STILL ON THE ROAD

MY DADS NEXT DUTY STATION  WAS GUANTANAMO BAY CUBA, GITMO FOR SHORT. THIS WAS IN 1966.AT THAT TIME MY MOTHER’S MOTHER FLORENCE ALLEN  MY “NANNY” HAD DIED IN TAMPA FROM OLD AGE, SHE WAS 74 YEARS OLD.

MY DAD WENT OVER TO GITMO  FIRST AND A FEW MONTHS LATER WE FLEW OVER. WE LANDED AT LEWARD AIRPORT THEN TOOK A FERRY TO THE MAIN LAND.  ADMIRAL BUCKLEY WAS THE COMANDER OF THE BASE AT THAT TIME , ADMIRAL BUCKLEY WAS JFK COMMANDING OFFICER,  BACK THEN  JFK WAS A  LT. ON THE “ PT BOATS “

OUR TEMPORARY HOUSING WAS COMPLETELY FURNISHED WITH EVERYTHING WE NEEDED EXCEPT OUR CLOTHING, IT WASN’T LONG UNTIL I TURNED 10 AND ON MY BIRTHDAY MY MOM MADE ME A CORSAGE WITH DENTINE GUM HANGING FROM RIBBON. MY MOM IS VERY TALENTED SHE CAN MAKE  MANY THINGS WITH HER IMAGINATION, SHE WAS ALWAYS AHEAD OF HER TIME,  I WORE BELL-BOTTOMS JEANS BEFORE THEY WERE  EVEN POPULAR BECAUSE SHE WORE THEM , SO I WORE THEM.

AFTER SOME MONTHS  IN TEMPORARY HOUSING OUR FURNITURE ARRIVED IN THESE BIG WOODEN CRATES AND WE MOVED INTO A PERMANET HOUSING AREA  CALLED “NOB HILL”, THIS HOUSING WAS THE FURTHEST AREA AWAY FROM ANYTHING ON THE BASE AND THE CLOSEST TO THE NORTH EAST GATE WHICH MEANT CASTRO WAS ON THE OTHER SIDE.  THE U.S. MARINES GUARD THIS GATE AND THE FENCE-LINE. WE WERE SURROUNDED BY “DUG-OUTS” AND LAND MINDS (DON’T WORRY THE MIND FIELDS HAD SIGNS POSTED), WE PLAYED IN THE SALT-FLATS AND WOULD FIND THE STRANGEST CRITTERS AND THE BIGEST LAND CRABS YOUL’LL EVER SEE. I USE TO CATCH THEM AND STUFF THEM UNDER MY PLAY HOUSE FOR SAFE KEEPING.

THIS HOUSING AREA WAS ALSO THE CLOSEST TO THE DUMP AND AT NIGHT WE WOULD GO UPSTAIRS AND LOOK OUT OUR WINDOW AND WATCH THE FLAME THROWERS SET THE TRASH ON FIRE , WHAT A SIGHT!!! THAT WAS SOOO COOL FOR US LITTLE KIDS.   THE DUMP WAS ALSO A NEAT PLACE TO FIND THINGS, MY MOM AND DAD HAD COME ACROSS THIS BIG WOODEN PLAY HOUSE FROM ANOTHER FAMILY WHO WAS LEAVING THE ISLAND SO I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO ADOPT IT, IT WAS JUST LIKE A REAL HOUSE, I HAD WINDOWS AND MY MOM MAKE ME CURTAINS AND IT HAD A METAL SINK OUT OF AN AIRPLANE THAT WE FOUND AT THE DUMP!  I HAD ELECTRICITY SO I COULD PLAY MY RECORD PLAYER AND I LISTENED TO MY MOTHERS BEATLE RECORDS!!! THAT IS WHY TO THIS DAY I AM STILL A DIE-HARD BEATLE FAN, PAUL BEING MY FAVORITE!