Go soflty into the night my friend.  What great memories I have of my childhood with John Surgeon.  Oh my gosh if the walls could talk.  I hope who ever reads this can follow my ramblings as I write down some of my found memories. 

I remember moving to Pratt when I was in the fourth grade and reconnecting with John.  My mom reminded me that we had been friends when he and his parents lived in the lower end of Montgomery when both of us were very, very young.  There were so many times that I stayed overnight at John's house, when he had the paper route in Pratt we would get up and deliver his papers.  Oh those times seem so long ago now but the memories are so sharp and fresh in my mind.  I remember going to see him in the hospital after he had been run over by the boat one summer (as I remember John Baughn was also involved in that incident too) and wondering how he would recover from his injuries.  I was impressed that he had his own entrance from the outside into his bedroom when he lived in the little white house but even more envious of his big house when he moved up the street to the corner house.  His parents, John and Ida were always so nice and accepting of all of John's friends that came to visit and none of us ever felt like we were just visiting.  It was truly a second home for me growing up and I'm sure our relationship and the support of his parents helped mold me into the person I am today. 

I cannot say enough about John, don't get me wrong we certainly did our share of mischievous and stupid stuff but we also did some giving and nice things that most people do not even know about.  The two things tha come to mind this morning both deal with a couple of exccentric older adults that lived in Pratt, one of them was a lady (the cat lady)  that lived across the highway from Miller's Grocery store in the little house that was tucked up against the hill side.  Her house was a mess, we took it upon ourselves to help her clean the mess up created by her (what seemed like a million cats at the time) cats, I'm sure John Baughn was involved in this too, we were hard to separate when we were growing up.  The other memory also involved sweeping, cleaning, washing the dishes (which seemed like they were a mountain high) for an old man that lived in a small white house between John's home and were the Scholl's lived.

I also remmber those snowy,winter sleigh ride trips up to the grave yard on the hillside in Pratt and the fun we had (don't try this at home kids) hopping cars by grabbig on to the bumpers when there was snow and ice on the road.  There are so many more memories.  In the summer before John and I were going into our senior year of high school, he was going to Montgomery and I was going to East Bank, just to get in shape for football that fall we got up almost every morning during the summer very early and would drive up to the steps leading to Tech's football field in Montgomery and run the steps.  I think neither of us would have done this alone, it took both of us to encourage and push each oher.

I miss those times but am so greatful to have had the opportunity to know John as my best friend and have him in my life!  I love you man, I hope you rest peacefully!