Among the many gifts that my parents gave to me, perhaps one of the most beneficial was my upbringing in the small town of Haven, KS. During my growing up years, from 1963-1976, that little community probably had no more than 1,100 inhabitants at any given time. But that unique "band" of people stuck together throughout a lot of memorable and sometimes difficult times.
It was a town where you were "everybody's kid" in every sense of the word. As my little sister Cindy and I walked to school each day, you could always count on some sweet little neighbor lady on the corner to greet you each morning with a friendly "Hello girls!" And that same sweet little old lady would be the first to tell you to get a "move on" or we'd be late getting to school.
Wisely, we both generally did just that because if we didn't, our parents would know about it before we even made it to school in the first place! So, I'm only 40 years late in saying it but, "Thank you for loving us enough to watch out for us Mrs. ________. " (fill in the blank with the name of any sweet, little old lady who ever watched out for YOU as a kid!
Sometimes I looked at that particular little old lady as a "prototype" for Samantha and Darin Steven's neighbor, Gladys Kravitz on the popular TV show of the day, "Bewitched". Now as I've had a chance to reach a different level of maturity, I realize just how much she did care about us and watched out for our well-being.
Haven was the kind of place where my mom found it quite challenging to get any exercise. Mom never learned to drive so she got to wherever it was that she might need to go, by foot. She loved walking and felt like it was the best form of physical activity that she could get. Often she would make the journey from our restaurant at the edge of Haven to the downtown area, only a couple of blocks away.
One time I remember her coming back with a look of exasperation on her face. I asked what happened and I will never forget her reply... "People keep stopping me on the street and asking me if I want a ride somewhere. I keep telling them that I like to walk but it didn't work! Look who brought me back!" As I peered out the door I saw dear Esther Bogner backing out of the driveway and heading back to work at Haven Electric. Only in Haven could you have such a problem! :)
And I would be more than remiss if I didn't mention the outpouring of love and concern Haven people exhibited when my parents' home burned to the ground on Christmas Eve of 1976. The people of that little town came out in 'droves', just minutes after the fire completely gutted their home. Postmaster Raleigh May was at the back door of the restaurant and handed my folks $100, just like that. And he was ONLY the beginning.
For days and weeks after that, my family was the recipient of assistance from some of the dearest, most humble people that we had ever known. If a fire can be a blessing, well, then I know we were most blessed to learn just how many people loved us there. They were more than willing to give of themselves in order that our life could get back to "normal" again. The Scott family learned what "human kindness" was all about that Christmas.
I met a whole lot of people growing up there in Haven and went to school with many of the same kids from grade school on to high school. It was a delight to get to catch up with one of them this morning. 39 years and the miles between Denver, Colorado and Hutchinson, Kansas could not separate my good friend, Annetta Grandon and I any longer.
Thank you Annetta for helping me work on #6 of the "Miller Bucket List". I can't even imagine what some of the folks at IHOP must have been thinking when they heard us talking back and forth over breakfast. What great conversation..... I think the mark of a very true friendship is being able to pick up right where we left off in 1972 without any problems! And if not for Facebook, we might not have reconnected.
The 2 young ladies shown below had no earthly clue what would be waiting for them in the years ahead. But as we ate breakfast this morning together we had the chance to reminisce over that life so long ago. Both of us agreed that we would like to return for a brief moment to those wonderful "days of yore".
Haven, Kansas was the setting of our "simple lives" and both Annetta and I feel most blessed by the experience. It was a wonderful place then.....it is a wonderful place, still today.
Peggy Scott, class of 1973
Annetta Grandon, class of 1972
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