This is 908 Circle Drive in Wayne, Nebraska. I lived here for about a year and a half—1964, 1965—while my dad taught at Wayne State College.
A lifetime later, in 2010, I visited Wayne on a job interview, and of course had to drive by the old homestead. Aren’t childhood houses supposed to be smaller when you see them as an adult? This place seemed—bigger. I think someone at sometime added a room or two onto the back...? Those trees didn’t exist in 1965! (That curved-trunk tree might have). But there still wasn’t much grass…My bedroom was at that window on the far right.
In 2010 the house was for rent at that time—I thought, If I get the job, would it be weird to live here…?
A voice answered—Yes, Lowell, it would be very fucking weird.
(I did not get the job. Which is a good thing! (No offense, Wayne State)).
This house below—the house next door—didn’t exist in 1965—it was a vacant lot
In 2010 the house was for rent at that time—I thought, If I get the job, would it be weird to live here…?
A voice answered—Yes, Lowell, it would be very fucking weird.
(I did not get the job. Which is a good thing! (No offense, Wayne State)).
This house below—the house next door—didn’t exist in 1965—it was a vacant lot
 | After seeing The Beverly Hillbillies for the first time, I went out there with a shovel and started digging for oil. There was no oil. |
 | This is at the top of Circle Drive’s circle. An older kid named Todd lived here. Sixth grade, seventh grade. He was kind of a perv, and was friends with a kid named Stanley who was a serious goddamn pedo. All us first graders tried to stay away from them….. |
When I tell an imaginary kid to go out and play in the ditch, I’m not being mean. This is what we kids did in Wayne! We played in the goddamn ditches! It was fun!
Look at this ditch above!
Doesn’t seem like much—I think it’s been filled in. But 55 (!) years ago it was pretty deep—about head-high on a first grader. We could play army in the ditches, hide from the pedos, if girls were around we’d play Family (I always got delegated to be Brother, which was uninspiring). The ditches led to culverts that ran under the streets, and those were cool and scary, too—you could hear cars thumping overhead….
I’ve only written one story set in Wayne. It’s about playing in the ditches and storm sewers and hiding from the pedos…and it sadly doesn’t work. POV problems. Maybe I should figure out a way to fix it….
Look at this ditch above!
Doesn’t seem like much—I think it’s been filled in. But 55 (!) years ago it was pretty deep—about head-high on a first grader. We could play army in the ditches, hide from the pedos, if girls were around we’d play Family (I always got delegated to be Brother, which was uninspiring). The ditches led to culverts that ran under the streets, and those were cool and scary, too—you could hear cars thumping overhead….
I’ve only written one story set in Wayne. It’s about playing in the ditches and storm sewers and hiding from the pedos…and it sadly doesn’t work. POV problems. Maybe I should figure out a way to fix it….
 | During my 2010 job interview, the chair of the hiring committee was driving me around town, and we went past a grim little house…. I said, “Back in first grade we thought that house was haunted….” The chair blanched. “My kids think that house’s haunted, too!” |
 | Maybe the whole town is haunted? This is haunted America…. |
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The kindle editions are at a special pandemic/holiday price!
The kindle editions are at a special pandemic/holiday price!
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