I had the pleasure of seeing my old class mates at the Wylam friend and family reunion held in Hueytown Al. on Sunday, September 11 2011. This was the first time I had made this gathering of old friends, some from my childhood as I grew up in this small, quaint little town called Wylam.
There were also some very familiar faces, from when I grew while attending Wylam grammar school in the small town of Wylam, that sits just on the outskirts of western Birmingham.
So how long had it been since I last saw these people of long ago? Well, lets just say for many of them, its been well over 40 years! Did I recognize any of these old friends? Some I did. Some I did not.
After all, some people never change. Not in their character or their demeanor and lastly the most recognizable thing I had not seen for the first time in dozens of years…their face. Some faces had changed totally and if not for the name tags we all had on our shirts I would never have guessed who they actually were!
There were some people that unfortunately were not there, those that had deceased. Even provided for those that wondered, was a long list of names of some people I had known and some, I knew their names from Wylam’s circles. They will be missed…
There were even some old pictures of my small home town, Wylam, that really took me back, way back. My old school teachers and classmates were in some “Wylam grammar school pictures” that were displayed, going back for many years as well. Many of these old pictures had my older sisters and brother in them. What a laugh!
I even saw pictures and thought dearly of my old school teachers, faces I have not seen in 50 years now. Even a picture of my first grade teacher Mrs. Huple was there and J. L. Walker the school principle, that knew my backside very well.
There were some old pictures of the entire town of Wylam, some pictures that were taken before I was even born! A map showing all the streets and town buildings took my memory into high gear.
Grocery stores like Wylam A&P or Revere’s grocery or smaller stores like Pitts grocery right across the street from Wylam grammar school (boy did they sell a lot of candy!) and De johns grocery, located by Wylam park.
The old five & dime stores, Osborn’s hardware, the furniture store and corner drug store, the mercantile store, the post office, the library, and that new (back then) bank made out of marble, they built right in a square all its own right in down town Wylam!
I also saw the old Doctor Dietz’s office (my uncle), the pool hall, Mitchell Douglas gas and “full service” station, Wylam ice house and I could even see my childhood home located on Fifth Avenue.
Ahh the memories!
So until next year when we meet again for another, “Wylam reunion”, keep in mind my old childhood friends (like George, Jeff, Bruce and many others) to remember to redeem that Reed’s Guided Fishing Trip card I gave to each of you.
Give me a call or E-mail me, or maybe I’ll see you at the 2012 Birmingham Boat Show of January 2012, in my Reeds Guide Service booth.
I’ll be ready to go fishing any time and like on Sunday, September 11 of 2011 we can reminisce again on the “good old days of yesteryear.“
It was great to see all of you once again…
Thanks, your old friend
Reed Montgomery
