Fall

One of my favorite childhood memories easily rushes into my being with the smell of burning leaves on a crisp fall afternoon.



To paint the complete picture for you, I swear, on the actual day of this memory, along with the smell of burning leaves, I can remember Daddy is taking down the screens, Mother is washing the storm windows for him to put up, Jerri and I are playing. We live in a little house, painted yellow at the time, at 2516 West Louise Street, just three houses east of Blaine. There is the sound of the Nebraska football game on the radio. The announcers excitedly calling the play by play and something about someone named Bobby Reynolds.

Is it Oct 7, 1950, the game against Minneapolis, MN when super sophomore Bobby Reynolds leads the underdog Huskers to a 32-26 win, the Cornhuskers first win at Minnesota since 1902, Reynolds running 17 times for 161 yards and 2 TDs or is it November 4, 1950, the game against Missouri in Lincoln when the Nebraska Cornhuskers win an offensive shootout with a 40-34 victory. Bobby Reynolds gains 183 yards, including an amazing 33 yard TD in which he retreats 40 yards before heading up field.

I don't know. Bobby Reynolds played for the Cornhuskers from 1950-52. I would have been 6-8 those years. I'm thinking it was 1950. The photos included in this story were taken in December 1950.




I read one time in an article about writing that the author should "paint a picture" with his words by addressing the four W's: who, what, where, and when and the five senses: sight, sound, smell, touch, and taste.

I think I have seven or eight of the nine covered. I suppose touch could be the crisp, cool fall breeze as it brushes my face or maybe even the feel of the cold plastic covers on the handle bars of my trike?? I don't have a taste to go with the memory... ??? The taste of my chewing gum?? Caramel apples?? Nope... there is no taste to go with my story... although caramel apples do sound pretty yummy... sorry!

*

Bobby Reynolds game stats quoted from: The Best of the Big Red

*