Back in Those Days

By Amelia Michaels

Journey to a time when Singing in the Rain played on the jukebox when Lash LaRue was the famous movie star who came to town when the 1948 Desoto and the 1956 Chrysler were not classics. Learn about the Greyhound races, farm life, and spittoons. Travel back into those days long ago when times were in some ways simpler and in other ways not. Learn

• Language: English
• Publisher: Amelia Michaels Literatures
• Release date: May 19, 2023
• ISBN: 9781956854442

Amelia Michaels

Amelia Michael's is a native of Eastern North Carolina. She still resides in North Carolina with her family. In addition to her memoir, she has written two fiction novels. Her fiction has been praised by Encore Magazine and Midwest Book Review. Mrs. Michael's is an avid equestrian often found riding when she is not working as an educator.

Book preview

Back in Those Days

A humor filled memoir beginning in 1943 depicting the realities of rural farm life in eastern North Carolina. A memory filled narrative overshadowed by the eventual suicide of a mentally ill mother. A family saddened by the loss of a beloved father to cancer.

Back in Those Days by Amelia Michaels

This book is written to provide information and motivation to readers. Its purpose isn’t to render any type of psychological, legal, or professional advice of any kind. The content is the sole opinion and expression of the author, and not necessarily that of the publisher.

Copyright © 2021 by Amelia Michaels

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, transmitted, or distributed in any form by any means, including, but not limited to, recording, photocopying, or taking screenshots of parts of the book, without prior written permission from the author or the publisher. Brief quotations for noncommercial purposes, such as book reviews, permitted by Fair Use of the U.S. Copyright Law, are allowed without written permissions, as long as such quotations do not cause damage to the book’s commercial value. For permissions, write to the publisher, whose address is stated below.

Printed in the United States of America.

ISBN 978-1-956854-2

Amelia Michaels https://www.ameliamichaelsliterary.com/

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Acknowledgements

Prologue

Momma’s Letter Written August 1951

Chapter One

Where it all began

Chapter Two

A Couple of Years

Chapter Three

Lash LaRue and Bullwhip Inspirations

Chapter Four

Santa Cookiesand Gourmet Meals

Chapter Five

Farm Life, Spittoons, and Friendship

Chapter Six

Insects, Popeye the Sailor Man, and Groucho Marx

Chapter Seven

Skull Concussions and Cod Sacks

Chapter Eight

Separate, Back Porches, and Tumble-turds

Chapter Nine

Gristmills and Hoochie Coochie shows

Chapter Ten

The Orange Blossom Special and Spottie

Chapter Eleven

The Iceman and the Poorman’s Patch

Chapter Twelve

Hunting Squirrels and Charging Bulls

Chapter Thirteen

Scrapping and the Wolfman

Chapter Fourteen

Amazing Grace and Baptism

Chapter Fifteen

Nude Swimming and Fish Traps

Chapter Sixteen

Momma

Chapter Seventeen

Workaholic

Chapter Eighteen

Tenants, Sharecroppers, and Billy Graham

Chapter Nineteen

Buggy Dates and Drive-in Movies

Chapter Twenty

The Freight Train Smoker and Scooping up Crickets

Chapter Twenty-one

Sandy Leigh, High School Sweetheart

Chapter Twenty-two

Water Skiing and my Barbing Days

Chapter Twenty-three

The Sawmill and the Pool Shark

Chapter Twenty-four

Allison McKay and Rocking on the Blocks

Chapter Twenty-five

Grapevines and Packhouses

Chapter Twenty-six

Cobalt and Radium Treatments

Acknowledgements

Back in Those Days was an intense opportunity to reach into an era too quickly fading. It allowed me to discover a fascinating story that I hope reaches out to many people today, and that it enriches their lives. It has surely gifted me with the knowledge of a time I will always cherish.

In regards to this narrative, I want to dedicate it in several ways. At first, when I was in my early twenties, I lost my closest friend to suicide. This memoir brought me back to those memories, yet, I must say, hearing two brothers emotionally speak about losing their mother was immensely painful. Writing about this event was, without a doubt, one of the most emotionally jarring experiences I have ever penned. Therefore, Back in Those Days is given from my heart to anyone who has ever lost a loved one to suicide.

Secondly, cancer is one of the greatest evils that I can imagine confronting. Having known people to lose family and friends to cancer, my heart bleeds for you. Therefore, I sincerely desire to acknowledge anyone who has ever known, or is maybe even suffering from this disease.

Third, I want to acknowledge my mother and sister. They have become my dearest friends. Their advice these past years has been invaluable.

Finally, ever since I was a young child, my father has believed in my academic ability. Even when I was tired of studying, he would say, I never raised a quitter. Hence, I have persevered no matter the obstacles faced. This memoir took my writing outside the style I normally favor, but I am immensely glad to have taken this literary journey. Dad, Back in Those Days, is simply for you.

Always,

Amelia Michaels

Silence penetrates the heart and captures moments in time that replays in our hearts as sad melodies. It is a gentle whisper in the wind that echoes through time seeking grace instead of desperation. Yet, this emptiness in our soul never disappears, we just find ways to live with its hollowness.

Prologue

Momma’s Letter Written August 1951

Near the Trent River in Jones County, North Carolina

With trembling hands, I sit in private and begin to jot down these words, What I have seen and heard is more than I can bear. Tears form in my eyes, yet, it is a single tear that escapes and makes a lonely path down my cheek. However, I continue to write. These words, which are lodged so deeply in my soul must be expressed. So, with the greatest of sorrow, I proceed with pen and scribe.

This will happen the next time I get to feeling down.

