Verdeland Park homes

Layton

Verdeland Park

I remember living in Verdeland Park for a year or so; and went to kindergarten there. Hence, I must have been somewhere in the three-to-five-year range! I remember that the homes were joined at the back wall like the homes were in Washington terrace. There was a front step of approximately four wooden steps at the end of a short platform. Hence, we were a little higher in elevation at Verdeland Park. I remember playing in the beaten down dusty area existing betwixt the doors of each dwelling. Because the area between our home and our neighbors was fairly well used by us boys and our neighborhood friend - a girl (maybe two) our age, the area between our doorsteps was pretty well void of any type of grass. Nevertheless, her home had a fairly large tree at the corner of her house, which provided us shade in which to play between the door steps. I remember it not being uncommon to have a friend (like our neighbor) to simply approach the door and yell out (so it could be heard inside) if someone could come out and play. It went something like “Hello, can Ray or Jay come out to play?” I don't remember experiencing anything like unto it in the years that followed. 

We lived on Court H and our house faced eastward, so the sunlight of the morning hours wood stream through the eastward windows. The kitchen had eastward facing windows and was just off the living room. Dad was a Bishop's counselor there; and I was made aware of it one particular Sunday, as I asked where he was. I was informed by my mother that he was a counselor in the bishopric and was not always available to us. Now that I think about it, I don't remember ever sitting with him in sacrament meaning. Our backyard was bordered on either side by a picket fence.  I don't remember a closing to that picket fence because the area beyond the fences and between the houses that formed the U-shaped Court H was an open area where pretty much anybody could play. We had a dog there! It was a yellow short haired dog maybe 8” tall - probably a young puppy. Its name was Skippy; and I remember playing with him once or twice in the backyard. 

Of particular interest is a day when I spent most of it under our front door steps, eating gum that I had stolen from a local grocery store - an A&P store. I remember feeling quite guilty and new that I was indeed guilty. Nevertheless, this didn't seem to keep me from chewing all five sticks of the gum. I vaguely remember being caught (somehow [perhaps I confessed] by my mother) and was taken to confess to the store manager. But I don't remember that part very well. 

I remember having to be told to be quiet (or at least as quiet as we could) multiple times because the neighbors (sharing the conjoined back wall of our house) might hear us. We had to remain relatively quiet (for a child) while we were in the house. I remember playing in the back yard on one of the rickety old fences that defined our backyard. Against the house, we had a discarded old refrigerator. We children (Hugh, Jay and I – Rick was too young) were told to stay out of it. Within a day or two, we realized that its door lock had been removed. We children could no longer be in advertently enclosed within it. 

I remember it being a fairly significant event when young Rick, as he played inside the house, fell onto Dad’s transit box and hit his head against one of its corners. It was influential because we had to take Rick to the doctors. Because he’d require the attention of a doctor, this seemed to be one of the more rememberable events while we lived there. I believe it was around this time that Mom drove to Riverdale (near Ogden) to visit one of her friends from an earlier time in her life. That friend was named Thelma Lou, and we boys tended to play outside her home that day as mom and Thelma Lou visited. 

I remember spending several days in the bed that Jay and I shared inasmuch as each of us had contracted the chicken pox. Little red spots appeared on our entire bodies. The pox that appeared on our backs were the most irritable, itching horribly. Mom would come in and catch us scratching each other's backs and warn us (as best she could) that we could develop scars if we scratched too much. Nevertheless, Jay and I tended to ignore her warnings and stretched away after she left the room! 

It was here in that open play area between the houses that I had my first experience (and my only experience) with a cigarette. For some reason I was walking in that area near the road (It provided access to the Court) and happened upon a lit (smoking) cigarette that someone must have been thrown from a car as it passed by. It was about half used; and as I picked it up, I looked around to see if anyone was watching me - no one was. Therefore, I put it to my lips and took a very short drag (I’d seen others). The smoke filled my mouth and lungs, causing me to immediately cough repeatedly. I remember throwing away the cigarette and thinking to myself, “Why would anyone do that?” I was never again tempted in any way to participate in smoking! (The question remained with we thereafter – forever.) I’d seen the activity to be totally stupid! 

Somewhere during that time my brother, Reed was born. I remember being taken to the Dee hospital. We parked on an upward slanting sidewalk around the back of the building where we might be able to see the room where in my mother and Reed were. As we stood outside the car, Mom came out on her room’s balcony holding Reed. (It seemed to me that Reed had on some kind of little chef’s hat. And, I wondered why they would have a chef's hat on a little baby.) We were all excited to see Mom and Reed; waving excitedly. 

Verdeland Park layout

I remember going to the Layton city pool (as it was newly opened and was celebrating its opening). At one time during the celebration, they threw a great many pennies into the pool. We children were to search underwater to find the pennies and keep them. I thought this was great fun and enjoyed the experience. That pool was near what is now Layton’s Surf 'n Swim. 

