OLD HAUNTS (PART EIGHT)

I RETURNED TO MY HOME ON ROSEMARY AFTER MY TRIP TO MARK KEPPEL SCHOOL.  I FELT REGENERATED, IN FACT, I BECAME AWARE THAT THERE WERE OTHER GROWING PASSIONS ABOUT RETURNS, THAT WERE RUNNING STRONG COMPETITION WITH WHAT I WAS SUPPOSED TO BE THERE FOR.  PERHAPS, THIS WAS GOD'S PLAN.  I FIND MYSELF ROBBING MYSELF OF SLEEP DUE TO A RACING MIND.  I HAD A PLAN, MY PARENTS WENT TO A NUMBER OF CHURCHES, AND I BECAME ACQUAINTED WITH A NUMBER OF MY PARENT'S FRIENDS AS WELL AS THEIR CHILDREN.  BUT, THE EMERGING MOUNT EVEREST IN MY THOUGHTS WAS OF ONE BONNIE WILLIAMS.   WE MOVED TO A SECTION OF GLENDALE KNOWN AS SPARR HEIGHTS.  WE LIVED AT 3509 ROSEMARY...THE STREET WHERE I NOW LIVE..FOR AWHILE!   I WENT TO A CLARK JR HIGH WHICH WAS ABOUT FOUR MILES UP THE HILL.  I WAS IN A TRANSITION PERIOD FROM CHILDHOOD TO ADOLESENCE.  I WAS NOT TAUGHT ABOUT PUBERTY AS KIDS ARE NOW. I KNEW NOTHING ABOUT IT.  I DID NOTICE SOME STRANGE CURLY HAIRS GROWING DOWN THERE,  I WONDERED IF I HAD CANCER.  I TOLD MY MOM ABOUT IT AND SHE TOLD ME TO TELL MY FATHER.  MY WORD, HE HAD ADVANCED CANCER..HE HAD A FOREST DOWN THERE.  THERE WAS A GIRL AT CLARK WHO MESMORIZED ME...SHE WAS TOO CUTE TO BE LEGAL.   HER NAME WAS BONNIE WILLIAMS AND I FOUND OUT WHERE SHE LIVED.  ONE NIGHT, I HAD ALREADY GONE TO BED, BUT I WAS THINKING ABOUT BONNIE....I DRESSED AND PEDALED MY BIKE UP TO HER HOUSE...I JUST WANTED TO BE NEAR HER, BUT NOT CLOSE, I STOPPED AND JUST SAT ON MY BIKE AWAYS FROM HER HOUSE...AS FATE WOULD HAVE IT, SHE WAS OUT ON THE SIDEWALK AND SAW ME..."BOB"...SHE CAME RUNNING. I WAS SO EMBARRASSED AT BEING CAUGHT....SHOWING ALL THE SYMPTOMS OF CANCER, THAT I MANUFACTURED A DEFENSE MECHANISM....I SAID  "I BET YOU THINK I CAME UP HERE TO SEE YOU."  SHE HUNG HER HEAD AND WALKED AWAY..CRUSHED.   I NEVER SAW HER AGAIN.  I ASKED MISS HALL, THE V.P. OF CLARK WHAT HAPPENED TO BONNIE WILLIAMS.....SHE RAISED HER EYEBROWS AND SIMPLY SAID  "YOUNGSTOWN, OHIO"   I RECALL JIMMY DURANTE AND HIS TROUPE STOPPED IN CALABASH, N.C.   THEY ATE AT A RESTAURANT AND WERE WAITED ON BY A WAITRESS WHO SO IMPACTED MR. DURANTE....THAT HE CLOSED HIS PROGRAM BY SAYING:  :GOOD NIGHT, MISS CALABASH, WHEREVER YOU ARE"  FEW KNOW THIS STORY,   SO...GOOD NIGHT BONNIE WILLIAMS WHEREVER YOU ARE....YES, I CAME UP TO SEE YOU.  TOMORROW, I AM GOING TO MONTROSE BAPTIST CHURCH TO SEE .....OTHERS....MY FOLKS WENT (GO) THERE....(TO BE CONTINUED)