January 1…Uncle Red and Aunt Babe
Red Thompson and his wife Babe lived in an apartment somewhere in the “Mccully” district, outside Waikiki in the 1950s.
“Uncle Red” and “Aunt Babe” (Mom said that they were “Calabash Relatives”) were friends and shipmates of mom and pop from during and after WW II. Uncle Red was a retired Chief (or maybe a retired W-4 Chief Warrant Officer), and his birthday was January 1.
New Years Day in 1957, 58, and 59 were spent visiting the Thompsons…on Uncle Red’s birthday. We went early in the morning and left late at night.
Back in those days, everyone had fireworks (especially in Hawaii), and on New Years Morning there were always lots of unexploded “cracker balls” and firecrackers…and many firecrackers with no fuse…which could be broken in half to light the gunpowder inside…a great pass time for a 7 and 4 year old…and of course, we were not allowed to do this…which Debbie and I did none the less 🙂
One New Year’s Day, Aunt Babe gave us a collection of about 16 children’s classic books. The first books Debbie and I ever had, all to ourselves…except the Blue Jackets Manual Dad had given me when I was about 4.
Debbie and I were fortunate to be raised in the company of many of the Greatest Generation.
- Posted in: Friends and Shipmates
My Paradise Completed 