I am a microcosm of all the people I have known and all the places I have been for the last sixty eight years.
I was born in Indiana but at two months realized I was among Yankees so moved to Houlka, Mississippi, where my Dad became a forest ranger for the National Park System. One of my earliest memories is watching my dog (a chow) climb the steps to the fire tower to be with my dad.
My dad was a wonderful musician and that saved him from World War Two. He was classified 1-A for the draft but, instead, was hired to go to Meridian, Mississippi, to direct activities at the base there and to provide much needed entertainment for our troops.
I began my love for music at a very young age but, alas, had no talent of my own so just had to listen. In 1943, the Meridian base was reorganized and my Dad lost his job. We then moved to Mobile, Alabama, and he went to work for Smith Bakery as a route driver.
He was soon promoted to route supervisor and stayed there until the summer of 1955. Back then, bread was delivered before the store opened and just set outside the front door. This meant that dad went to work at midnight and got off at 9: 00 am or thereabouts. This allowed him to drive to New Orleans on Friday afternoon and entertain there at Pat O'Briens, with shows on both Friday and Saturday and return to Mobile on Sunday.
One day in 1952 when he came home on Sunday he told me he had quit at Pat O'Briens as I was then fourteen years old and he wanted to be involved in my activities as I grew up. On the 29th of December he surprised me with a flight to New Orleans and tickets to the 1953 Sugar Bowl. At that time, there was not a happier kid in the world.
I did find my Lord and Savior at age seven and was baptized at Dauphin Way Baptist Church in Mobile. I still believe in Jesus and love him with my total being.
There is very little here about my mom and with a very good reason. My mom had severe health problems at a young age and was hooked on prescription drugs during my young years. I did love her but she spent most of her time knocked out and in bed.
However, during those years, I did have the world's best dog in my Laddie, a wonderful group of friends and my MaMa and granddaddy, with whom I spent every summer. About half way through my first grade mom became so sick she had to spend several weeks in the hospital so I was pulled from school and sent to my grandparents for the rest of the year.
At this time I resented being put behind others in my grade but later learned to appreciate the added year of maturity.
I am not going into a lot of detail about my life with my grandparents as I have written other stories about that time. I will say, however, that my grandparents taught me all about life as hardworking, god fearing, patriotic country folks of their time. One thing that remains at the top of my list as unusual, was my grandfather''s thirst for knowledge and his demand that I learn everything I could.
Every night before bed he would open the dictionary and read me a page from it - word, pronunciation and all the meanings. In later years I subscribed to the New York Times for him and he would work the crossword puzzle with a pen. That was with a sixth grade formal education.
In 1955, we moved to Corinth, Mississippi, and my Dad became an insurance agent. In early 1956 my dad had had all of the drug problems he could handle and filed for divorce from my mom. I stayed home and became a house-son by keeping it clean and cooking for my dad and myself. My Mom moved to Memphis but did return to Corinth for my 1957 High School Graduation.
Shortly thereafter she disappeared and for nearly twenty years after that I didn't know whether she was alive or dead.
In the meantime, in 1957 ITT put in a factory in Corinth to manufacture telephones and business systems. After high school they offered me a position as a co-op student to work there and attend Mississippi State University to study Industrial Engineering. I did this and finished my formal education in 1960.
Of course at this time, I was immediately drafted into the Army. ITT notified me that I would be credited with my military time if I returned to work there after the service, which I did.
In the army I went through lots of training and in April of 1961 was put on a troop ship to Germany. The seas was so rough nearly everyone got sick but me, but I had a secret - a jar of peanut butter and a box of crackers which I had smuggled aboard and knew would not make me nauseated. I left the boat and was put on a train to Wiesbaden, Germany, where I was to be stationed. It didn't matter what my MOS was; I was assigned as battery clerk since I could type. This turned out to be the best duty in the Army - Battery clerk, for an Army Unit on the United States Command Headquarters Air Force base. It was an eight hour a day job with lots of perks.
I made a conscious decision not to be the average GI while I was in Germany. I began dating a lovely local girl whose Dad owned a small Cafe in Wiesbaden. Through her I made a lot of German friends and did things other soldiers never even dreamed about. I discovered ancient castles with small cafes, remote recreation areas with swimming pools and soccer fields. I also found Trier, Germany, which soon became one of my favorite places.
When the Roman Empire grew to it's largest, it split into a Southern and Northern Division and Trier became the northern capital. It has many of the things Rome had just smaller. An amphitheater, coliseum, Roman baths, etc. were all there. I also discovered Limburg on the Lahn River with its 8th Century Cathedral overlooking the river. This was a favorite place to come, as there was a girl's school for girl's sixteen to twenty years old and two friends and I tried to meet hem all.
