Sad Sight

I recently saw something that made me very sad. And homesick. Longing for the "good old days". What I saw was a sign advertising an insurance office. It now stands in what was my grandparents' front yard in central Texas. This sign is planted right around where 1st base used to be. You see, my brother, cousins, dad, uncles, aunt and I played many, many baseball games in that front yard. We also played touch football and "Country Jay" a baseball inspired game that my dad and his siblings invented when they were children. As a matter of fact, as the years went on, my beloved, my cousin's spouses and eventually my children all played their share of baseball in that yard. That yard was perfect for baseball and football. Wide, deep and flat. First base and home plate were usually whatever we found lying around (a piece of wood, old seat cushion, etc.) placed where 1st base and home plate should be. Second base was the pole that held up the martin house (bird house) that my dad made for Granny. Third base were the cement steps that led up to the front porch. Now this blasted sign is right where 1st base should be. Sadness.

My grandparents were farmers. Their home was surrounded by fields that my grandpa cultivated. Corn, black-eyed peas, oats, wheat, maize, all crops he grew. Field corn and sweet corn were always planted in the field east of the house and black-eyed peas in the field to the west. Depending on the time of year, oats or wheat would most likely be planted behind the house. Now there are homes being built on all sides of the little house. Housing developments as far as the eye can see. This makes me very sad . . . homesick for my childhood, my grandparents and open spaces. I don't think I'll drive by there again.