Today, I logged onto Facebook for the first time in a few weeks and read that a guy I went to elementary school with passed away leaving behind a wife and child. Now mind you I won't claim that we were BFF's or have been connected at the hip and that I'm grief stricken. In fact to be honest, sadly I have not spoken to him since probably 3rd grade. Regardless, my prayers go out to his family and it got me thinking about the hundreds of people that have stepped in and out of my twenty some years which then got me to think about the legacy of Island Rats. (On aside note, he was the kid who bought me the Aladdin VHS for my 9th birthday which I do actually still have to this day-can't beat a Disney classic).
Anyway, what so many people don't understand (my amazing boyfriend included who God love him has sat through countless hours of my Dad and Papaw's stories) is that growing up on The Island was an experience all of it's own-for those of you who don't know "The Island" refers to Wheeling Island, WV.
People on the Island were commonly referred to and often times self-titled "Island Rats" or "River Rats". This is a culture that has evolved, and has been passed down through the generations. Granted, my memories differ from those of my parents -both Rats-but no matter the age you still understand exactly what the other person means.
- You went to Madison School and sang Christmas carols on the main hall steps
- You know where The Point is
- You knew when you had to or not put your washing machine on blocks due to rising flood waters
- You bought penny candy at A&J's
- You went to The Downs before there were slot machines and people carding your for entrance
- You shopped at IGA
- You understood the difference between North end people and South end people
- You listened to the Friday night football game from your or your friends' porch
- You rode the Valley Voyager
I could go on for quite a few pages, but my point is that this person's passing reminded me that no matter where I am in life-socially, financially, geographically, up, down, left, right, sideways-there is an entire group of people spanning many generations who share a strange connection purely based on where they grew up.I'm not sure if everyone in the world can say that. So to conclude, sometimes it takes looking at another person's situation to make me realize how lucky I truly am. No matter if you think you have "made it" or not-once a Rat, always a Rat.
I challenge you to think of someone from your childhood who you have lost contact with, but made some type of impression on your life.
1 comment:
I could add a million more to your list:
On snow days, you didn't sleep in and stay inside, you were outside all day!
You WALKED to school or stood at the bus stop in all weather!
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