I thought Id take this opportunity to tell all of you who I am, and maybe give some insight to why I love Allen Texas as much as I do... just to explain that there is a real connection to this town, to the streets, and to the spirit which still exists between all of its students and hallways of the schools... And in keeping with my love for satire and irony, Ill call this little story... A Little Maitlands History of Allen. I was born on January 9, 1967, the youngest of 6 children. My 3 brothers and 2 sisters all went to school in Allen. If I remember correctly, My oldest sister, Kay graduated in 1974 I think... my brother Terry, in 1976, Tonya in 1978, Victor in 1981, Frank in 1983, and myself in 1985. They were all well known among their peers... My brothers were all football players... Ill post some graduation pics of my brothers, unfortunately I couldnt find the graduation pics of my sisters... There is a reason i couldnt find many pictures of my family, and this brings me to my first example of the incredible heart which beats within this incredible city... On one late night in 1972 I think, as my brother Terry was arriving home from a varsity football game (back then, the football team would be dropped of at their homes by the varsity coach -Coach Clarke was his name) anyway, as the bus turned the corner to come down our street, there was our house, burning to the ground right in front of his eyes... My family lost everything it owned that night. The sun rose to find my father, Nevel, my mother Mary, and all 6 of their kids without a single possession... without a stitch of clothing... Then within about 48 hours, the entire city had rallied around my family and had bought us all new clothes and the essential possessions that a family needs to start all over again... Bake sales, garage sales, high school fund raisers... I just cried again as I thought of all the city had done for my family... But it seemed that fate was not yet through challenging my family... As within about 6 months, we lost my father in a car accident... There was my mother,and her 6 kids, once again facing an even bigger, more terrible tragedy than before... I remember clearly, the Allen Baptist Church and the man I knew as a Saint, Mr. Gene Reed comforting me as he explained Gods will and the challenges which make us the great persons we were all destined to become... My family planted its roots once again, this time on Ellis Drive, just near the center of town... Just 2 streets over from 2 greats guys...The son of the town Doctor (Dr Vita) young Nicholas Vita, and his best friend Jeff Jones, the son of a prominent Allen Businessman.. We all grew up in the same neighborhood... and we will grow old as great lifelong friends... But along the way, there were others that came into the picture.. Like L Noel Moore... His dad, Larry Moore coached us all in little league football (the Longhorns) and there was a young cheerleader named Abby Adams Ray... She was always in my homeroom class... we have known each other since kindergarten... Her grandfather, former Mayor of Dallas, her mother Mary Evans... Namesake of Evans Elementary.. There would be another cute little kindergartner , one Elizabeth Pierson Westbrook... Her mom was my 2nd grade teacher, her dad former mayor of Allen.. her best friend, BeBe Buckley...(her mom was our 3rd grade teacher) and her father , Newton Buckley was the towns accountant... Nena Farmer, her dad was a former allen mayor, and namesake of Joe Farmer Rec Center... There was a cute little brunette, named Melody Monk.. I think her mom was our teacher too.. And Gina Bothe, her mom was our teacher also! So many great people and memories... one of my favorite memories... In high school theater class..., I sat with a young Julie McCullough,( Jewels McCullough)as she told me of her lifes dream...and I told her she WOULD fulfill her dream of becoming a famous model in Hollywood... About 3 years later, she was Americas Sweetheart as Julie on Growing Pains! There were challenges... The loss of our father... I cant even begin to explain the hurt, or the joy when I met the man who would soon become my dad... David Lee Clark... He was the manager of the local grocery store, Moseleys Super Market... He met my mother in 1974 I think, he married her, and raised my family just as if we were his own.. And he already had 4 kids of his own already... They werent Step-brothers or Step Sisters... They were my brothers and sisters too, just like the rest of them... David Clark, Pop taught me the greatest lesson I could ever learn... Family isnt defined by blood... Family is Love. He loved me and I loved him. There was never a question... I wasnt his stepson... He called me his son, and I called him my father. Years later I fell in love with a young woman, and her cute little 2 year old girl... Lauren... Lauren was always supposed to be mine, I just had to find her. Her mother and I had another daughter together, Hannah... Things didnt work out for us, but I was able to raise both girls on my own. Lauren and Hannah are my life... And I raised them in my home town, Allen Texas. So, as I grew up in Allen, all my brothers and sisters friends knew me as Little Maitland (I was quite small) I was too small to play football, but I played saxophone for 6 years in Allen... Went on to be the Guitar Player Guy in highschool... and was basically a complete showoff... Jerry Cook was my high school principle, and is now one of my best friends.. So there you have it.. A Little Maitlands History of Allen. Feel free to write your own chapter with me...
Posted on: Sun, 30 Nov 2014 14:54:26 +0000
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