The Comfort Zone

It was the 1950’s and early 1960’s, the decades of ‘well-structured’ daily living.  Women wore dresses, men wore pants, and the breadwinner was Dad.  They were the sons and daughters of those who “saved the world.”  All their Uncles were combat veterans of WWII.  It was in this environment that a family of brothers grew up, an era of patriotism, flag flying, and duty to country.

  

Most boys in Appalachia came from a lower middle-income family.  They didn’t have a lot of things, but were well fed and had clothes on their back.  In an era of no color TV, no video games, or distractions that kept them in front of a computer screen; or constantly looking at a phone.  They developed their own adventures outside.  Using their imagination, and what scraps they found to play with, they built forts and tree houses and developed play that stretched their imagination.

  

Hard oak scrap wood from the railroad, rusty nails, and many long hours of pounding nails into oak built a fort protecting the Oregon Trail.  Climbing a tree we built a tree house where their “space program” lifted off.  Or it could be a submarine leaking water in a battle for survival.  They climbed rocks and hiked trails on West Virginia hills taking their trusty dog Cubby with them.  These are stories of humor, goodness and boyhood adventures.