My Dad's Refrigeration Service and Sluder's Recapping Shop were directly across the street from the Methodist Church. I think the Methodist Church Parsonage was next door on the right. There were two brothers that lived there: Roland & Roger Combs. I assume their Dad was the Methodist preacher at that time.The newspaper headlines announced the end of WWII. I would guess that was the Louisville Courier Journal, which was the dominant newspaper back then, especially the Sunday edition. Some people subscribed to the Lexington Herald and my buddy and I sold the Knoxville News Sentinel on the street downtown after 5:00 O'Clock during the week. All came in on the L&N passenger train every day.
I heard Bobby Rankin died at an early age. We went to Grammar school together. Bill Horn was a year older than me and worked for Sluder off and on. He was the last guy I shook hands with when I left Hazard. Next to Sluder's shop was a bowling alley. I used to go there at night and set pins the old hard way for 10 cents a game. Dad parked his 1938 Oldsmobile behind the building across from the rear of the Post Office. There was a large parking lot there, always empty. That's where I learned to drive, at an early age. Used to sneak it out and drive downtown around the loop. I had to sit very upright to see over the dashboard. Sometimes I would take Roland & Roger along. We thought that was a great adventure. Never got caught...
I like his reference to the Loop. We sure can relate to that.
ReplyDeleteI love the memories of Mr. Watts. The photo of Roland Combs and Bill Horn brings back memories galore. I did not know the other one, Bob Rankin, but I went to school with Jo Rankin who must have been his sister.
ReplyDelete"Mr. Watts" Roland and Roger were the sons of Dr. Combs. Their mother as I recall was a nurse. Roland was a schoolmate of mine and at one time I had a crush on him but he never knew it. Roger I think still lives in Hazard. He married Eva Mae Campbell (Julius Lasso's sister-in-law) and I remember their small son, Jimmy, who I remember so well as we lived in the same apartment building as they did and I used to rock him. In fact I wrote a little poem about him and his mother, Eva Mae, so long ago."
Now, Bill Horn, I have so many memories of him and years later of him and his precious wife, Pat".
Good memories, great pictures of those gone....
Great story, Hats off to Roland
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