Anyone else remember Red Ryder? And what was the name of his Indian sidekick--?

Getting cardboard dividers in your shredded wheat that told you how to build a tee-pee, or gave you bits of "Western history," child-style version of course.

Davy Crockett--I treasured that coonskin cap and never quite forgave my brother Joe for "accidentally" ripping the tail off it.

Reading "Thunderhead" and "My Friend Flicka" 10 times each--my name's STILL on the library card in the back of those books in my tiny hometown library. Along with all the Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew, and Zane Grey they had.

Helping my mom wash windshields and pump gas in our family's Gulf service station for the big Jack Cooper transport trucks. I fell in love at 7 yrs. old with "Irish," one of their drivers, who had the most beautiful prematurely white hair, combed in a gorgeous duck's ass. He'd be about 80 now...

Helping my brothers tear car engines apart at Hank's Garage, across the street, and spending hours washing car parts in gasoline.

Losing a hard-earned nickel betting on the World Series when I was 8. Don't recall who was playing that year, but we kids were serious about "our" teams. Only time I ever bet on a sporting event, and the reason I'm no gambler now!

May have been just childhood fantasy, but life sure seemed simpler then.

Lin