While there I also decided to try to see some of Europe. At various times I visited, in Germany, Hamburg, Stuttgart. Munich, Garmisch, Oberamagau, Frankfort and most of the length of the Rhine River. Outside of Germany, I went to Lausanne & Geneva in Switzerland; Paris & Marseille in France; Monaco; Pisa, Rome, Naples, Pompeii, Venice and Florence in Italy; Innsbruck in Austria; and London in England, There were more but these I remember.
I returned to Corinth in November 1964, and a friend got me a blind date. I met Mary Ann Shipman that night and soon she had stolen my heart. She had many of my grandmothers's qualities and was a beautiful lady. In early May of 1965 my grandmother passed away and on May 29th of that year Mary Ann and I married. She was a wonderful wife and mother. We had three children and she did most of the raising of them due to some changes in my work, which I will discuss later. She did such a great job with them that now none of them smoke, drink or do drugs and are regulars at church. In fact both of my sons are deacons in Baptist Churches. I have seven wonderful grandchildren and they are being taught the values their grandmother instilled in our children.
I started back at ITT as an Industrial Engineer but actually didn't like it. From there, I was transferred to Quality Control and wrote most of the quality documentation that was put into place. In 1971 I was made a supervisor in Inventory Control but my biggest job was to develop policy and procedures. Some of which are still being used by the company that bought that division from ITT.
In 1976 I was transferred into Marketing and was trained in Marketing Research, which I really enjoyed. One great thing about ITT was their emphasis on education and training. During my time there I attended over twenty training schools on various company activities and personal development. This included a course from Dale Carnegie called "How to Win Friends and Influence People". I feel that this was the single biggest factor in my development in the company. In it I learned to be make decisions, deal with people and perform with confidence.
In 1978, I was transferred into the Sales department and had many duties there. I traveled a lot then and that is why my wife had so many family responsibilities. In the US I had customers in Atlanta, GA; Washington, DC (The State Department); Long Island, NY; Schaumburg, DesPlaines and St. Charles, IL; Detroit, MI; and Sand Jose, California. I also had customers in four Canadian providences. I travelled extensively to Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Virgin Islands, The Bahamas, Jamaica, Costa Rica, Guatemalla, Hondurous, Columbia and El Salvadore. During this time I had the title of Manager of Sales Operations and was responsible for Customer Service, Repair and Return, forecasting and scheduling. It was a wonderful, frustrating, rewarding job and I loved it.
To regress some. In 1978, I got a call at work from a lady in Southern Mississippi stating that she had gotten a post card from my mom. I asked about a return address and there was none but it was postmarked in Elgin, IL. I was very upset and the President of the company happened to see me in my office and asked me what was wrong. I told him, and he told me I was pretty dumb. I asked why he said that and his words, as best I remember them was "You are a salesman, go to Elgin and sell something until you find her". I did and in a 1980 moved her to Corinth so she could meet and learn her grandchildren. She lived here until she passed away and did get to know her grandchildren.
In January of 1989, ITT was sold and I was given a wonderful retirement package and accepted it on the spot. I helped a friend sell funeral coaches for a little while but soon knew I had to be home with my wife. In 1988 my wife began showing some unusual memory problems and was diagnosed with early stages of Alzheimer's in early 1989. I took a job delivering a morning paper, which let me be home with her all day, every day. This time was almost the end of me as I cared so little for myself. Personal hygiene was something that was out on a back burner for most of this time and has cost me several teeth due to decay. In 1991 I had quadruple bypass surgery and was out of commission for several weeks but my oldest son came home to help out.
Finally I realized I had to either put her in a Nursing home or kill both of us. It got to where I was afraid to go to sleep. I would wake up and the bathtub would be overflowing where she forgotten it was on, or all the eyes on the stove would be on. In 1995, I put her in a local nursing home but they did a terrible job caring for her. In 1998, I took her to an Alzheimer's home in Jackson, Tennessee and they did a wonderful job with her until she passed away in April of 2004. Financially and other wise there will always be repercussions due to her health, but I loved her very much and still do.
I have been told that a man can't love two women at the same time, but they are wrong. In 1999 I met a lady on the Internet from Winfield, Alabama. We then met in person and, only I know how much I needed her to be a part of my life at that time. Joycee and I soon fell in love and we have been constant companions ever since. Joycee has been so good to me in so many ways and I love her as much as I do my late wife - which is as much as it is possible for a man to love a woman.
I have many health problems now but feel so darn good it is scary. I know my Lord has furnished me with a full life, filled with family and friends. I don't know how much longer I have on this earth but I do know that I when My Lord calls I will be ready to go, with no regrets for my actions.
Charlie Baldwin
Best viewed at 1024 x 768 full screen
Share This Page
Guestbook
Sign
View
Map
Back
Next
Home
Links
Email
