Heads or Tails - The Tuesday Meme

This is my first time contributing here, but it sounds like fun.
This week's topic is a summer memory.


On the block where I grew up, there was a woman who entered every contest that came around. She won most that she entered. If not the grand prize then some other prize. One summer in my child's mind she won the best prize ever.

She won a Block Party. What that meant was people from miles around would descend on our block. Food, and games with prizes would be provided. There would be balloons and a clown. And a local celebrity was going to be there too.

In the 60's in my area we had a television program at noon that was called, "Lunch with Casey Jones." He was a railroad conductor. He had a great friend in Rodney Roundhouse. Everyday at noon all of us kids were glued to the sets watching whatever he had in store for us that day. He was to be our guest of honor at the block party, and Roundhouse Rodney.

My yard was really big, it was two lots in size. The set up for the party was going to be in my yard. I was thrilled, my mom was underwhelmed.

The day of the party dawned with overcast skies. Weather that in the summer my mom called pea soup weather. I was so worried that our day would be ruined, that Casey and Roundhouse would not venture out in the rainy mist.

The sponsors of the contest arrived at the scheduled time. They set up the different games. They got all the food going and the pop. People started coming. They walked, drove, road bikes. There were so many people.

Everyone ate and played games, just as if nothing were missing.

I was getting very worried that they weren't coming when up drives this truck painted like a train engine. They climbed out, a cheer went up in the crowd, and the party really began.

I remember being so thrilled to see my lunchtime pals in person. They were funny. And although I didn't know charming back then, in my memory they were charming. They were charismatic, another word I didn't know.

I think besides seeing them in person, the thrill was actually having them and the party in MY YARD.

In the summertime, whenever the sky turns gray, the clouds are hanging low, and there is a fine mist in the air, I remember the block party with a special fondness.

I don't know what happened to Roundhouse Rodney, but Casey Jones retired "up north" in my state. He had a radio program. Whenever I got the chance I would listen to him. Listening to him always brought back fond memories of a pea soup kind of summer afternoon.