The Isle Of Palms is the first place that I really remember and we lived there around 1950. It was connected to the mainland by a single bridge and is near Charleston, SC. My father, who was in the Navy, was stationed at a Naval Base nearby. Our house was the last house on the road to the dump before an undeveloped marshy area, and was just a couple of blocks from the beach. It was elevated enough that my 6’3″ father could easily walk underneath.
Charleston, SC
Before we moved to the Isle we lived in Charleston while my parents looked for a house. As both were busy my parents hired a nanny. While Claire and I were at a park with her, another little girl spit on Claire and somehow our nanny was in a fight with her nanny – defending Claire. The fight was intense enough that the police got involved; both nannies were arrested and all of us were taken to the police station. Parents were called and a couple of hours later Claire and I were released. I assume that our nanny was too, as she continued to take care of us for a few more weeks. All of this is hearsay as my only memory of the event is pushing the siren button in the police car.
Polio
I had polio just before we moved there, while we were visiting my mother’s parents in Vermont. I was very lucky: there was an iron lung waiting for me in town, but I never needed it. The lasting effects were stuttering, weak ankles, and the muscles that pull my legs forward go out of shape quickly – all minor effects.
When we moved to South Carolina I was looking forward to being active again. But I was weak – not just the polio – but also from rarely getting out of bed for weeks. So when I was in school I couldn’t go out to play at recess. As I was bored, I decided to sand my desk top smooth – removing the many names and comments. Some of my classmates did the same, but they didn’t have as much time to devote to it. During the first year, I wasn’t strong enough to go the full day. So I’d tell the teacher that I was tired and was going home. I’d begin to walk there, and was picked up by the same nice man every day – years later I learned that he was the truant officer, doing some extra duty.
Nearby
As we lived so close to the beach we were there frequently. The swimming helped me become stronger and I became accustomed to the usual undertow; I learned to swim slowly towards the beach and not be concerned as it carried me down the beach. The nearby woods and swamp were a big attraction. We walked all though them and brought treasures home. One was a large chunk of something that I was convinced was a meteorite, I put it in my shirt to carry it and showed it to my parents – who were most concerned with the damage to my shirt. I still wonder if it was a meteorite, and read articles about those found with interest.
But the dump was the biggest attraction. Naturally, I was forbidden to go there and, naturally, I went. We looked through the piles for treasures and sneaked them home.
Language
This was before television and regional accents were stronger than today. My father was from Massachusetts, and had a pronounced accent (think twice JFK’s). The locals couldn’t understand him and he couldn’t understand them. In the family, my mother could translate as she had lived in the South while she was growing up. I presume there was someone at work to translate for him there.
When I was eight my father was transferred to Washington, DC and we lived in Falls Church, VA. And finally, the somewhat southern accent I’d learned fit right in.
April 9, 2020; April 24, 2020 added Charleston, SC section