Meadowbrook burns

A high school friend sent me an article from the Boston Globe of the Meadowbrook Golf Club on fire. Another sent me a photo and news article of the burned building. I'm grateful to both of them for the information.

A piece of my childhood went up in smoke. As a kid I was forced to take golf lessons there.

I remember Family Night suppers where kids were allowed. Every family brought something. There were a lot of good cooks. 

In the basement, the lower right hand corner of the building we would congregate away from the adults. Almost every time Andy Bellevue would spell antidisestablishment and Mississippi before some parent would set up the movie camera with cartoons.

My friend Rosemary and I would often play canasta in the club house when our parents were out on the course. We listened to 45s including Stan Freeberg and the new Rock and Roll stars, Bill Haley then Elvis. We brought the records from home. Sometimes we would putt on the putting green.

My retired Uncle Alley worked in the proshop. My mother helped him get the job because he hated the boredom of retirement. He still charged us for candy and soft drinks.

My future burned too. Rick 2 and I were slated to play golf there in September when I went "home" to Reading for my high school reunion. It was all arranged along with my thank yous for doing it. Rick is an avid golfer and he thought it would be cool to play where I had played. I thought it would cool to where I played and tobogganed.

I am sure they'll rebuild. The course is still there. 

So many of my childhood buildings have disappeared including schools, the house I grew up in, farms near my home. 

Time matches on, sometimes through ashes.