The Skating Rink by Joyce Greenwood

Anybody who grew up in Goree in the 40's, 50's and 60's has memories of the skating rink. Uncle John and Aunt Annie Coffman were the proprietors. I don't know if they were actually the relatives of any of the hundreds of kids who skated there two or three nights each week, but they were "Uncle John" and "Aunt Annie" to all of us. Many of the kids had 'shoe skates' that were white and cute and laced up the leg. I didn't have any and the skates that were for rent adjusted around a loafer or a saddle oxford with a key. Uncle John fitted a pair of skates to my saddle oxfords perfectly and he put them way back under the counter so nobody else would use them. The rink was a large, oval shaped structure with poles through the middle. In the spring and summer, there was a huge old water cooler right at the back of the rink that blew out little streams of water where a red-faced kid stopped to cool off for a minute.

Uncle John had a whistle that he blew when anybody was skating recklessly past beginners, when there was a lot of shoving or other horse play going on---even if a couple tried to stop in the dark recesses at the back of the rink for one small kiss. When the shrill sound of Uncle John's whistle sounded, everybody quickly looked for the unlucky culprits. Sometimes, some slightly inebriated out of Towner would get past Aunt Annie, but Uncle John would soon spot him and here he'd come out onto the rink floor, little khaki colored hat pulled down on his head, whistle in hand and the offender was given the price of his admission back and sent out the door. One night, a guy managed to slip by with several drinks under his belt--actually, drunk as a skunk comes to mind. He fell several times, but we thought he just didn't know how to skate. Soon, however, he had the audacity to begin making passes at some of the girls right under Uncle John's nose. We were all waiting for the whistle and we weren't disappointed. Uncle John was not a very big man, but that rink was his domain and nobody disrespected "his kids" when we were in his care. The big, drunk guy was unceremoniously shoved out the door after he had his skates jerked off his feet. Uncle John never needed help throwing somebody out, but he always had several big shouldered football players who would have been glad to assist him.

The old skating rink held especially fond memories for me because it was there where Jackie (Latham) Styles and I sat playing a game of "coke hop" on one especially warm evening in 1953. (For all you youngsters who never heard of coke hop: Cokes used to come in glass bottles with the location where they were bottled stamped on the bottom. If your bottle was from farther away than your friend's bottle, you were the winner. The winner didn't really "win" anything. You just had the distinction of being "the winner".) As Jackie and I sat playing, four boys walked into the rink wearing boots and western hats. They stood out from everybody else, because at that time, rolled up jeans and loafers were what boys usually wore.

"Wonder who left the door to the old bunkhouse open?" Jackie remarked.

"I don't know, but the short one on the end is kind of cute," I answered.

When we returned to the floor and started to skate, I looked up at the "cute one on the end" who had pushed his hat back, exposing black curly hair. He smiled at me and when I went around the second time, he winked at me with the most beautiful pair of gray-green eyes I had ever seen. Three weeks later, I was introduced to him and fifty three years ago, I married him.

I think often of the Goree of the 1950's and of Uncle John and Aunt Annie's skating rink. They were living examples of the old saying that it takes a village to raise a child. We respected their rules because we knew they cared about us. If we were reprimanded for something, our parents didn't have a fit and go down threatening to sue them. They all knew if we were chastised, we deserved it.

It was a simpler time--a time when a kid could be a kid without a lot of competition and adult rules and interference. Somehow, seems like we've lost something along the way. But, oh! What wonderful memories were made!

Just another old woman's ramblings, but remember--you asked for it!

Joyce

Goree Real Estate

I was informed by our secretary, Caroline, that we had an interesting phone call this morning. An older Abilene couple is looking at the Lois Moore home for purchase. They were inquiring about the township of Goree. Their comment was that it seems like a ghost town. Caroline proceeded to share the positives now and in the near future. She did a great job, I might add. They desire to move to a small, quiet place.

Sign Update...

Mr. Gary Mizer, TxDot, returned my phone call this morning and informed me that the Miller Creek exit sign would happen. He apologized that it may take a month before it materializes, though. I was ecstatic that it was actually going to happen and a month is 'no problem' with me. How about you?

