I grew up with Wanda (Mousey). Her brothers, especially Thomas, gave every one nick names. she was "mousey" because because she was always quiet but moved around all the time doing something to irritate her older brothers. They call me "Flea bites" because I had freckles. Later the name settled at "Fleas."
My Uncle Ed Henderson married her aunt, Floyce Roden; and my aunt Mary Louise Henderson married her uncle Clyde Roden. And since we all lived in the same area down on Old Leland Road, just passed the #9 canel, I was like an unwanted relative. Her brothers were very mean and tortured myself and my younger brother all the time. However, Wanda and I got along and played .together until she got older and began miixing with her girl friends, which was to be expected.
When we were 5 years old, our parents sent us to a "pre-school" that Susie P. Trigg elementary school had for 6 weeks during the summer. We caught a city bus in front of Fowler's Grocery on Old Leland Road, rode it to downtown Greenville, got out and waited for an exchange bus that took us down to Trigg, next to the levee.Going home, we had to do the opposite. Can you imagine any 5 year old kids doing that today? We were more mature when we were kids than kids are today.
Both our fathers worked as mechanics at Delta Implement Company which was next the ICRR at either Wasshington Avenue or Main (I don't recall but think it was on Washington Avenue. Since we got out of school at about eleven thirty A., M., Wanda wanted to go there, catch our fathers before they went home for lunch, and ,thus, avoid having to ride the bus. Wanda, by that time, didn't like me, due to the torment I had by her brothers, and would run very fast ahead of me, sometimes two or three blocks. She ran very fast, but I was sick with a kidney disease most of my young life, until I had a kidney removed at 14 years oldm and I could not keep up with her. I remember my chest hurting and crying because she let me. My crying caused her to run even faster to avoid being seen with me.
Durimg our high school yeas, Wanda never spoike to me at all, probably because she was mature and athletic while she remembered me being the opposite. I don't blame her. I could never gone to the Trigg preschool without Wanda by myside. She was rescourceful and never arraid to try anything. I hate that we were never friends when we got older, but I remember Mousey with fondness and a great sadness that she was not elected to mature into a pretty young woman to show us what she was really capable of doiing. Goodbye, Wanda. I hope to see you again one day.
Charles Henderson
I grew up with Wanda (Mousey). Her brothers, especially Thomas, gave every one nick names. she was "mousey" because because she was always quiet but moved around all the time doing something to irritate her older brothers. They call me "Flea bites" because I had freckles. Later the name settled at "Fleas."
My Uncle Ed Henderson married her aunt, Floyce Roden; and my aunt Mary Louise Henderson married her uncle Clyde Roden. And since we all lived in the same area down on Old Leland Road, just passed the #9 canel, I was like an unwanted relative. Her brothers were very mean and tortured myself and my younger brother all the time. However, Wanda and I got along and played .together until she got older and began miixing with her girl friends, which was to be expected.
When we were 5 years old, our parents sent us to a "pre-school" that Susie P. Trigg elementary school had for 6 weeks during the summer. We caught a city bus in front of Fowler's Grocery on Old Leland Road, rode it to downtown Greenville, got out and waited for an exchange bus that took us down to Trigg, next to the levee.Going home, we had to do the opposite. Can you imagine any 5 year old kids doing that today? We were more mature when we were kids than kids are today.
Both our fathers worked as mechanics at Delta Implement Company which was next the ICRR at either Wasshington Avenue or Main (I don't recall but think it was on Washington Avenue. Since we got out of school at about eleven thirty A., M., Wanda wanted to go there, catch our fathers before they went home for lunch, and ,thus, avoid having to ride the bus. Wanda, by that time, didn't like me, due to the torment I had by her brothers, and would run very fast ahead of me, sometimes two or three blocks. She ran very fast, but I was sick with a kidney disease most of my young life, until I had a kidney removed at 14 years oldm and I could not keep up with her. I remember my chest hurting and crying because she let me. My crying caused her to run even faster to avoid being seen with me.
Durimg our high school yeas, Wanda never spoike to me at all, probably because she was mature and athletic while she remembered me being the opposite. I don't blame her. I could never gone to the Trigg preschool without Wanda by myside. She was rescourceful and never arraid to try anything. I hate that we were never friends when we got older, but I remember Mousey with fondness and a great sadness that she was not elected to mature into a pretty young woman to show us what she was really capable of doiing. Goodbye, Wanda. I hope to see you again one day.