To Whom it may concern:

"I cannot go on living as I now am. I am very sick at mind. Sometimes, I come so near to ending my life, but then I think of my family. I love Thomas, Tom, and Butch so much I do not want to hurt them. Then, again, I think of my sweet momma. I love her so much too. Maybe I do not show it enough sometimes, but when I leave you all, then some of you might think about how insane I have been recently, but you all did not take me seriously. I have tried to overcome doing my intentions, but sometimes, I almost did it anyway. I am sure I won’t be here much longer because I just can’t stand it. I do pray that God will forgive me for doing this; I have been sick at mind for several years.

Now, when my life is gone, this property that is in my name, I want left to my husband, Thomas, for his lifetime. Then, it is to be divided between my sons, Tom and Butch, equally at Thomas’s death.

I hate to leave my family, but they will soon forget because other people have. I hope everybody will be more friendly and take up a lot more time with Thomas, Tom, and Butch. A friend will be what they need most. Today, I cannot name a true friend that I have. I have longed for friends, but I have been ignored all the way. The public just didn’t know how much I wanted to be friendly and couldn’t be. So, you see, if I were normal, I would not notice these things. Thomas works so hard, that I know, I just don’t do anything worthwhile. I love Mr. Jacob, too. I love him very much, but he has let me down. I hope by my passing on that it will bring momma and Mr. Jacob closer together. So please, sometimes, Mr. Jacob, just tell momma you love her. That helps a lot, I have never heard you say that you did.

Thomas darling, love the boys above anything else. They want your love. You are their eyeballs with me being gone. I hope this will bring you closer to them. I love you so, please forgive me for this."

With these humble words, my final thoughts are now permanently reflected onto four small legal sheets of paper and safety clipped together. This laying of words now mirrors the hidden images of my soul.

New life is created in a mother’s womb. Imprints of tiny feet upon the skin, the radiance of an expectant mother; these are only the mere glimpses of the Creator’s hands.

Chapter One

Where it all began

This story begins with my mother and father, Thomas and Leah Ellington. My father was born in 1909 and my mother was born in 1914. I am now seventy-eight years old, rocking on my front porch, and reflecting back over my life. My memories, the bad ones, I do not want to focus on because I believe that the Lord has forgiven us of the bad things, so let us leave the bad things behind the best we can.

I, Lucas Reign Butch Ellington, was born in Saint Luke’s Hospital on June 21, 1943. My dad and Linda Abram delivered me. Linda Abram was a nurse and a good friend of my father who lived down in the small town of Pollocksville, North Carolina, Green Valley to be specific. Mrs. Abram always called me her boy because when I was born, the doctors were busy with other patients and could not attend to my birth. Therefore, as you can see, it was just the two of them that brought me into the world. Dad said that I was an expensive baby because I cost a hundred dollars and my brother had only cost him fifty. Since Mrs. Abram and he had done all the work, he felt like it should have been much less. Yet, the doctor got all the money, it just was not fair. But no matter the cost, one thing was for certain, I was born in the middle of World War II. I was a war baby, too young to be drafted.

My parents were living in Pollocksville, at that time, and it was not very far from the Trent River. The river was a few hundred yards behind where the house was and this house is still standing today. Back then, and today too, the Pollocksville graveyard was just down the road. The house was on Goshen Road, to be exact, in this small country town. My momma and my family always took good care of the house. Even today, this house is in decent standing.

   When I was born, my father was renting an apartment to a marine couple. At this time, they were in the process of building Oak Grove Marine Base. This marine and his wife were to be stationed at this base. This marine couple gave me the nickname of Butch which stuck with me the rest of my life. Later in life, people assumed my nickname came from the fact that I became a barber, but in reality, it all started because these marines nicknamed me this because I was born with no hair. I was just as bald headed as I could be. Hence the nickname came, Little Butch. So, in reality, this all fit me really good when you think about the fact that I became a barber and it all goes together with a Butch Cut. Back in the day, "this was a very

famous cut and these marines were in the process of building Oak Grove Marine Base during World War II. They had Corsair Fighter Jets that were training jets for the pilots to learn how to fly. The base is still there today, but it is used for a whole different purpose. But that is what it was back in 1943."

I was the youngest of two sons, my older brother was eight years my senior. He was nicknamed Tom; his real name was Thomas Ray Ellington, Jr. This age difference had a bearing on our relationship as time went by because I mostly just got in his way. There were just too many years between us.

Autumn colors bring in many changes, winter breezes provide us shadows leading to spring, yet rays of sunshine and prisms of color always ignite our lives with myriads of rainbows.

Chapter Two

A Couple of Years

We lived in Pollocksville off and on many times during our lives, but we were probably in that house for a few years based on what my brother and father told me. My mother had a mental disease, and it started to show some when I was little. She had some ups and downs in her life, but, I think she was in pretty good shape at that time of her life. However, my dad was telling me about a situation years ago at that house when my mother was cooking collard greens with a pressure cooker. Somehow, in the process, she did not wait for all of the steam to be released from the pressure cooker. When she took the lid off too fast, the collards were blown all over the ceiling in the kitchen. It was amazing that she did not get hurt. My dad said that he did not know how long it took for him to scrape all those collards off the ceiling in the kitchen. My father said it was quite a mess, and I can believe that it was pretty much true.

At that time, my father was working for Green Lumber Company in Pollocksville. It was a fairly young saw mill back then. It was owned by Joseph and Brad Green, two brothers who were running the company for their dad. The headquarters for the company was in Lynchburg, Virginia. These brothers were also involved in the insurance business of some sort, but my father was not involved in the insurance side of the business. The saw mill was a pretty good size and they sold mostly to the government. They had about seventy-five to eighty people working at the mill, which was a lot for a small country town. They may have even had more people, and this was not counting the families that lived on the property. This mill was located on the Trent River near Mill Run Landing. At that time, my dad told me that he was making about "twenty-five dollars a week, and that