The odd ones

Every year without fail from about 4 yrs old until 10 a man named Dogan, just one name would come and stay with us for a day up to a week.  I asked dad if Dogan was a bum.  Dad said, "No son, Dogan is what is called a wayfaring man. He will give you mama something when he leaves.

 Your mom and I were wayfarers once.  Wayfaring people are folks that work their way across country or around the world.  Wayfarers were generated in our life time by the Great Depression.  Your mama and I had to look for work when everything went sour, out peanut farm turned to red dust and we heard of government work in Florida.  We packed everything we had, took your older brothers and headed south. We would spend the night with farmers when we could. Mostly slept in the barn. I cut firewood and we gave them fifty cents. The overnight usually included eggs and hoover gravy for breakfast. O‘course mama would not leave without washing dishes."

 (MAma would have loved these conveniences)

I was probably in the second grade at the time because we lived in Burlington, NC. I learned that Dogan sold pins and needles and some thread to finance his life.  People still used a lot of pins and needles in the 1940's. I remember thinking Pins and needles don't take much room in his suit case, which is pretty smart.  

I remember hearing the song "My Heart Goes Where the Wild Goose Goes," by Franky Lane, during those few years we were in Burlington.   I still believe Dogan and Frankie added the wanderlust to my blood.

This must be a yearly thing with me, I mentioned Frankie lane once in 2014 and 2015. Either that or I am slap happy! (The latter is most likely)

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