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Readers Share Own
“Warm” Memories
Two weeks back in this space, I turned back the calendar five decades and shared a story about a kindergarten boy who embarrassingly did not making it to the classroom’s bathroom in time.
That column, headlined “Cowboy boots filled with a warm memory,” resulted in a flood – pun intended – of emails from readers.
In hopes of offering a brief distraction from COVID-19, and perhaps a few laughs in the process, here are a few of the responses.
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“You gave me the best laugh of the week with ‘– Squish! Squish! Squish! –’ ” wrote Patrick Martin, who then returned the favor with this observation: “Ironically, now that we are at the other end of the age spectrum, such an event might be in store for us again. I wonder if Depends makes absorbent socks?”
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“You nailed it!” wrote Fred Romero, hitting the nail on the head himself with this: “I’m sure a lot of us adults can relate in one fashion or another.”
Mike Pedersen, for one, related with a memory from when he was 8 or 9:
“My story would be my grandmother finding soiled underpants in a drawer of their 2 bed, 1 bath on 24th Street in Del Mar – right across Highway 1 from the beach.”
The important fact was the one bathroom, as Mike explained the cause of his accident: “Grandpa was taking forever in the bathroom.”
His grandmother’s reply: “He gets a little constipated sometimes.”
“May have been the first time I’d heard that word,” Mike recalls.
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Rick Throckmorton related with this: “7th grade for me! Old Ocean View School on Olds Road. 2 classrooms, 1 bathroom. 60-70 kids and 2 teachers!
“I think it was built in the ‘teens. Guess educators back then figured it was sufficient, since we were surrounded by citrus orchards. Which, by the way, were used – at least by us boys – frequently during recess.
“Won’t tell you what happened, it’s still embarrassing,” Rick continued, but hinted with this: “Had to do with the bottom of the ninth, I think, and I was on-deck. Or was it bottom of the 3rd at recess?
“Mom and Dad worked the fields, no phones, certainly no cell phones, and therefore no dry clothes! But a (now old) buddy loaned me his sweatshirt, which I wrapped around my waist and hid most of the incriminating evidence.”
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This heartwarming “happy little memory of mine” came from Sharon Bisaccia:
“Thanks for today’s sweet story about a little boy and his cowboy boots.
I laughed until I had tears in my eyes. I loved it! It reminded me of another little five-year-old, my youngest grandson.
“One day, I received a call from the kindergarten teacher at Ojai Elementary School when I was at work at Ojai Village Pharmacy. She explained that Cody hadn’t made it to the bathroom in time. She was unable to locate his mother and could I possibly come and take care of him.
“ ‘Well, of course,’ was my reply.
“I arrived at the school to pick up my precious forlorn-looking little grandson.
We sped home where he trustingly allowed me to remove his damp clothing and to sponge him off and to find him dry clothing.
“With a hug and a smile, I returned him to school and all was well.
“I have never forgotten the look of relief on his face and the complete trust that little boy placed in me. This all happened many years ago. That little boy is now almost 30 and he and I have been great pals for many years!”
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Woody Woodburn writes a weekly column for The Ventura County Star and can be contacted at WoodyWriter@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram at @woodywoodburn. His books are available at www.WoodyWoodburn.com.
Check out my memoir WOODEN & ME: Life Lessons from My Two-Decade Friendship with the Legendary Coach and Humanitarian to Help “Make Each Day Your Masterpiece” and my essay collection “Strawberries in Wintertime: Essays on Life, Love, and Laughter” …
- Personalized signed copies are available at WoodyWoodburn.com