Jan: A Discogrophy I

Oh if the night could speak. Jan and my history of mischievous behavior began early. Let me preface this by saying that early in my life I was a follower. When Jan or one of the older guys suggested some extra curricular event I didn't want to do it, really I didn't. I wasn't easily influenced but the prospect of blackmail or being called a pussy usually did the trick. God, I hope Mom never reads this. This is not a story but a list of historical events that will set the stage for later stories. A "I remember one time me and Jan went to..." type of thing. Sort of out of character for my writing style.

When ever my dad bought something cool like a riding lawn mower or my first motorcycle Howard, Jan's dad would buy the exact thing. We had the same Sears 16 hp lawnmowers and identical Suzuki 50 motorcycles. Our dads were neither friends nor foes so I never understood why this happened. Our dads did work at Mason - Dixon as did about one fourth of the subdivision. Most were Eastman people back then.

When Jan mowed his lawn it became a public spectacle. My Mom Barbara and Jolene Hilton, even me would watch. Like I said, our mowers were identical and for those of you who know mowers there was none faster than the Sears 16 hp. In fourth gear high range those things were like a go cart. I would slowly, carefully, methodically mow our grass knowing that if I missed a strip or scratched the machine then my ass would be proverbial grass. Not Jan, third gear high range, one hand on the wheel one hand holding on to his baseball cap, full speed ahead man. A half acre in thirty minutes.

When our dads would be working, Mason - Dixon was a trucking outfit and they were gone quite a bit, we would race down Oneida Court starting at the circle in front of J.W. Strickler's house. First we would start in neutral and coast down the hill for the first leg of the race. I usually won this part because I was heavier but when gravity had its say and we had to gear up it was no contest.

Jan lost his virginity at twelve. This one I will not go into. She was fifteen. I didn't believe him (of course he told me, we were 12 and 13 and male). To prove it he said "I'm going back tonight at ten o'clock. If you sit outside the window I will look out and then close the curtain when we are about to do it. I'll be damned if he didn't casually look out the window and then draw the curtain. That was all the proof that I needed.

Jan was also a big part of my deflowering. That my friends is a story unto itself but for a later date.