the playhouse

I heard this morning from my dearest childhood friend, Lou Grambling, who now resides in Augusta, Ga. She and I lived on the same block on East 35th St. in Savannah.

We played like there was no tomorrow. My Dad worked for the railroad and one day he took us out to the rail yard to pick out a playhouse from the fine array of train way stations that were available for sale. We picked one and he dismantled it and brought it home and put it back together in our yard.

It was about six feet by six feet square. I wanted it painted white with a green roof. Daddy even built a little concrete patio in the front and some steps going inside. It had real glass windows and a door. It was a castle to us.

We both had baby dolls. Loucinda named hers Lindy Lou and I cannot remember what mine was named.(shame) I think it may have been Laura. Never was there more ardent play....those dolls were real to us and we took care of them like we were really their moms. Some jealousy even broke out occassionally and we would have a big spat with her heading up the hill to her home. We would get into it mostly about whose baby was the greatest.

But oh, those were the days. Those long summer days when we could play until dark. So much of my childhood was spent in that house.

Loucinda went on to become a nurse...It didn't surprise me. She had a daughter named Stacey. I always thought she was the greatest mom. We certainly practiced enough!

A more lovely friend one couldn't ask for. She and her husband Wally just recently made a trip to Savannah to visit with my mom and dad. It made their week.

The playhouse is gone from the house on 35th St, but the memories will last forever.