PUPPY LOVE

   

Lady and the Tramp.

      There were rumors going around about sixth grade. Namely about the teacher, Mrs. Arrowsmith. “She’s an old biddy with a smile like a laughing donkey. She’s a strict, merciless General who eats little trouble makers for breakfast and spits out their bones!” Yup, that’s what they were saying. It all sounded pretty scary, but I’d judge for myself.

      I was growing up. I had just turned eleven and had parked my first home run in Little League. Maybe school was about to change for the better. It did, and her name was Olivia Smith. Up to this point in my life girls were nothing but pests out to get you in trouble every chance they got. But Olivia's deep brown eyes and golden hair gave her the look of an angel, an angel that melted away

The "new" Francis in sixth grade.

my wicked ways and nudged me down the road toward Sainthood. As Beverly Burrup so wisely put it, "She tamed the tiger!"

    The question became, not what Mrs. Arrowsmith wanted me to do, but what would Olivia want. Better handwriting, you got it! Turn in my assignments on time, you bet! Baths, clean teeth, nails, deodorant, the works! I even used Vaseline petroleum jelly to keep my porcupine hairdo looking sexy.

Jar of Vaseline Petroleum Jelly

    Up to this point, Olivia knew nothing about my newfound infatuation. But that was about to change. Occasional touching during the "allemande left and dosado,” or “swing your partners" during Square Dancing was egging me on. I had to ask her to a Saturday evening movie. The movie date was set up, and my mother drove us to the musical, "Oklahoma," at the Paramount Theater in Provo.  I wore my Sunday suit and my Converse sneakers, the ones with the big star on the side. We shared

1950s Converse sneakers with the big star.

buttery popcorn and even held hands now and then. Movie over, there was Mom waiting to deliver her safely home. Hand in hand I slowly walked her to the door, and gazed longingly into her big brown eyes when a jolting blast from the car horn snapped me out of my mesmerized state.

     I enjoyed spending time teaching Olivia and her younger brothers how to play baseball. I knew we were making progress when one of them pounded the baseball through our kitchen window. They were definitely getting better! Another time I took Olivia and her friend, Martha, to play tennis at the BYU courts. That was a mistake! First, I spent an hour chasing wayward balls and, second, three was a crowd. The best part of playing tennis was downing an ice cold mug of root beer across the street at Heaps of Pizza.

1950s Heaps of Pizza sign.

    At the end of sixth grade our class was preparing to wow parents and administrators alike by performing "Sleeping Beauty." The boys were making swords and putting together soldier uniforms, while the girls were practicing being beautiful sleepers. The question on all of our minds was who would be Sleeping Beauty, who would be Prince Charming, and would he really awake her with a kiss? When the cast was announced, it was Olivia who won the part of most beautiful sleeper,

The lovely Olivia Smith

and Kent Peterson would be the one to awaken her with a kiss. I was hoping for the part, but I guess Kent was the most Princely. He had the curly hair and lips for the job!

The princely Kent Peterson

        And what about Mrs. Arrowsmith you ask? She was as tough as nails and a stickler for rules. She was just what I needed. I memorized some character building poems, some lines of which I can still remember. Underneath it all she had a soft heart and really cared about her students. 

        Summer finally arrived and it turned out to be the best ever. My neighborhood pals all enrolled at BY Junior High, a private school run by Brigham Young University, and Olivia ended up at Central Junior High on the other side of town. Well, that was that! On to new friends and more charming young ladies. 

 

SHADOW BOXING IN THE BASEMENT

     Dad decided that our storage room in the basement should become our Rec Room. He invested big time: a chalk board, a ping pong table, and the unbelievable, our own TV set!

1950s console TV with its Indian Head test pattern

     It was probably Mom's idea. A built in babysitter, deep in the basement, where she could catch a break from the constant noise. Happy wife, happy life, so they say! We made a few additions of our own: a round Quaker Oats can and a tennis ball made for great indoor basketball.

Howdy Doody and Buffalo Bob

Lone Ranger and his horse Silver.

    The TV was a big hit. We always looked forward to Saturdays. They had great kids shows on TV such as Mickey Mouse Club, Howdy Doody, and the Lone Ranger.  Every Sunday night we would gather around and watch World of Disney. Dad's favorite was watching world championship boxing. Gene Fullmer was a local boy who would fight for the world championship.

Gene Fullmer was born in West Jordan, Utah. He became the World Middleweight Champion in 1957. He and Sugar Ray Robinson faced off more than once, exchanging victories and defeats.

Whenever Fullmer fought Dad was right there with him throwing punches. We always kept our distance until the fight was over. Watching him shadow box was as much fun as watching the real fight.

Gene Fullmer knocks out Sugar Ray Robinson, the reigning World Champion, at Madison Square Gardens, NY to become the new World Middle Weight Champion. 1957.

     But even better, on Saturday afternoons the movie theaters on Center Street and University Avenue  (Academy, Uinta, and the Paramount) had matinee movies on the big screen just for kids!

     If we finished our chores, Mom would drop us off with just enough money for the movie and a treat. They always started with a "news reel" which bored the kids. Then the Woody Woodpecker and Bugs Bunny Cartoons brought the cheering kids to their feet.

    One Saturday in the cold of winter, Mom didn't show to pick us up. After waiting for some time my sister Kay and I decided to walk home. It was getting dark, nothing looked familiar and we realized we were lost. We were wandering about 8 blocks up University Avenue when we heard a familiar honk, and there was Mom and a warm ride home. What a relief!