Turning Points
Life is a journey. It has a beginning and it has an end. All along its path are events, places
and people who are turning points. Here, I relate some of these turning points in my own
journey. Hopefully, the stories will illuminate and maybe entertain some of those who care
enough to read.
Life is a journey. It has a beginning and it has an end. All along its path are events, places
and people who are turning points. Here, I relate some of these turning points in my own
journey. Hopefully, the stories will illuminate and maybe entertain some of those who care
enough to read.
| Moving August 11, 2006 |
As we grew older, my parents decided it would be
best for the family to leave New Haven and move to
Louisville. Daddy had been commuting daily to his
job there with the U.S. Customs Service and didn’t
have much time with the family except on
weekends. They felt that education opportunities
would be better there too.
But leaving New Haven meant a real cost to our
parents in terms of social life. Daddy had spent his
entire life there and knew everybody in town. Mama
had been there long enough to have made
numerous friends also. She was involved in her
best for the family to leave New Haven and move to
Louisville. Daddy had been commuting daily to his
job there with the U.S. Customs Service and didn’t
have much time with the family except on
weekends. They felt that education opportunities
would be better there too.
But leaving New Haven meant a real cost to our
parents in terms of social life. Daddy had spent his
entire life there and knew everybody in town. Mama
had been there long enough to have made
numerous friends also. She was involved in her
bridge club and had other connections. Moving away from New Haven meant giving this up for
them and I think it was a price heavier than they expected it to be. As for me, I experienced some
of the same effect initially.
I was 17 and it was a bit of a shock for me as it was my senior year. I was playing on the varsity
basketball team and was looking to be graduated from St. Catherine’s High School in only a few
months. So leaving this and fitting into a new school in the middle of the year was pretty awkward.
Flaget High School was a Catholic all boys high school taught by Brothers with a few lay teachers.
I didn’t know anyone and no one was particularly friendly. Recess and lunch were mainly standing
around in the cold outside on the sidewalk in small groups smoking until time to return to
classes. I didn’t smoke, didn't wear the leather jackets the others had or mix much with them; I felt
pretty left out.
There were no girls in the school and when prom time came around, I don’t know who those guys
took as dates. I didn’t go myself; girls weren’t a part of my life then anyway. I'm sure my brothers
and sisters faced adjustment issues with the move too but all in all, everyone seemed to survive
the change to big city life.
The new house was larger with both an upstairs and a basement. The upstairs provided more
sleeping spaces and the basement between floodings, provided more storage. A central furnace
meant the end of coal stoves. So it was a step up for us all and my parents' decision clearly was
the right one.
We soon learned how to entertain ourselves. A typical approach was found by Butch and me.
Our telephone service was on a two party line. Frequently, when you picked up the phone to make
a call the other party was already using the line and you had to wait until they were finished. It just
happened that the other party on our line was a black family. Butch and I got the bright idea of
hooking up the tape recorder and rigged the line with a small neon lamp. When the neon lamp
flashed, we knew the other party would be on the line. So we would start the recorder and capture
the conversation of the other party unbeknownst to them.
Some of the conversations were totally hilarious. One night, a black man was arguing with his
friend who had taken him out the previous night on a drunk. They carried on and on until we split
our sides laughing. It was like the Jeffersons. The dialogue was so hilarious that we played the
tape over and over until we both had memorized it. Butch and I would mimic the two men's
conversation to each other and anyone else who would listen.
I would give a lot to find that old tape.
them and I think it was a price heavier than they expected it to be. As for me, I experienced some
of the same effect initially.
I was 17 and it was a bit of a shock for me as it was my senior year. I was playing on the varsity
basketball team and was looking to be graduated from St. Catherine’s High School in only a few
months. So leaving this and fitting into a new school in the middle of the year was pretty awkward.
Flaget High School was a Catholic all boys high school taught by Brothers with a few lay teachers.
I didn’t know anyone and no one was particularly friendly. Recess and lunch were mainly standing
around in the cold outside on the sidewalk in small groups smoking until time to return to
classes. I didn’t smoke, didn't wear the leather jackets the others had or mix much with them; I felt
pretty left out.
There were no girls in the school and when prom time came around, I don’t know who those guys
took as dates. I didn’t go myself; girls weren’t a part of my life then anyway. I'm sure my brothers
and sisters faced adjustment issues with the move too but all in all, everyone seemed to survive
the change to big city life.
The new house was larger with both an upstairs and a basement. The upstairs provided more
sleeping spaces and the basement between floodings, provided more storage. A central furnace
meant the end of coal stoves. So it was a step up for us all and my parents' decision clearly was
the right one.
We soon learned how to entertain ourselves. A typical approach was found by Butch and me.
Our telephone service was on a two party line. Frequently, when you picked up the phone to make
a call the other party was already using the line and you had to wait until they were finished. It just
happened that the other party on our line was a black family. Butch and I got the bright idea of
hooking up the tape recorder and rigged the line with a small neon lamp. When the neon lamp
flashed, we knew the other party would be on the line. So we would start the recorder and capture
the conversation of the other party unbeknownst to them.
Some of the conversations were totally hilarious. One night, a black man was arguing with his
friend who had taken him out the previous night on a drunk. They carried on and on until we split
our sides laughing. It was like the Jeffersons. The dialogue was so hilarious that we played the
tape over and over until we both had memorized it. Butch and I would mimic the two men's
conversation to each other and anyone else who would listen.
I would give a lot to find that old tape.
| Copyright © 2005 leoshoemaker.com |
___________________________________________________
| And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28 KJV) |
leoshoemaker.com
 | |  | |  | |  | |  |
Albums, commentary, inspiration and information
| How I found a new life by Leo Shoemaker |
