My favorite room in our home isn’t really a room, it’s the downstair’s hall. When our children were still living at home I would sometimes go into their bedrooms, not to snoop, but just to look around at their posters, photographs, and art on their bedroom walls and doors. I enjoyed seeing what they thought was important enough to single out and share within their world.
When we moved into our home, we created a cork wall above the knotty-pine wainscoting to accommodate pins and tacks. Each of the two sections is about ten feet long and two and a half feet high. One section contains a green board for messages, but I don’t recall the last message it displayed or when it was.
Photos of children and grandchildren are everywhere mixed in with buttons that remind us of friends and events. In the early nineties we visited the Folk Life Festival each year with friends, and the buttons are friendly reminders.
Interspersed with the kids are reminders of Rotary Exchange students who are still loved, and business photographs too.
Grandchild art and messages from friends hang alongside UW Husky football trip reminders. I used to travel with friends to the furthest away game each year to cheer on the Huskies, although almost all of us attended other universities. One of the best games was in 1994 when we defeated the Miami Hurricanes. The Hurricanes had a string of 58 victories in their stadium. The fans in the stadium kept chanting “59! 59! 59!” There was one really rude Hurricane fan who sat in front of our section. He pointed and taunted us. Our little section of Husky supporters answered back with “1! 1! 1!.” Next to me was a visitor from Florida State. He told me, “If you can stick with them in the first half, you have a chance to beat them in the second.” The third quarter started and within five minutes the game was over. The fans knew it, we knew it, and the taunter knew it. He didn’t even hang around for the rest of the game. The Rock, Dwayne Johnson, was even a Hurricane at the time . . . and he knew it, too.
My score card for my only hole-in-one is tacked high on the wall. The round was at a three par course near Cheney Stadium (now gone) and it was only 68 yards, but it was attested by my friend, Randy Melquist. I almost had a hole-in-one at the Blue Monster Course at Doral on the trip for the Hurricane game. The ball missed the hole by four inches. I putted in for a birdie.
Some of our friends have passed away. They live on in our memories and on our walls.
I’m just as likely to stop and look at the images whether I’m having a good day or a bad day. Cards, photos, and even Peg’s needle work always make me smile. Seeing our friends from fundraising events, or vacation trips send my mind dreaming. School photos of children as well as proms make me laugh as I remember. Cousins, nieces, and friends . . . children and grandchildren . . . all combine to deliver great joy!
Don Doman, I read your piece with great interest, but I must admit, I did not see any mention of that famous poem created right here in the City of Lakewood. The Suburban Times published the poem under the by-line Westside Story with the title of Don Doman, Don Doman.
Question: Is your poem hanging proudly in the hall with all your other memorabilia for all to see or is there a spot reserved over your fireplace?
The humble Joseph Boyle
Joseph,
When I was writing this article on memories, I was still laughing. Perhaps, you heard me cackle . . . or was it a crackle?
I replaced the original leading image of the article, which showed a wider expanse of the wall, along with a plain brown envelope labeled “Mr Doman.” Inside the envelope are highly prized images and major gifts of thought. Rest assured the famous article is included therein. The next time you come over, I will happily unfold the article and poem for our shared mutual entertainment . . . unless someone sneaks in and steals the printed word. I do have guard stags and yard does wandering the property and protecting out privacy and right to laugh.
Thank you so much for the West Side Story – Don Doman, Don Doman. It was truly inspired and highly desired.
Don
Peg’s needlework should be professionally matted and framed.
Jean,
Thanks for the accolades for Peg’s needlework. We are constantly reducing artwork for our walls. We have numerous pieces we would like to display, but don’t want to detract from others. Perhaps, we should put up monthly exhibits, but . . . well . . . you know how it goes. Once up; they tend to stay up.
We’ve been trying to simplify . . . but that’s not working too well.
Thanks for your continued reading and commenting.
Don