I was talking with my Mom as I often do on a Sunday morning. I try to call her each Sunday just to check in and stay in touch. We talk about the weather,family,old times and what's going on in general. Neither of us live in East Hampton anymore but I read the East Hampton Star newspaper online. I'll pass any information along I get from there on to her. Mom doesn't do the internet or computers in general. I also belong to a group on Facebook dedicated to the goings on in East Hampton by us that are exiled from our childhood homes. We still have a few patriots embedded among the local population. It was through this group that I learned of the passing of an old friend. Naturally I shared this sad news with Mom.
That''s when Mom started talking about the life of this man. She had known him well. She attended school with him. Living in a small town and hearing all the gossip she knew quite a bit about him. I only knew him as the owner of the sporting goods store. A very friendly man that didn't mind us kids hanging around his store admiring all the goods. He had baseball gloves and bats. He had fishing equipment and bows and arrows. A display case with gleaming knives. All the things young boys love to drool over. At least we did back in the day. Of course,he was much more than that. And Mom started making all the connections. The store he owned was purchased from two men. One of those men had a daughter named Doris. She grew up to be a Doctor. A Pediatrician. Took care of my siblings and I. The other man lived on the corner of the same street as my Great Grandfather. I have a photo of this man standing in a rowboat after the hurricane of 1938. The streets had all flooded and this rowboat is in the front of his home. And he didn't have waterfront property.
As Mom talked on it occurred to me how we are all connected in a small town. Each affected by the others actions or lack of action. Personal and business relationships. Fact and gossip intermingle. Years pass and we tend to forget. Or do we ? Each one of us carry this information within us. We use it to form our own opinions and influence our prejudices. I could hear that in Mom's conversation. Nothing mean or hateful being said but opinions being expressed. The view from her standpoint.
I am not what you would call socially connected. I pretty much stay to myself and my family. Probably has something to do with the New England mentality. I know very little of my neighbors. I know very little of their past. They know nothing about me. I am forming connections here but it takes many years to form those deep connections that Mom shares with me. Once the grandchildren are grown and start their lives I'll know my roots are taking hold. Connections will be formed.
That''s when Mom started talking about the life of this man. She had known him well. She attended school with him. Living in a small town and hearing all the gossip she knew quite a bit about him. I only knew him as the owner of the sporting goods store. A very friendly man that didn't mind us kids hanging around his store admiring all the goods. He had baseball gloves and bats. He had fishing equipment and bows and arrows. A display case with gleaming knives. All the things young boys love to drool over. At least we did back in the day. Of course,he was much more than that. And Mom started making all the connections. The store he owned was purchased from two men. One of those men had a daughter named Doris. She grew up to be a Doctor. A Pediatrician. Took care of my siblings and I. The other man lived on the corner of the same street as my Great Grandfather. I have a photo of this man standing in a rowboat after the hurricane of 1938. The streets had all flooded and this rowboat is in the front of his home. And he didn't have waterfront property.
As Mom talked on it occurred to me how we are all connected in a small town. Each affected by the others actions or lack of action. Personal and business relationships. Fact and gossip intermingle. Years pass and we tend to forget. Or do we ? Each one of us carry this information within us. We use it to form our own opinions and influence our prejudices. I could hear that in Mom's conversation. Nothing mean or hateful being said but opinions being expressed. The view from her standpoint.
I am not what you would call socially connected. I pretty much stay to myself and my family. Probably has something to do with the New England mentality. I know very little of my neighbors. I know very little of their past. They know nothing about me. I am forming connections here but it takes many years to form those deep connections that Mom shares with me. Once the grandchildren are grown and start their lives I'll know my roots are taking hold. Connections will be formed.
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