25 Year Flashback
I grew up in a relatively small town in Arizona. I lived there during my formative years as a kid from 3rd grade-10th grade, what I call the “Eloy Wonder Years.” I call them that because they evoke fond memories of my growing up years.
As I reflect back Eloy was a community in the truest sense of the word. We had unique events and celebrations. Mexican Fiestas and Cinco De Mayo fesitvals to celebrate the great hispanic culture. Homecoming parades where every school (including elementary schools) particapted. Main street closed down and most of the businesses closed for a few hours as the whole town came to watch the parade. The whole community also came out to watch the game and support the high school football team and the local bands, as the halftime show was just as entertaining as the game itself.
Saturday afternoons were spent at the local Dust Bowl movie theatre, where you could watch a first run movie as many times as you wanted, and it was a bonus when there were double features. Believe it or not we also had an annual Grand Prix that eventually ESPN came and covered. There were school dances and street dances. Annual bingo and raffles at the St. Helens Catholic church. Neighborhood baseball and football games. We used to practice kicking field goals through telephone poles.
While there were cliques in school it seemed that everybody had friends outside their own circle, it was definitely a town where most everybody knew your name. I remember certain kinds of music that ignite memories of my Eloy days, fashions and fads that were unique and popular back then, things we used to say: slang and such, memories of first loves, bands trips and parades we marched in, class events, certain grocery stores, and the loud train coming through town. Eloy was a unique town and community back then.
While living in the same area I switched schools after my 7th grade year, but still had contact with many people from my previous schools, in addition to making new friends. However, in 1985 I left Arizona and moved to Oklahoma to finish high school. Since then I have returned to Arizona only three times; once in 1991, 1998, and last October 2007.
Recently, I recieved an e-mail regarding the 20 year high school reunion of the class I would have graduated with in Eloy. I haven’t heard from many of these people in 25 years. Since then I have been corresponding with several of them catching up and remembering the “old school” days. It has been so much fun! Interestingly, I discovered through these e-mails that one of my friends is living in Tulsa, and has been for the last 11 years. I have been here for 4 years and all this time we had no idea we were in the same place. Since then our families have met and we have been able to talk face to face. What a crazy small world we live in!!
