Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

John Hill and I agreed they were the best of times. John was raised in Wanoca and I was on Tenth Street, but we agreed they were the Best of Times. John said he could remember walking or riding his bike anywhere and not being afraid of anything. John told me that he had a paper route of 144 stores and other customers, some paid monthly and some daily, but he wasn’t afraid of collecting from them.

He told me about Whitakers store and I told him that on Sunday nights dad used to take Rose Ann and me up there to buy material to make a banana split. Daddy made the best banana split in town. He got his experience from Tony Tankard’s where he waited tables and the old bus station on Second Street.

He told me about Mallisons Hardware where bought his first gun. He never forgot that either. He told me he had traded in guns to Mr. Fred and that he never had a problem with the gun either!

I told him my story about on Woolworth on the corner of Main and Union Alley. You see, they had only Duncan Yo-Yos in town. They could sleep, go around the world and rock the cradle! I had to win the Duncan grand prizes and I did! Walked all over town by myself throwing my yoyo. It was clear outside and blue inside. It was smooth as silk and all you had to do was throw in the air it would do its thing. Rose Ann was the city champion the next three years.

They were the best of times with the best of friends in the best places Washington, NC. The Original Washington!!