Distinguished Service Award

Nancy Birkenfeld, Goree resident, received the TASCO Distinguished Service Award for community service in Knox and Baylor counties. Not only is Nancy very active in her church, but she plays a vital role in our city government. And her husband, Johnny, is a key person in our county government. We are blessed to have them call Goree and Knox county home.

Nancy has been instrumental in wading through the mountains of grantwork red-tape. From her presentation to the grant-giving-people to the day she road up to my house on a four-wheeler with a trailer, she is going for greatness in Goree, Texas. As a matter of fact, her nudging that day on the four-wheeler was the pre-birth to the clean-up process that we are now attempting. It may have began with two crazy ladies on four-wheelers, but it is growing into something bigger than we could have ever imagined.

Way to go, Nancy! Congratulations!

Goree's Stop Signs

New Stop Sign #1 (left)

New Stop Sign #2 (right)

Our small town has experienced construction lately. Two of the newest necessities in town resulting from the new highway and byway are stop signs. I’ve lived in this town ten years and never questioned the fact that it had no street markers or stop signs. As a matter of fact, for the majority of my marriage I didn’t even know my street’s name when asked to provide a physical address for catalog orders. I trusted my new never-go-wrong hubby that Hickory Street was my new home. I didn't know at the time that that was his best guess. At least I trusted him enough to put it on my driver’s license.

Midway through my marriage, I spent time volunteering for the City of Goree. One day at the office, I lay eyes on a city map for the very first time. Low-n-behold, I live on Oak Street! Oh no, I’m illegal or rather my DL is wrong and that means that I’m breaking the law. I, for the most part (never-say-never), obey the laws of the land. I righted the wrong ASAP.

Now, back to why a town like mine doesn’t need stop signs…we have built in speed unbumps. I think in laymen’s terms they are referred to as potholes. We’ve never had a nice enough road for anyone to speed down, unless they wanted to spend some dough on a front-end alignment. All-end alignment, really. So, now with our pretty new road comes confusion and danger. The TX DOT said it was prudent for us to accept their offer of a no-thru-truck sign and two stop signs. We graciously accepted their offer and now we are up-town.

Well, this up-town girl was thinkin’ ‘bout them there stop signs. Just kidding. Not kidding about pondering the stop signs, though. Kidding about the hick-talk, yes. I thought it strange that a town could function without stop signs. We have intersections just like the rest of the world, so why has it worked this long without stop signs? I don’t really know. Then, I thought about struggles in my life.

I get myself into trouble when I ignore stop signs. In some areas of my life, I grew up without stop signs. Some stop signs are clear, but they are so new that I bolt right through the intersection before realizing it, like sign #1. Others may be like sign #2, they are hidden from my sight and I clearly don’t even know it’s there until it’s too late. Then, there is the rest of our town that doesn’t have stop signs and everyone makes up the rules as they go. I'll yield this time, but not on my birthday--so there I go changing the rules as I go. Oh, and do not kid yourself for a moment, I see some of the stop signs just fine and dandy and choose to ignore ‘em pretty as ya please.

All that to say this, I need wisdom and strength to obey. I may even need a refresher course in driver’s ed. Or, I may need to learn to survive in a world or even a town without stop signs.

Randy H. submitted this pic...

Destination Signage

I talked to TxDOT yesterday about a Miller Creek exit sign for the new highway. As of yesterday, I was a little bit discouraged because the guy thought it was "unneccessary signage", his words. He went on, "I thought we bypassed that town." Well, huh, yeah ya did! But...there hasn't been much here in a LONG time, but we are still the most accessible route to the lake.'

In a stooper to regain my footing, I reminded this man that if vacationers or retirees were to move, even if temporarily, into this area that they would need food, gas, lodging and possibly pay taxes. He stated, "You've obviously done your homework and I'll see what can be done."

I called back this morning and he said that upon discussion with 'so-in-so' they were checking the 'book' on it. He also stated that they were looking at it from the standpoint that it was a destination sign with a public purpose. Sooooo, we may get our sign after all. Keep your fingers crossed. Well actually, I checked The Book on it too and It says "You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it." John 14:14 So? Ask.