Page 40 - The Early Life and Times of Bob Card

The Street We Grew Up On

he street I grew up on (266 East 18th Street, Hamilton) was a perfect mix of people and perspectives. It wasn’t a
Tgrand place, but it had everything a child needed to thrive—friends, freedom, and just enough mischief. I spent my
early years playing with the kids who were still around, even as some moved away. Al Parker, lived a few blocks away but
joined with us many times. He was an elite softball pitcher and developed a baseball game using dice that we spent hours
playing during the off-season. I was young enough that “girlfriends” weren’t part of the equation, but I do remember the
girls on our street: Cathy Fitton, Dinny Watson, Carol Parr next door, and others. Our relationships were pure camaraderie,
not the boyfriend-girlfriend sort of thing. Those days were all about play and exploration, not romance.

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