My gosh, the 1960s. Return with us now to those thrilling days of yesteryear!
I was born in 1947 and was hot into trains until about 1962 at which point the hormones really kicked in and I was hot for girls. Stopped putting the trains under the tree in 1963. Graduated High School in 1965 and College in 1969 and all during that time fully expected to be drafted and sent to Viet Nam as my home state of West Virginia with a small population always had trouble meeting its draft quota. Somehow I made it through until December of 1969 when I graduated college and by that time President Nixon had initiated the draft lottery and I drew an incredibly high number, 315, which kept me out of the draft. All during those college years, 1965-1969, my focus was on nothing else but study, study and more study. I never gave my trains a single thought. They had been packed away and as the old saying goes , "Out of sight , out of mind". I got married in 1972 and the trains suddenly re-emerged into my consciousness but we had a small apartment and no room for the trains. When my wife and I bought a home in September of 1974 the first thing I did was retrieve my trains and they were set up for Christmas that year. For the last 48 years they have been a constant presence in our home. I was always on edge a bit during the 1960s because I wanted to get my Bachelor's degree in the worst way before I had to go into the service and Uncle Sam seemed like he was always nipping at my heels so the trains faded into the background. However, I certainly can't say that the 60s were a dark time for me. The Animal House like fraternity I belonged to during those years provided me with more than enough highly unusual distractions. The nectar of the Gods flowed quite freely during that time. Yes, it was the best of times the worst of times.
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