When 1976 rolled around, Gerald Ford was president, the United States turned the ripe old age of 200 and my parents welcomed a bouncing baby boy.

I wasn’t around for the official USA birthday party that year, but I showed up three weeks later.  It was a Monday evening, and I came screaming into the world via C-section.  My mom’s first words when she saw me were, “He’s so red.”  Then she fell back asleep.  I’ve been a ball of excitement ever since.

I wish I could tell you I remember Jimmy Carter being elected president on November 2 that year, and I wish I could tell you I remember my first Christmas.  But you know that whole memory thing is tricky when you’re only five-months-old.  I do know I was given a stuffed “Casper the Ghost” doll for Christmas, and I still have it.

Some pretty big movies came out my birth year: Rocky, Taxi Driver, Network, All the President’s Men. I’ve seen Rocky, but none of the others.  I really should since I love movies so much.

Mom worked at The American Bank in Geneva, AL, and Dad was a corporal with the Alabama State Troopers.  We lived in Coffee Springs and owned a St. Bernard.  At least, I think we did when I was born.  They may have owned him only beforehand.  In any case, I’m sure you can imagine a big hairy dog like that living in the hot climate of UCLA.  For those not in the know, UCLA stands for the “Unknown Corner of Lower Alabama,”  the southeastern region of the state.

I know we had an old white and black bulldog named Butch.  Mom still has a replica of him she made in a ceramics class.  It’s a very nice likeness of him, and it makes me miss him even though I don’t have too many memories with him.  I’ll save one memory in particular for 1979 or 1980.

We lived on a “farm,” if you will.  Dad had not yet planted Christmas trees, and we had a barn with cows.  It wasn’t a true farm, but it was close enough.  There were small fields with some crops being grown, and you couldn’t see your neighbor’s house down the road.

I don’t remember anything from 1976, so I’ll close this entry.  I’ll add more to it after I talk to Mom and Dad to get some of their memories.  Up next: 1977 …

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