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When I was younger Easter had many different meanings.  Please, please do not take me wrong because it was not ‘til later that I knew the real meaning of Easter.  For one, it meant that the Easter bunny would come and leave a bunch of the best colored eggs in a neat basket.  The Easter basket usually would have a big, chocolate bunny in the middle of it. The Easter bunny would not come until we had fallen asleep like Santa Claus did at Christmas.  Also, there would be Easter egg hunts on Sunday and we found it to be exciting when we found the most eggs.

On that Sunday you could see the women and girls dressed in their best clothes with patent leathers shoes and their Easter bonnets on. They always used Easter to dress up and usually went shopping for their holiday outfits.  Ladies could be seen wearing their Easter dresses until it turned cold and then it was time to get a new dress for church.  This was not only for the ladies, as the men wore their best looking suit and shoes to match.  My uncle took me to Togo’s and bought my suit, but it had to be to his liking.  Now, Daddy Ray had a closet full of nice suits and shoes to match, along with a nice hat.

My favorite part of Easter Sunday was that it meant three days out of school. I could go to sleep that night and not worry about getting up for school Monday morning.  That was a pleasure for me! Sleep tight that night and on Monday, we had plans that did not involve school.  Maybe a fishing trip to the bridge or Runyan Creek and lunch at Mrs. Carver’s or Bill’s Hot Dogs downtown made it a good day.  It was free time for three days. Now school is out for a week unless there is a snow day to make up and even during our high school days it became a week.

Once, I remember that the wind blew so hard that it blew the water out of the river.  You could see where all the stumps and limbs were at and the stakes across the Tar River.  It blew back in two days later and I have not seen it like that in years.

Easter also meant that was barefoot time!  No shoes had to be worn except to school and church.  You had to watch out for bees as they were out in the clover patches and would sting you if you were not careful.  Nothing that a little nicotine could not heal.

I hope you all have a nice Easter vacation and you spend quality family time with your children and grandchildren.  Easter is a family time and I hope that your family is in town and you can spend a little time with your love ones.  Hope to see you back here next Wednesday!

They were the best of times with the best of friends and in the best of paces, Washington, N.C.!  The Original Washington!

Harold Jr.