Throwback Thursday, Eddie vs Eddie

I came across this picture and it bought back memories.  The house a couple years ago was burned down in a fire department training exercise.  It was on Glover Street at the corner of Manget Street. 

I lived on Manget Street with my family from about age 7 to age 14, with my grandfather.  But Glover Street wad my hangout.  All my friends lived on Glover Street.  Then Glover Street was dotted with old houses and a country store.  Now, only one residence house is there, the rest is warehouses, Cobb County Board of Education, and at least two auto shops

Back to the early 1950s:  The Rich family lived in this house.  Their side yard became a hangout for teenagers.  The teenage boys openly smoked, cursed, and were full of wise-cracks:   I was envious.

I think most of them had quit school.  They were also up to no good.  Several of us younger kids, about 10 or 11 years old hung out on the edge of their bunch trying to pickup on their lingo; we were street corner hangout trainees. 

Another kid, about a year old, also named Eddie came often to Glove Street to visit his grandparents and stay a few days each time.  He lived in Douglasville.  Eddie was mentally challenged.

The teenagers, picking up on Eddie was not all there, thought they would have a little fun told Eddie I said some bad things about him.  Eddie and I were like dogs in a dog fight to them, nothing more.

Eddie came at me swinging.  With one hand.  Eddie had a nervous problem, when he got nervous he was put his mouth on the back of his hand and slobber on it.  With one arm he was swinging with the other hand in his mouth, he was not protecting his face.  I hit him one hit in the face.  Blood ran from his nose.  He ran down the street to his grandparents.  Ian home too.

The teenagers told me his big sister came walked back up very angry wanting to know who broke her brother’s nose.  They told me they covered for me.  She wanted to call the police on whoever did it.

I thought I got away with it.   Months later I saw Eddie and he was friendly.  Apparently he had forgot about it.

Then we went behind his grandparent’s house into their barn.  We climbed up in the loft.  I did not know it at the moment the plywood floor was not nailed down,  The wide boards just laid unnailed across the rafters. 

Then one of my “friends” reminded Eddie I was the one who blooded his nose.  Suddenly Eddie pounced on top of me and started choking me.  I could not breath.  I thought I was going to be killed right then.

Then, my Guardian Angel must have stepped up to give me a helping hand.

With us scuffling around on the plywood that was not nailed down, one end shifted away from the top of the rafter it rested on, then tilted down  towards the barn’s dirt floor and dumped us like a dump truck.

I hit the floor running.  And ran home.

About a year after that Tony Hester’s mother took Tony, Gene Sanges, and me to Douglasville to visit Eddie.  Mrs. Hester must have been friends with Eddie’s family.  I think Eddie’s parents were dead and he lived with his uncle and aunt on a chicken farm.  Eddie showed us all about egg cleaning and the machines that sorted the eggs.  Eddie was learning a trade, good for him.

We also Walked over the farm through the cattle lazily hanging out.  There was a big water hole for the cattle.  I thought “What if Tony or Gene remind Eddie about the broken nose again?”  I didn’t get close to the water and made sure I had a clear running area in front of me.  The day ended peacefully. 

About ten years ago I ran into a Glover Street friend back then and we played “what ever happed to…?”  I asked about Eddie.  My friend told me he heard Eddie was in prison with a lifetime sentence for murder.  I could have been Exhibit A.  Gulp!