by David V Cole

Created on: November 27, 2008

The icy wind blasted against my face as I pushed my bike along the snow covered sidewalks in the village I lived. I was 12 years old delivering newspapers. I ran two paper routes to make money for myself. I came from a family of ten children and extra money was helpful for any of my activities, school lunches, and hobbies.

It was 1960 and I was just entering my teenage years. My dad was a cop in this small village in Western New York, and barely made enough money to keep food on our table. My mom never worked during my childhood, staying home rearing me and my nine siblings.

Throughout the 60s decade, I would witness the death 0f my youngest brother from SIDS or an unknown disease called "Sudden Infant Syndrome". It happened on December 4, 1963, and had an everlasting impact on my family. My parents were distraught for years about my brother's death. At that time, I was more independent running my paper route and starting to go freely day after day to play baseball with my friends at our local park.

My family was very Catholic and I think the death of my brother spurred me to enter a Catholic Seminary in 1964, aspiring to be a Redemptorist missionary. During my year in the seminary, President John F. Kennedy was assassinated. I remember the emotional impact it had on the country. Kennedy had started the 60s in the presidency and had led our nation through times of strife with the Soviet Union involved in a nuclear arms race, space race and Cuban missile incident.

I left the seminary after one year completing ninth grade and returned home. I decided it was not my vocational calling and went back to my large family and small village.

Throughout high school I maintained a good average in all my subjects and took all of the college-mandated courses. I decided to take a job at the local supermarket and worked there throughout my high school years. I did not get involved in any school activities after classes and rushed to the supermarket each day to work. I gave my parents twenty dollars board money to help with their financial struggle. In fact, the law forbade school students from working over 28 hours a week, and I generally work over 40 hours. The store owners were so happy at my work ethic that they simply "banked" any hours I had over the 28 limit and continued to pay me after I left the supermarket for Vietnam.

During my high school years, the Vietnam War loomed in the background. I remember my mother's greatest fear was that I would eventually end up fighting in that war. In 1967 I graduated from high school and continued to work at the supermarket rather than go on to college as most of my friends had. That year, a neighborhood friend of mine was killed in Vietnam. We had worked paper routes together for a few years in the early 60s and were childhood friends. it had great impact on me. In 1968 I enlisted in the United Sates Marine Corps and spent time in combat in Vietnam.

I spent most of the 60s in my teenage years and the decade had a huge impact on my life. Upon returning from Vietnam in 1970, I was now a man.

Learn more about this author, David V Cole.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.