I remember learning to ride a bike in Court H. It must have been in my later years (maybe 5) there that I learned to ride the bike. I remember because the bike was the larger of the two we had. (We had come into possession of two bikes. One being much larger than the other.) As it so happened my father helped me get on the larger bike (which I was a little bit afraid of) and ran alongside, supporting me and the bike. After I’d learned to balance the bike a little bit, (This seemed to take very little time) I was then pushed forward (on my own). This all took place on the pavement of Court H aside our home. From there (which seemed to be near one of the tops of the Court), I kept the bike balanced and cycling all the way around the U of the Court up to the top of other side. I was then confronted with whether or not I would venture onto the main thoroughfare containing many vehicles. I would have to either navigate a U-turn on the narrower Court H or traverse a significant portion of the thoroughfare. I had dreaded this situation all the while I was going around the Court by myself. As the decision, approached I decided to make a U-turn, attempting to complete the untried maneuver. Failing, I picked up the bike; and walked it back to my home, believing (not without reason) that I had learned how to ride a bike. This was a significant event to me; and I felt relatively pleased with myself! 

LDS Church on East Gentile

A particular event occurred in the East Gentile LDS Church where we went to primary. Jay, me and our cousin Nancy (who was our same age) attended Primary together there. As the opening exercises of Primary customarily proceeded, the President would produce a small model of what was intended to be a replica of the Primary Children's Hospital. At that point, the President would ask the congregation of children which of them had experienced a birthday in the preceding week. Those having done so would raise their hands and the President would call each ‘birthday child’ to come forward and submit their pennies (representing each year of their life) into the coin slot at the top of the model. As each child was brought forward where they would be recognized, they’d beam with childlike pride. This was a pretty big deal to a young child; and I was rather impressed by it. It was called "Primary Pennies". On one particular day, as this took place, the Primary officer called for anyone desiring to participate to raise their hand.  They’d then be called upon to come forward and entered their pennies. I must have misunderstood and raised my hand, indicating that I was qualified to go up to the front. As I was recognized and called forward, I was joined by several who had their hands up also. As I edged my way out of the bench in the back and into the aisle, my brother Jay chastised me for raising my hand. I didn't quite understand why he (and Nancy) were so agitated; and continued up the aisle toward the front. Looking back, as I progressed along the aisle my brother Jay and Nancy were beckoning me to come back. But I continued on seeming to ignore their requests. As I stood at the front awaiting my turn to enter the pennies, I realized I didn't have any. I remember the woman overseeing the penny drop questioning me where my pennies were.  She and I both seemed confused as she looked at Jay (in the back) and realized I’d become confused. Realizing my confusion, she gently directed me to return to where I had been sitting. As I approached the place where I had been sitting with Jay and Nancy, I realized that the entire event only took place when one had a birthday! And it became rather clear to me that either Jay would have to accompany me to drop our pennies or I was not qualified (us being twins)! it was at that moment when I became much more aware of the pressure that seemed to be placed on a person by their peers. I was rather chagrined (even as a young boy). It was then that I first realized that (on occasion) I would enter into a ‘mental stupor’, avoiding all input as I proceeded with a circumstance.  I would experience such a circumstance later following my mission.

 I remember going to Aunt Marzetta's home late one afternoon (I believe Aunt Marzetta lived in Court E) and observing my mother attempting to console my aunt. I came to understand that Aunt Marzetta's ex-husband (and the father of her children – Bob, Ted and Bonnie Cottle) had committed suicide as he consumed the alcohol available in canned heat. I did not understand the full consequences of what I was observing but recognized that both women we're pretty much inconsolable as Aunt Marzetta hugged my Mom and absorbed the full impact of losing the father of her children. Apparently, he’d not understood that the alcohol in canned heat was not consumable and had poisoned himself. Years later I was to comprehend that Nancy’s father had deceived my aunt and taken advantage of her. He’d married Aunt Marzetta and fathered Nancy while still being married to a woman in Missouri. Hence, Nancy’s last name was Dehning and she had nothing to do with her divorced father. I came to understand that Aunt Marzetta had endured a very difficult life even before I was born. Nancy was my favorite cousin; and she, Jay and I did many great things together. 

 As Jay and I approached the age of five, we we're presented with the necessity to register for and attend kindergarten there in Layton. As we were taken to the kindergarten one day by my mother, I appeared to be reluctant to leave her. The kindergarten teacher was very kind and recognized my unwillingness leave my mother. I had reviewed the room briefly prior to her attempted departure; and had seen a small turtle in a basin on a counter. I was quite taken by this turtle; and the teacher (in her attempts to persuade me) promised that I could receive the turtle for myself upon completing kindergarten. I agreed and commenced kindergarten with Jay and Nancy. I remember each day we'd have to take a time out, laying down on mats we’d brought from home. This took place mid-morning (because the entire day only lasted until noon) following our having consumed milk and Graham crackers. We did very little outside and were largely confined to the room itself. Behind the school where we went was an overgrown hollow (which is now called Kays Creek). Inasmuch as the hollow was unkempt and overgrown, we children were warned to stay out of there because there might be bad men in there. (Coincidentally, after kindergarten completed, I saw my teacher as the receptionist at a local business. I thought she was very pretty; and coming in contact with her [at her place of business], I was rather shy and failed to engage with her at the time.) As kindergarten came to a close, I reminded the teacher of her promise to relinquish the turtle to me. She subsequently gave me the turtle and its basin. I took them home and began to enjoy the turtle there. One particular day a few weeks later, I happened upon little Reed (who was less than two years old at the time). He was in the bathroom and had bitten the head off my turtle. I was rather upset at losing my turtle and somewhat upset that Reed had seen fit to eat it. After having retrieved the turtle body from Reed, I had him spit out that what he still had in his mouth. Only then did I become a little bit concerned about Reed. Remembering having seen him at the toilet with the turtle shell in his mouth has remained with me to this very day. It's a story I like to tell on Reed.