When tiny on Arlington Street, I was taken to the State Capitol to feed hot peanuts to the pigeons. Though my folks were 1st generation Americans from Baltimore and Brooklyn, all us 4 Green kids were born at the old Rex Hospital.  We were so forunate to have been raised in Raleigh and we always had wonderful neighbors.

After Mrs.Gooch's and Mrs. Williamson's nursery and kindergarten, located where there are new apartments at Oberlin and Glenwood Roads, and after private 1st and 2nd grades, Aldert Root Elementary opened around the curve from my home.  In my 3rd grade class were beautiful Sally Harris with a long, white-blond braid, and cute, athletic Betty Ragland.   Sandy Worth Page's cousin Holliday Worth, who taught me how to tie my shoes, tall and elegant.Kathy Kline. Pat White, Lynn McIntyre, Barry Johnson, Johnny Lumsden, Jimmy Barnes, Jane Wood, Hood Ellis, Paul Stahl, Roberta Staples and Judy Fulghum were also classmates.  Who else?  Forgive me that I don't remember more.

When John Glenn flew into orbit, I lived so closely on Brunswick that I ran home and got our portable t.v. and our class watched the space-shot.

Our home was above Lassiter Mill and after trailing down the muddy wooden path where homes sit today, we could sit on a stone wall with our feet in what seemed to be a huge waterfall, catch tadpoles, and buy penny candy.  The boys knew how to catch crayfish that scared me and I'd walk across the wooden bridge if I wasn't too chicken.  But every 10 years the creek would flood up close to the road !  Gross.

When I see the children walking up the hill from Daniels, it is hilarious(?) that we were so small and innocent.  I didn't walk to Johnson's Drugstore as my mother drove me straight home, but we would go in there to fill our Rx's and sit at the lunch counter.  There were comics that I was not allowed to read !   At Daniels, Lee Parker peroxided a wide orange streak down the middle of his hair.  What a scandal !  Straight home he was sent.

The 7th grade at Daniels was the first year of integration in Raleigh and the children from the families off Oberlin Road joined us.  I remember Verna Hester and George Rochelle and another Rochelle cousin.  I guess they probably had a hard enough time though I was friendly with Verna.  She was at our very first reunion on the lawn at Broughton !

But regarding CHAR-Grill, only one more silly memory.  Though our family worshipped at Beth Meyer Synagogue at Johnson and St. Mary Streets (converted to a small red brick office building) along with Jeff Cohen [of Blessed Memory], Michael Shor, Jerry Doliner, Jerry Weinstein, Barbara Shearer, cousin Sande Green, and Edele Schwartz, the other Jewish congregation was Temple Beth Or (among whose congregants was Paul Horvitz) and it was in a large stone edifice where an apartment building is today.  The Char-Grill opened right next door.  On Friday night Sabbath worship and the holiest fast day of the year, Yom Kippur, the order numbers could be heard being fillled over the loudspeaker at Char-Grill smack under the Temple's windows..  Pretty damned funny.

See you soon, I hope.  Deborah Leslie Green green.deborah.leslie@gmail.com

Hey Deborah,

Thought I would respond to your comment in a timely fashion--9 minutes ago you wrote from halfway around the world.  Love the internet.  :-)

Your description of those early days in Raleigh is a wonderful recollection--Remember having a cherry smash at Troy Johnson's. The old bridge at Lassiter Mill.

That story of yours about the Friday night at the synagogue (beside the Char Grill) on Yom Kippur is a funny one--Number 282, Char Burger and Fries! 

Interesting discovery of my family--finding out my Jewish heritage years after our high school days.  My mother's family came over from Hungary through Ellis Island at the turn of the century (1900).  Rosa Shimon is the name of my very Jewish Great-Great Grandmother.  Funny how things play out.  My New York City relatives are from Hungarian/Irish stock.  My Southern Baptist dad met my mother at the 1939 New York World's fare.  Were married for 66 years!  :-)

I did not serve in Vietnam--my high lottery number changed my course of action.  Was thinking of becoming a Navy pilot, but not sure if I had the courage of a Norman Couns or a Rusty Petrea..  Your writing is spot on. 

And so great to hear from you!

Shalom.... :-)

Dan