Number of posts : 10768 Registration date : 2008-01-26 Age : 85 Location : Germany
Subject: Unforgettable Characters Fri Dec 04, 2015 6:52 am
Was doing some reminiscing about characters from my childhood and told my wife about Coxy.
When I started school, we lived in a big house on the square in Rossville, PA. The house was owned by our Aunt Ruth. The house was actually for two families with a wooden porch around three sides of the house with large round wooden pillars. We lived on one side and then moved to the other side, switching back and forth I assume simply for the change. This house was at one time a Tavern with rooms for rent. When JEB Stuart was on his way to Gettysburg, he went up Route 74 on the way to Dillsburg and then through Wellsville. One of his Regiments stayed overnight at the Tavern. It is recorded as part of the history of York, County. We kids would visit our next-door neighbor. The man of the house was called; “Coxy” (Don’t remember his real name.). He sat daily on the porch swing and was a funny character who liked to entertain us. His wife was constantly trying to clean up his language and make a better man out of him, but it was a waste of time. He chain-smoked and that was just another reason that we were warned against associating with him especially with his bad language. however that made him more appealing to us. We sat on his porch and as he smoked and had his swing in motion, he would sing. He liked to sing: “The Old Gray Mare”. His version was a bit different. He sang: “The Old Gray Mare, she ain’t what she used to be, she Shit on the single-tree a hundred years ago….” When he said the word, “Shit” his wife would yell from the kitchen: “Coxy, Stop that!” We thought it funny and he laughed along with us. He would also sing some religious songs creating his own words that one might consider blasphemous. He enjoyed teasing us that way knowing how shocked we were considering how religious our family was. I think he also enjoyed taunting his wife.
Domenic Pappalardo Five Star Member
Number of posts : 2557 Registration date : 2009-04-27
Subject: Re: Unforgettable Characters Fri Dec 04, 2015 9:19 am
I love that story Abe. Coxy is the type character I love to write about...real people who don't take their life as the center of all things. You might think about writing a story about Coxy from a child's view...It might not sell, but sure would be fun to write, and to read.
Abe F. March Five Star Member
Number of posts : 10768 Registration date : 2008-01-26 Age : 85 Location : Germany
Subject: Re: Unforgettable Characters Fri Dec 04, 2015 10:08 am
Good idea, Domenic. In the meanwhile, I remembered his last name and it is Myers. Coxy Myers, an unforgettable character.
Shelagh Admin
Number of posts : 12662 Registration date : 2008-01-11 Location : UK
Subject: Re: Unforgettable Characters Fri Dec 04, 2015 11:55 am
I grew up in a detatched house with a large garden. Opposite stood a small bungalow owned by a lesbian couple. One of the women, Alice, dressed as a man. She wore her short hair slicked back, had a large nose, and wore men's clothes and men's shoes. She had a mobile, green grocery business delivering fresh fruit and vegetables to folks in the surrounding area. The men in the village called her "Dickie". I thought she was odd. Her Brylcreemed hair made her smell like a man, and her clothes and shoes made her manly, but she looked like a woman dressed as a man. Her hips were wide, her legs were short and despite chain smoking, she still sounded like a woman. Everyone in the village called her Alice to her face. Today, she might have wanted surgical intervention to make her more like a man. It wasn't available at the time, and didn't seem necessary. How times have changed.
Betty Fasig Five Star Member
Number of posts : 4334 Registration date : 2008-06-12 Age : 81 Location : Duette, Florida
Subject: Re: Unforgettable Characters Fri Dec 04, 2015 5:15 pm
In my high school days at the end of the 1950's and the early '60s, sexual topics were not discussed in public. In fact, most people never would say the word 'penis' and damned sure would not refer to a vagina. If some one got pregnant, they had to leave town to save the 'face' of the parents who thought they had raised a trollop or worse. When I think back on that and see what is now, this day, there is not much difference. Men get to poke it and spew but never take the responsibility. I know that is getting a little better but not so much. I knew people were gay, then. It did not matter to me. I am surprised that the people of today have such judging without knowledge. What does someones sexuality matter to YOU. You should be more concerned with the love they pour out than their orientations.
Love, Bettu
alice Five Star Member
Number of posts : 15672 Registration date : 2008-10-22 Age : 76 Location : Redmond, WA
Subject: Re: Unforgettable Characters Fri Dec 04, 2015 5:47 pm
My cousins, brothers, were gay. The never talked about it. Their nieces did not know it until it they grew up. Times have changed. One of them has died. The other is married..
Shelagh Admin
Number of posts : 12662 Registration date : 2008-01-11 Location : UK
Subject: Re: Unforgettable Characters Sat Dec 05, 2015 2:20 am
At the time, no prejudice was shown towards the lesbian couple. The doctor who visited the village rented the front room of their bungalow for his surgery. There was no waiting room; patients stood outside waiting to see the doctor.
Al Stevens Five Star Member
Number of posts : 1727 Registration date : 2010-05-11 Location : Florida
Subject: Re: Unforgettable Characters Sat Dec 05, 2015 4:19 am
A town full of unforgettable characters:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5KAZb6u8Pks
alice Five Star Member
Number of posts : 15672 Registration date : 2008-10-22 Age : 76 Location : Redmond, WA
Subject: Re: Unforgettable Characters Sat Dec 05, 2015 7:41 am
Al,
I love the music. Thanks.
Abe F. March Five Star Member
Number of posts : 10768 Registration date : 2008-01-26 Age : 85 Location : Germany
Subject: Re: Unforgettable Characters Sat Dec 05, 2015 9:44 am
Thanks Al.
Shelagh Admin
Number of posts : 12662 Registration date : 2008-01-11 Location : UK
Subject: Re: Unforgettable Characters Sat Dec 05, 2015 2:56 pm
Always look on the bright side of life:
Abe F. March Five Star Member
Number of posts : 10768 Registration date : 2008-01-26 Age : 85 Location : Germany
Subject: Re: Unforgettable Characters Sun Dec 06, 2015 12:39 am
One of my favorite songs, Shelagh. They were great.