One Day Of My Life in 1954

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In 1954, I was living on Stark Street in Phillips town,
I was in the 5th grade when this day did go down.
The day is typical of any day I had in that time frame,
When my dear Mom called me Billy Ray by name.

 

 

 

 

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One Day Of My Life in 1954

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At 6:45 AM, I got down from the top bunk real slow
Put on my shirt, Levi’s, socks, and loafers so low.
I brushed my teeth and headed for the kitchen hungry,
Mom fixed hot chocolate and French toast on that day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Mom said I had to walk to school so I grabbed my books,
And out the back door I went with the bag that I took.
An old road crossed the canyon on the route I did go,
With a culvert underneath for a small creek to flow.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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I stopped and threw rocks in the pool near the road,
Causing a bullfrog to jump into the pool before I did go.
I headed up the hill until I hit Phillips Avenue fast,
Then walked due west until I got to the school at last.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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I went in the east doors to the elementary school,
Then headed to my 5th grade class feeling cool.
Mrs Willis was there getting ready for class that day,
She was a good teacher that made school fun her way.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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At 10 AM, we went out to play in the gravel parking lot,
We played rotation softball that I loved on that spot.
I was good at catching fly balls they hit to the outfield,
And a new turn at bats that catch would then yield.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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At lunch time, I went just downstairs to eat my lunch,
Our cafeteria had good food from a fine cook bunch.
The line was short with ladies serving food so fine.
I loved the cafeteria costing 35 cents to eat each time.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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After school, I walked by the churches to the park’s creek.
Then walked the path by that creek as frogs I did seek.
There was a very old dump there from about 1930,
That I dug around in with a stick getting kind of dirty.

 

 

 

 

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The old tin cans were rusted away but treasures were there,
I found lots of old glass marbles buried over the years.
To me this was so much fun as a boy so very curious,
But I didn’t stay long there so Mom would not fuss.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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I grabbed a snack and Coke at home when I arrived,
And sat down to watch American Bandstand so live,
That my sister always had on TV this time of day.
I liked rock stars and girls dancing every which way.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Mom fixed fried chicken and mashed potatoes so good,
For supper that evening tasting fine like it should.
It was my turn for the gizzard causing Dad to fuss,
Under his breath I think I may have heard him cuss.

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The sought after Gizzard

 

 

 

 

 

 

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I sat in the den with a board on my lap doing homework,
When the work was done, I watched TV in spurts.
That night we watched Annie Oakley so good with a gun,
And Death Valley Days with those mule teams on the run.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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I climbed back in my bunk bed above My little brother,
I said my prayers then slept to get ready for another,
Typical day in my life there in Phillips, Texas, so small.
As you have seen, life was not always exciting for us all.

 

 

 

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By Bill

 

 

 

 

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Thanks for reading One Day In My Life in 1954,
Bill