Old man, continued... or beginning...

Fiction starts here:

     Shortly after Edgar was born, his father was killed in a farm accident. Although he was an experienced farm hand, he made the city slicker mistake of walking up behind a horse too quickly. The horse spooked, and there was no fixin' his fractured skull.  Edgar was two days old; his mother, only nineteen herself, never remarried or even dated again.
     Edgar's mother, Ellie, found work at the hospital for a while. Working in housekeeping, she barely made enough for the two of them. Her husband's death weighed heavy on her mind, and caused her problems with working a steady job. No one faulted her of course, except Ellie. She fought her demons, but maintained quite well considering.
     By the time Edgar was 3, the "family rotation" (as Edgar called it) had begun. While family was welcoming, understanding and compassionate, Ellie's embarassment lead to their frequent moves. Edgar got along well enough, being a good kid he made friends easily.
     Edgar wasn't embarassed about where they lived or who they lived with, but he worried about his momma. He would hear her crying at night, sit with her on the days she just sat staring out the window. She was sad and he didn't know how to make her happy. But that was a lot of grown-up stuff, so he did the best he could.
     When he started going to school, Edgar loved having his own desk and the chance to be relaxed in school. His momma usually worked during the day, so she wouldn't be alone and that let him just be a kid.
The learning he was doing kept him interested enough so that he would ask questions, do his work and get good grades.
     However, school posed a challenge for Edgar. As they moved often, he spent most of his elementary school years in a different school each year. Having an above average intelligence Edgar was able to keep pace enough to pass from grade to grade, but it wore on him..
It was during fourth grade that Edgar met Lizzy. She was a quiet young girl, but was friendly and well liked. She took to Edgar right away. From the first day he joined their class they carried on conversations; mostly it was Lizzy talking and Edgar listening. He always thought of those early days as good training for marriage.
     At a age when boys typically don't like girls and girls don't like boys, they never thought of each other like that. Pure and honest friendship. They did their diggin' in the dirt and mud, stompin' in the creeks, catching fireflies in the summer and catching snow flakes on their tounges in the winter. They were kids being the best possible kids they could be, considering. They were bestfriends, plain and simple.
     Ellie was able to keep her job for sometime which meant that Edgar was able to stay in the same grade school for two more years. They got a small apartment near the school, but what Edgar liked better was how close it was to Hickory Hill park. Hours of walking, tree climbing and creek stompin' just down the street. Edgar couldn't be happier, and Lizzy's house was on the way to the park.
     Simple times, simple pleasures.
     Of course things don't always stay simple; hormones change everything.

End fiction.