Ross was a very nice guy. But he was a bit of a "rounder" as I remember him. Let's just say his prom date would more likely be Stockard Channing than Olivia Newto-John if you know what I mean.
I remember walking in on him and few of his friends while they were sneaking a smoke in one of the bathrooms. They gave me a bit of the old "fish eye". But I happened to know one of the guys a bit from gym class and we struck up a conversation.
After a while Ross chimed in "Hey, your not a bad guy. I had you pegged as one of those 'socs' (short for socialites) cause you have your shirt buttoned all the way to the top."
I quipped something like "You don't have to be an ass...e to botton your shirt all the way up." We became friends on the spot.
Ross had the dubious honor of giving me my first whole cigarette.. I took up smoking steady when I went in the army after graduation. But I never blamed Ross. I guess I must have had a bit of the rounder in me as well.
***** I think I'd better add here what I mean by "rounder". After looking up some of the definitions online, I'd have to say that the Ross I knew definately doesn't fit into some of those categories.
I mean it in the sense that he sometimes moved in circles that I wasn't involved with before meeting him.
Rounder is often used to describe someone who "gets around" as it were. It means to me someone who isn't new to the game. It could be used of someone who knows their way around a card table for instance. Or perhaps one who knows the best party spots in town. In this case it would be knowing and introducing me to kind of guys who smoked in the bathroom - a different - a little wilder - crowd than I was used to. Some of those folks became very good friends. Rather than them being bad people - I found out that they were simply guys who weren't afraid to be their own person.
Ross was a good friend and I would never disparage his memory in any way.
Ross and I lived in "rural" Bellevue when we were young. There wasn't a chance to have many friends close by, but we had each other! We went all the way through school together, from kindergarten on. My best memories are when we attended Factoria elementary school, the wonderful old brick building with the squeaky wood floors. We played together at recess, we laughed and giggled. Some of the sweetest memories of my life.
We drifted apart as we grew older and were able to meet other people and make new friends. We never dated as our relationship was more like brother & sister.
I cannot agree with Marvin's description of Ross as a rounder. Had to look that one up. Did he smoke, party and date a lot? Sure, but so did I. In fact if I had known he was sneaking cigarettes in the bathroom, I would have joined him!
I wish everyone could have the precious memories of innocent times spent with Ross. Thanks for the memories my dear friend.
Marvin Knox
Ross was a very nice guy. But he was a bit of a "rounder" as I remember him. Let's just say his prom date would more likely be Stockard Channing than Olivia Newto-John if you know what I mean.
I remember walking in on him and few of his friends while they were sneaking a smoke in one of the bathrooms. They gave me a bit of the old "fish eye". But I happened to know one of the guys a bit from gym class and we struck up a conversation.
After a while Ross chimed in "Hey, your not a bad guy. I had you pegged as one of those 'socs' (short for socialites) cause you have your shirt buttoned all the way to the top."
I quipped something like "You don't have to be an ass...e to botton your shirt all the way up." We became friends on the spot.
Ross had the dubious honor of giving me my first whole cigarette.. I took up smoking steady when I went in the army after graduation. But I never blamed Ross. I guess I must have had a bit of the rounder in me as well.
***** I think I'd better add here what I mean by "rounder". After looking up some of the definitions online, I'd have to say that the Ross I knew definately doesn't fit into some of those categories.
I mean it in the sense that he sometimes moved in circles that I wasn't involved with before meeting him.
Rounder is often used to describe someone who "gets around" as it were. It means to me someone who isn't new to the game. It could be used of someone who knows their way around a card table for instance. Or perhaps one who knows the best party spots in town. In this case it would be knowing and introducing me to kind of guys who smoked in the bathroom - a different - a little wilder - crowd than I was used to. Some of those folks became very good friends. Rather than them being bad people - I found out that they were simply guys who weren't afraid to be their own person.
Ross was a good friend and I would never disparage his memory in any way.
Judith Noble (Pheigh)
Ross and I lived in "rural" Bellevue when we were young. There wasn't a chance to have many friends close by, but we had each other! We went all the way through school together, from kindergarten on. My best memories are when we attended Factoria elementary school, the wonderful old brick building with the squeaky wood floors. We played together at recess, we laughed and giggled. Some of the sweetest memories of my life.
We drifted apart as we grew older and were able to meet other people and make new friends. We never dated as our relationship was more like brother & sister.
I cannot agree with Marvin's description of Ross as a rounder. Had to look that one up. Did he smoke, party and date a lot? Sure, but so did I. In fact if I had known he was sneaking cigarettes in the bathroom, I would have joined him!
I wish everyone could have the precious memories of innocent times spent with Ross. Thanks for the memories my dear friend.