communion. This tradition didn’t start until I was in college. At that time, the pastor at the church I grew up in started serving come and go communion and this tradition continues today. Even before this tradition started, we would go to my grandparents’ house on Christmas Eve. …
Wheeler Family Christmas Tree
I have fond memories of decorating the Christmas tree when I was growing up. We always used an artificial tree. This was not the realistic artificial trees that you see today. The branches of this tree had a green hue that was identical to the color of the green army men that I played with …
My Grandparents’ Christmas Tree
My grandparents are the only people that I can remember having an aluminum Christmas tree. These trees became popular in the early 1960’s. I don’t know when my grandparents got theirs but I don’t remember a Christmas before they got it and since I was born in 1962, there is a good chance that they …