"Doug"

Anthony & Craig at Craig's house

Oak Tree in Craig's Yard

Anthony, Megan, & Craig at Mama's House


Beth, Megan, & Luke (white spotted pit bull)




Trailer Park



Craig's House

Side View of Craig's House (Acorns Galore!)

Caleb at Craig's House

While I was in NC, one visit took me totally by surprize. As I drove my mother to the nursing home to see her friend, Clyde, the drive from her house to the home, took me through my "old neighborhood". We passed over the railroad tracks which I crossed over as a very young child, hearing the train blowing the whistle nightly as it was at the end of street where we lived as a family, yet, this time crossing over was the other end. We then drove by the first house I moved into with my new husband, Doug, when I was 16. It was a little white, one bedroom house which his parents gave us. We then drove on through to Maple Lane, where on the corner, was the gigantic maple tree which I use to climb as a child. Then, Hilltop Street, the street I lived for 15 years of my life. The next street over was Southview Street. This is where the nursing home is located. This is also where my childhood friends lived. Debbie S., Debbie L., Rosemary, and Nelson G. Memories of playing softball, kick ball, & roller bat, on that street lit up. My friend Wanda, who lived up the street from me, and myself, found a path through the woods to get to that street to play with our friends. As I was driving slowly down the street, looking at all the houses, my mom told me, "this is the house where Doug and Carol live". I said, "oh, let's stop and say hello". We did. We were both welcomed with open arms.

This is the man who terribly abused me when we were married. People change. He married Carol shortly after our divorce. They had a son together, Jonathon. Jonathon and his new wife live right down the street from Craig. Jonathon has been very good to my grandchildren. My son, Craig, and his two children attended Jonathon's wedding. Doug got out the wedding album and Carol sat down at the table and showed me the pictures. Carol works at the cemetery where my father is buried. Her and Doug both attended my father's funeral. Shortly after, they gave us a tour of their home. Inside and out. As we were leaving, Doug walked us out and I said to him, "didn't Nelson G. live in that house up there (pointing)"? Doug said, "yea, as a matter of fact, he has moved back into that house recently, oh, wait, there he is, Nelson, come here, I want you to see somebody". Sure enough, it was Nelson. We haven't seen one another in at least 36 years. Amazing. He told me his mother just moved out of the house and gave him her house. What I found amusing was how Doug introduced me to Nelson, "remember Holly, my ex-wife". We hugged our goodbyes. Maturity really does set in and it feels damn good!

Later on during my visit, I drove to my son's, Craig, new home. Being that him and his wife are separated, he is renting a house now. The story of me and Doug. We separated 4 months after being married. I moved back into my parent's home. 6 weeks later, I found out I was pregnant. Doug moved in with me and my parents. A few months later, we moved into a trailer. The house which my son moved into, is situated upon that same trailer park.

We moved from that rented trailer before Craig was born and bought our own trailer. I left that trailer in 1974 when Craig was 8 months old. He didn't see his father again until he was 9 years old. I had made contact with Doug's sister, whom I helped get a job where I was working at Western Carolina Center, a facility for the retarded. I inquired as to if she and her parents wanted to meet their grandson. Shortly thereafter, Carol showed up at my house wanting to know if I wanted Doug back. I could only laugh! It was like, "Nooooooooooooo". We connected, but only at a safe distance. It was shortly after that I met my 3rd husband and we moved here to Nashville. It has only been since Craig got married that he got to know his biological father.

What's really interesting is that my 3rd husband could not understand why Craig's father didn't have anything to do with him. He was constantly putting him down. Interesting because, now, today, my 3rd ex-husband is doing exactly the same thing. My daughter still has only seen her father twice this year. My son will go visit, the stepmom leaves. Yes, life can be interesting.

I couldn't stay inside Craig's new home for very long. It reminded me of days of darkness, a place of transition, a place to visit, not to live. Funny, Doug told me he wanted to sell his home and move into a shack into the woods. Carol whispered to me, "no, I want to stay where I am." Me, myself, personally, much prefer the outdoors, the breath of fresh air, nature itself breathing. Do not care for dark, closed up secrets. Life is to be lived in the light. Shining that light onto the darkness so one can begin to see again. Yea, life is good!