Right before Christmas in 1959 when we lived in Maine, my dad had to fly to Vernon, Texas. I don't remember anything except that he said he had to go to Vernon for a few days and asked if I wanted to go with him. Of course I did! To get to see Grandma and Grandpa King, be at the farm, and fly? Of course I did! We left about a week before Christmas I think and we flew from Logan Airport in Boston. There was some snow on the ground, but it was very clear out and the whole way when we would fly over a city, we could see Christmas lights. As we left Boston and again when we approached Dallas, we could see the Christmas lights and decorations. It was just beautiful. I remember we had a really good meal, though I don't remember what it was.
Then we drove from Dallas to Vernon during the night. I went to sleep in the car ,but I remember looking at the back of Grandpa King's neck, and was amazed at how it was so crisscrossed with wrinkles, making a diamond pattern. We were in his Buick of course.
I remember having such a sense of wellbeing. The car was warm, and the motion of the car and the sound of my dad and granddad talking, knowing I was going home to the farm… I was happy.
I went to bed as soon as we got to the farm, but I could hear my dad and grandparents in the kitchen, still talking and talking. Every time I woke up during the night, they were still talking. The next day I spent wandering around the farm while my dad spent the day with his brother Bill.
Then early the next morning, around 3 or 4 am, they woke me up and said it was time to get ready. I still can feel the heat from the gas wall heaters they had, and the smell of coffee, and Grandma King's toast made under the broiler with butter and then covered with grape jelly. The radio was playing, 'KNIN channel 99 - K-9", playing hillbilly music. Then Grandpa King loaded us up in the Buick and drove us to Love Field in Dallas. I slept most of the time in the back seat.
Once again it was clear, but this time it was daylight. The highlight of the trip was when I looked out the window and saw a jet fighter not too far from us. I was ecstatic! It was higher and faster and was soon gone, but I had never seen anything like it, before or since. We got back to Logan, where my mother and sister were waiting, then we spent the night with my aunt Audrey, uncle Abbey, and cousins Paul and Douglas. Once again, the grownups seemed to talk all night. I found out later that my Uncle Bill had been in some trouble (again) and his parents had begged my dad to come and talk to him and see if he could help him. I don't know how it worked out, it was never talked about.
I missed one day of school after we got back because I was so tired and homesick for Texas. It was very odd to have only been there for one day.