Stories
Wind Creek
After our first year at Woodlawn and the demise of my freshman romance with Cathy, Carey, his family, and I went to Wind Creek State Park. We set up two big tents under the pines on the West side of a slough.
In those days, a footbridge crossed this slough, a shortcut to the general store and down the point to the pavilion. People had carved their names into the bridge rails for years. The store had Yoohoos, my favorite drink at fourteen. The pavilion was a two-story tower with a large platform at the bottom. It was a hangout for teens when Cary and I were there. The platform had a jukebox so guests could dance there after dark. The tower was for romance.
Carey and I met two girls there on the first day. Yvonne and Tootie were camping with Yvonne's parents. They went to Mortimer-Jordan High School. The four of us became inseparable for the rest of the week. We spent the whole day swimming, floating, jumping off the bridge, and eating whatever Mrs. Williams and Mrs. Martin made.
We went to the pavilion with the other teens to dance every night. Yvonne and I hit it off pretty well. Carey and Tootie did, too.
Sometime during the week, my brother's girlfriend, Linda Anderson, drove out to find me. She wanted to tell me, in person, that she and Jim had broken up before I heard it from someone else. We walked around and talked a bit, which pissed Yvonne off.
I had much to explain when Linda left. Yvonne wanted to know if Linda was my girlfriend, why I was so sad, and why she had come to the park. I explained - Linda is like a sister to me. I thought she would be my sister-in-law. My brother is a dumbass.
My Finding Linda Story
Yvonne had a cute little sister, Kit. She begged to go with us to the pavilion, but Yvonne and Tootie always said no. I felt sorry for her.
She was on the bridge the afternoon I carved my name and Yvonne's into the handrails. She said she wished someone would carve her name on the bridge one day. That night, I snuck out of the tent and carved KIT in large letters close to her sister's name.
I showed her the morning before we all left the park. Kit was delighted but Yvonne was not.
Carey and I saw Yvonne and Tootie again at the movie Wait Until Dark during the school year. They sat with us, but it wasn't the same. We never saw them again.
Not long ago, I discovered that the park has removed the footbridge. Too Bad. I would like to go there, camp, and see our names. Nothing lasts.
James Carey Martin passed away Saturday, 7 November 2020 in Alabaster.
