Wilfred, Horton & M.E.

By Mel Elzea

These are true stories about three young boys in a small Missouri town neighborhood who had family first names bestowed on them at birth, Wilfred, Melvin and Horton, when just about every boy of that day was given names like John, Bill and Tom. These three boys evolved in a time before bullying was popular because of great family discipline by God-fearing and responsible parents. Two of the three were brothers. Horton was the older brother, almost four years senior to Melvin. These stories are passed on to you by the youngest brother, as eloquently having been told and kept alive by his older brother Horton during his lifetime. It was by request of my two sons that we tell those stories at the memorial for Horton but it was then when I decided that they need to be shared with the world. To overcome the unusual name of my grandfather and out of respect Melvin, who is now known as Mel, I will give my credentials at the end of this story as I was just one of this trio of guys, and because of that, I have always given way to seniors. People always ask me why I always have a smile and seem to be happy. Wilfred and Horton gave me that smile, and I have never been able to wipe it off my face. Maybe these stories can help you smile. These stories are hilarious sometimes, and at the same time you get the feeling of some real family love. Psychologists might use these stories as examples for their patients because they are extremely mind-boggling examples of reality.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Dec 14, 2018
• ISBN: 9781984569912

Book preview

Copyright © 2019 by Mel Elzea.

Library of Congress Control Number:    2018914432

ISBN:                    Hardcover                   978-1-9845-6993-6

                             Softcover                    978-1-9845-6992-9

                             eBook                          978-1-9845-6991-2

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Rev. date: 01/07/2019

Xlibris

1-888-795-4274

www.Xlibris.com

789087

Contents

Horton Owen Elzea

Melvin Lee Elzea

Chapter1 A First True Story

Wilfred, Horton and m.e. Comes from There and Goes to Where?

Clay Hills Bike Episode!

Wilfred’s Plan B

Secrets of Discovery

Summer 1943

           Vandalia, Missouri

       Wilfred Jackson

Horton Elzea

               Melvin Elzea

First Meeting

                   Jefferson

                           Between

Home

   &

                                   Walsh

                           Streets

The three boys were born in the 30’s and lived to see the end of World War II, rationing stamps and a very late depression. While still young and fresh with responsible parental guidance to help those having values to only observe, not getting sucked into the big changes being offered by America’s New Life Style! Achievements were nurtured, not handed to by those who willingly sacrificed so much of their lives for the right to coddle their children. It creates a bad side for those that were not taught who did the sacrificing. While enjoying all the benefits of potting, sex and open flower pastures that nurtured that part of society it dictated what the majority of the drugged up and boozed out parents gave to the next two generation’s. The tips I heard from their children were about broken homes. Being told about their inheriting a total lack of parenting skills. Next up, careers first then the test tube babies generation! The true story line you will read here is of great importance. If the next generation can see it makes a difference they would change and become a father and mother, teaching and being a positive examples of love, caring and rewarding through achievement. All three boys were a success in life because of good parents and the lessons they were self-taught that summer of 1943. Have you made any new friends that you can say told you something you didn’t know?

A friend that you can go to anytime and pull off a shelf? One that sets you on fire with stories of exploration, challenge and causes you to laugh out loud at life’s rewards and payoffs of its realities because you read a certainty called, the truth!

Make sure you have time with your shelf discovery to become a friend of these three guys with grandfather first names, walking, talking and riding through a summer with friends. Plan on becoming their confidant as if you had lived down Walsh and Jefferson streets where they lived and made famous. These once privately told true stories now are all coming to life for people that like them, can use this discovery as knowledge.

You can use these stories as examples and guides to help you become a man and a woman. Even as aids to assist or better help you being a great Mother or Father. Our parents allowed us to have more freedoms than most kids our age. We were only allowed it as a reward by having shown a responsibility of maturing. If not, there was a certainty of unequaled discipline back then. All learned it, when one was taught a lesson by butt knowledge!

A vivid sixty-five year

‘true old m.e.mory’

Doc1.jpg

These are true stories about three young boys in a small Missouri town neighborhood who had family first names bestowed on them at birth. Wilfred, Melvin and Horton. When just about every boy of that day was given names like John, Bill and Tom. These three boys evolved in a time before bullying was popular because of great family discipline by God fearing and responsible parents. Two of the three were brothers, Horton was the older brother by almost four years senior to Melvin.

These stories are passed on to you by the youngest brother and as eloquently having been told and kept alive by his older brother Horton during his lifetime.

It was by request of my two sons that we tell those stories at the memorial for Horton but then is when I decided that they need to be shared with the world. To overcome the unusual name of my grandfather and out of respect Melvin, is now known as Mel.

I will give my credentials at the end of this story as I was just one of this trio of guys and because of that I have always given way to seniors. People always ask me why I always have a smile and seem to be happy. Wilfred and Horton gave me that smile and I have never been able to wipe it off my face. Maybe these stories can help you smile.

These stories are hilarious sometimes and at the same time you get the feeling of some real family love. Psychologists might use these stories as examples for their patients because they are extremely mind-boggling examples of reality.

These stories will help create dialog not only with parents, teachers and piers but will allow barriers to be addressed by communicating feelings. There are only a few that have knowledge of those fun stories and they are still remembering and laughing fifty years later. Those that don’t are admitting they had a lousy childhood with no real friends to explore a real life’s experimental development.

Dreaming, reality, exploring and sometimes creating while developing and pioneering starts at an early age to some and none of the preceding to others. It can’t be taught, you either have it or you don’t. You lead or follow those that do. Wilfred Jackson could follow, up until a point. Horton led so I decided to observe until adept at all of the above, plus relate to all. It helped me to dream, figure out how to arrive with new ideas by creative design with the necessary experiment and testing. Oh, my goodness! I was seven when I figured that out? Location, location, location. We all have heard that phrase, but it plays an important role in the Wilfred Jackson stories. As we take a tour around town remember the locations that will be pointed out.

You will be able to see what and how surroundings make the stories being shared with you even better. I stop brief moments to wipe my eyes as I know the story from vivid memory as an eye witness to these details I am sharing.

These true stories are not made up but were acted out first then recalled and told accurately and truthfully.

I will share names of people but there will be three you will never forget.

Most of the places play a role but what happened in their vicinity does. There is one point in our first story I elected to tell that leaves you standing in a specific spot with my brother where I had the illusion the whole world was looking on. Before our stories start we go to my birth place just one story up in an apartment of a two-story house owned by the Miller family on West Walsh Boulevard in Vandalia, Missouri. This was a famous place because it was about twenty air miles from Florida, that’s Florida, Missouri, you know, where the other story teller Mark Twain was born as a Samuel Clemens. The Millers were next door to where we would eventually live and where we would meet the main character Wilfred or there would absolutely be no stories to tell. The Miller house was a small-town block from the main street to downtown.

The three boys used the street that crossed the corner lot of the Millers that led past the Ely Walker garment factory and to the first of two city parks. This park had a diagonal walk that allowed you to shortcut through