We All Were Little Once: One Man’s Journey Through Life

By Calvin R. King

After early retirement from ministry, Calvin King sought to discover new purpose in life. He had a lot more living to do. This book describes his life as a young boy in northeast Ohio then as a young man. He recorded this memoir for family and friends, but in so doing, he also encourages others, especially elders, to follow their hearts no matter their age.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Balboa Press
• Release date: Feb 28, 2019
• ISBN: 9781982215866

Calvin R. King

Calvin King was tickled and proud to be born on 1-2-34. He was his grandfather's (Calvin Pearl Fike) living legacy, embodying the art of cheerfulness in all of his life's endeavors. The youngest of three boys in a working class family, his writing reflects challenges, humor, passions, dreams of a gifted man in the 20th century.

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Copyright © 2019 Calvin R. King.

Cover Design Credit: Pam Ryan

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This book is a work of non-fiction. Unless otherwise noted, the author and the publisher make no explicit guarantees as to the accuracy of the information contained in this book and in some cases, names of people and places have been altered to protect their privacy.

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The author of this book does not dispense medical advice or prescribe the use of any technique as a form of treatment for physical, emotional, or medical problems without the advice of a physician, either directly or indirectly. The intent of the author is only to offer information of a general nature to help you in your quest for emotional and spiritual well-being. In the event you use any of the information in this book for yourself, which is your constitutional right, the author and the publisher assume no responsibility for your actions.

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ISBN: 978-1-9822-1587-3 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-9822-1586-6 (e)

Balboa Press rev. date:  02/27/2019

Dedication

I think my Dad would have dedicated his words to his family he held so dear, to God, and to all those in the world who may not feel like they have a story to tell. My father’s words may just inspire you to do something about that. You are never too old to feel young!

Foreword

I’ve taken the liberty to edit here and there, where I felt it helped the meaning or the flow, but I’ve mainly left my Dad’s writing be my Dad’s writing. It is his voice. Therefore, please excuse any grammatical inconsistencies or errors. Pobody’s nerfect, as my Dad liked to say!

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83 years young at the time of his memoir’s writing, Cal King shares rich memories, flights of fancy and whimsical abandonment of the notion ‘we must act our age!’ He inspires us all to reinvent ourselves, no matter our coordinates in this grand journey we call LIFE.

He once said, I have started writing many times, and now as my wife continues to ask, ‘When will you finish?’ I’ve always answered, I’ll do it SOMEDAY. But as I looked at the calendar there was no day called someday. And so, I guess I finally admit, someday is NOW HERE!

Cal King

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After I retired from the ministry in the United Methodist Church, I had a plan to discover new work. I was given the opportunity for an interview with a local title company. I had no idea what a title company was or what service they offered. My interview was with the president of the company and one of the company’s vice presidents. I began with, What is it you do? Now, I assure you any interview beginning with my question can only end up badly! But mine, however, did not. Within an hour, I had an offer to work for the company. And so I began 10 wonderful years working for Midland Commerce in downtown Akron, Ohio. It was not long until I obtained a notary license and found myself working with title customers, signing and explaining bank documents for purchases of their new homes. My work involved translating complicated bank documents into clear English, so that when people signed their lives away, they understood what they had done. On one memorable, clear and sunny day, I left the office to visit a customer. As I walked, I whistled. Who knows why, but I find myself whistling especially while I walk. Suddenly, there she was. A young woman (an attractive young woman, I might add), passed by. I was not thinking what you think I was thinking. An idea suddenly surfaced in my mind: Once, she was little. Now, she’s a woman. That’s how it is for all of us, as we begin small, and grow. She, like me, had made it all the way from little to all grown up somehow, like the snap of our fingers! I started to wonder how much I could I remember from when I was little. How had I managed to live as many years as I had already, and what could I remember about myself that helped me become the person I grew up to be? I decided right there that I would journey back in time and space into my life to see whatever my mind could recover as far into the past as I could. I wanted to remember my home, my family, friends and neighbors; all who had hands in shaping my future. How much could I remember? I thought that not only would it be fun, but it also would be a challenge for me. Thinking about a time when I was little, I wonder if then I ever thought about being a grandparent? I doubt it, and probably never gave much thought to being older except to be 16 and get my driver’s license, having all the freedom that comes with it. Yet, now as I am older, a grandparent five times over, I can look back and remember how important holidays like Christmas and the mysterious and wonderful character, Santa, was to me. Now, I play Santa for children, and as I do, many thoughts come back to me about when I was a child. Once, I asked a child what he’d like to be when he grew up, and his answer to me was one I should have almost expected, but with such innocence it caught me off guard. He said simply, bigger! Kids do think about being older when they are young. Things, for example, cross their minds about what they would like to be one day. Adults hear their deep desires and may even encourage them with words that tell them that they can be anything they want to be. I hope so. I had encouraging parents,