...you learn that you went to Junior High School with..
SANTA CLAUS!
Santa posing as a 9th grader in Mr. Edelman's class at Piedmont Junior High School
(last row third from right)
 |
| Enlarged image of Santa disguised as Johnny Melton |
The Rest of the Story (Thank you Paul Harvey)
What a surprise to get that email from Johnny Melton, a kid I hadn't seen since the 9th grade!
We were not only "homeroom mates" (in Mr. Edelman's class) but we had both been original members of the Charlotte Boys Choir, which met and rehearsed every Saturday at the CHS music room...and paid us a quarter each week! (The late Don Harris was the soloist with that choir.) That gig ended after the 6th grade when our voices changed but our friendship continued as we faced the trials and tribulations of Junior High School.
Johnny and I had a lot in common. Mainly, as I remember it, we were BOTH smitten with Shirlene McGill!
After the Piedmont days, Johnny's family moved across town and he spent his high school days at Harding instead of Central.
And that's the last I knew of my friend......until that email.
John is 78 now, retired after 30 years in the military, living in Panama City Beach, Florida,
and in great health. He married a lovely girl from Mt. Kisco, NY when he was 22 (after being in the Army for 5 years). Assigned for a few years in Washington where their son was born 3 years later. His daughter was born 2 years after that in Frankfurt Germany.
John says,
" THE US GOV WAS
GOOD FOR ME MADE A MAN OF ME AIRBORNE RANGER
SPECIAL FORCES RETIRED FROM THE NSA I QUIT
RUNNING 7 YEARS AGO STILL CAN LIFT MY OWN
WEIGHT NOT MARRIED WIDOWED NEVER
REMARRIED BY THE WAY ALONG THE WAY HAVE
BACHELORS DEGREES IN COMPUTER ENGINEERING, MILITARY
SCIENCE WAR PYSCH AND A COMMISSION
SO I THINK I DID WELL BEEN
AROUND THE WORLD 4 TIMES FLEW PLANES SEEN A LOT OF THE WORLD
SPENT 4 TOURS IN VIET NAM CAME AWAY
WITH SCARS BUT SANE " |
| John in Korea on motorcycle at right |
(Great hearing from you Johnny! It's too bad we didn't save those quarters we got from the Boys Choir. They contained real silver. If we had, we'd probably both been able to take another trip around the world. -Ed)
