When I first moved to Greensboro, I rented the bottom half of a house on Main street. I was still in the Navy then. I had just received orders to the USS Nitro AE-23 out of Earle, New Jersey. Now, no offense intended to anyone from New Jersey but I didn't want my boys raised there and I would be going to sea anyway. My wife had heard of the eastern shore of Maryland having been born and raised in Riviera Beach, Maryland, not far from Baltimore. We drove out and checked the place out. Greensboro seemed like the perfect place, The rent was reasonable, it did have one stoplight ( that's enough ) it is close to Dover Delaware, the home of tax free shopping and the school system is great. I was convinced this would be ideal, and it pretty much has been.
I don't remember the exact year when I moved here, the years have gone by so fast. Both my boys graduated high school here. I have seen neighbors come and go, and sadly, have buried a few old friends here as well. A place really begins to be home when you knew personally the residents of the graveyard. Yes, that is permanence. I have many memories of sitting on the front porch and watching the parade go by, only one a year goes down main street, the others go down Sunset Ave. My own home as a child was on a dirt road outside of town. I always felt a little special sitting on Main Street, on my porch. I felt a little " uptown " you might call it. I even began to write a song about that once, " living on main street, not on the back streets," it felt that special to me.
That old house that I rented the downstairs to had been a bakery at one time. Attached to the rear was the old building, mostly empty, but a small portion of a chimney was still there. There was also a well in the corner, covered with boards and unused. The neighbor told me of a time they used that well and the water was clear and perfect. I never tried it but did drop a stone in it. It was quite deep. There was an old price list glued to a post out there, bread was ten cents if I remember correctly. The room I used as a dining room had been the store at one time. That was all torn down by the landlord a few years after I moved in. I saw several families move in and out of the upstairs. I would say I lived on Main Street for about ten years before moving here to Sunset Avenue. We get all the parades now, except one of course, and my porch is upstairs. I get a great view from up here. Greensboro got a second stop light a few years back and a Family Dollar store. Yup, it's growing.
Now one of my sons met a girl online and got married to her. He moved to upstate New York and lives there with his wife and daughter. My other son met a girl right here in Greensboro and ironically her family is from New Jersey ! So, if I had gone to New Jersey he wouldn't have met her at all, but maybe one of her sisters ! Life is full of little twists like that. Anyway, he got married and now is the district manager for Save-A-Lot stores. He has been a commissioner here in Greensboro for a number of years, and this year is throwing his hat in the ring for mayor. I wish him luck. It'll feel pretty good to say, " my son is the mayor. " The entire police force will have to respect me, all three of them !
I think I made the right decision all those years ago in moving to Greensboro. I expect it is where I'll be " berthed " that is sailor talk for buried. It is true I'll always be " from away " as the folks where I grew up would say and that is alright. The truth is always right. I do like it here as it is still rural enough to satisfy me. I can burn leaves in the yard if I'm a mind to, nobody is going to arrest me. I can still take a walk on a cool summer evening without worry or fear. It's pretty quiet in Greensboro after ten o'clock or so. Town is still two streets really, at least downtown is. From my upstairs porch I can look at the hub of town, " four corners " it was called by the old timers and see all the action. I can watch, from a safe distance, as Greensboro grows. I can take some small satisfaction in knowing that I contributed to that growth. Soon I'll provide Greensboro with a Mayor ! You're welcome.
I don't remember the exact year when I moved here, the years have gone by so fast. Both my boys graduated high school here. I have seen neighbors come and go, and sadly, have buried a few old friends here as well. A place really begins to be home when you knew personally the residents of the graveyard. Yes, that is permanence. I have many memories of sitting on the front porch and watching the parade go by, only one a year goes down main street, the others go down Sunset Ave. My own home as a child was on a dirt road outside of town. I always felt a little special sitting on Main Street, on my porch. I felt a little " uptown " you might call it. I even began to write a song about that once, " living on main street, not on the back streets," it felt that special to me.
That old house that I rented the downstairs to had been a bakery at one time. Attached to the rear was the old building, mostly empty, but a small portion of a chimney was still there. There was also a well in the corner, covered with boards and unused. The neighbor told me of a time they used that well and the water was clear and perfect. I never tried it but did drop a stone in it. It was quite deep. There was an old price list glued to a post out there, bread was ten cents if I remember correctly. The room I used as a dining room had been the store at one time. That was all torn down by the landlord a few years after I moved in. I saw several families move in and out of the upstairs. I would say I lived on Main Street for about ten years before moving here to Sunset Avenue. We get all the parades now, except one of course, and my porch is upstairs. I get a great view from up here. Greensboro got a second stop light a few years back and a Family Dollar store. Yup, it's growing.
Now one of my sons met a girl online and got married to her. He moved to upstate New York and lives there with his wife and daughter. My other son met a girl right here in Greensboro and ironically her family is from New Jersey ! So, if I had gone to New Jersey he wouldn't have met her at all, but maybe one of her sisters ! Life is full of little twists like that. Anyway, he got married and now is the district manager for Save-A-Lot stores. He has been a commissioner here in Greensboro for a number of years, and this year is throwing his hat in the ring for mayor. I wish him luck. It'll feel pretty good to say, " my son is the mayor. " The entire police force will have to respect me, all three of them !
I think I made the right decision all those years ago in moving to Greensboro. I expect it is where I'll be " berthed " that is sailor talk for buried. It is true I'll always be " from away " as the folks where I grew up would say and that is alright. The truth is always right. I do like it here as it is still rural enough to satisfy me. I can burn leaves in the yard if I'm a mind to, nobody is going to arrest me. I can still take a walk on a cool summer evening without worry or fear. It's pretty quiet in Greensboro after ten o'clock or so. Town is still two streets really, at least downtown is. From my upstairs porch I can look at the hub of town, " four corners " it was called by the old timers and see all the action. I can watch, from a safe distance, as Greensboro grows. I can take some small satisfaction in knowing that I contributed to that growth. Soon I'll provide Greensboro with a Mayor ! You're welcome.
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