September 18, 1920 when I was born at last
        Was in a small place called Gross, Kansas
        October 6, 1922, to Mom and Dad another thrill
        A new son, a brother, that they named Bill
        The four of us left Kansas in 1924
        To a new land, Montana, we hadn't seen before.
        We wound up in a place some called the Toolies
        But really and truly was Scotch Coulee
        What a place to grow up, we had lots of friends
        From one end of the Coulee clear to the other end.
        As kids we had nothing, as others the same
        But we had fun playing many different games
        Hide and seek, Kick the can, Pump Pump Pullaway, Run Sheep Run,
        Shinny on your Own Side, Follow the Leader, even Duck on the Rock was fun
        Blue my Bear, Hit him if you dare, and Hot Butter Blue Beans
        We played Anti Anti I Over and Caps through the Paddle Machine
        In the summer at night we'd often build a fire
        Some times a big fire out of many stacked tires
        We roasted potatoes, corn, tried to make fudge that never got done
        We took little from each neighbor, and not from just one
        We dam up the creek and made a swimming hole
        We swam in clear water, muddy water and cold
        The boys dried their swim togs on the fence I recall
        The boy's swim togs were a pair of cut off overalls.
        Nobody locked their house, car, garage or cellar where food was stored
        The only lock was a hook so the wind wouldn't slam a door
        I had many friends growing up, closest was brother Bill
        After all these years, new friends, but Bill's the closest still.


                        Written by Ed Crtalic year 2000