The Life of An Ordinary Man
The Autobiography of Harold Cunningham
Copyright© 2011 Harold Cunningham
To Jake…. my Grandson
I‘m writing this journal Jake, so that you will have somewhat of a short history of your Grandpa Harold‘s life. I may not be here to answer your questions if you have any by the time you get old enough to inquire about the people, places, and things that may become important to you.
So here we go……
I first saw you when you were approximately one hour old. You had not even been weighed yet. I fell in love with you right that minute. I had my old baseball cap on; and I bent my head over so that the tip of the bill touched your forehead. From that time on you and I have always played a game with my cap. I‘m sure that bonded us together forever.
I may not be your real grandpa, but I bet no grandpa loves their grandbaby anymore that I love you. At this time I don‘t have any other grandbabies, and I‘m 70 years old. This date today is August 5, 1997. No one will be able to tell you about where and how I was raised as a little boy like you.
Well, I was born in Archer City, Texas on the 2nd of July, 1927. My mom and dad moved to Houston, Texas where my mother gave birth to my sister Mildred. I also had an older sister named Ruth and an older brother named Olan.
My dad gave me an old fifty cent piece when I was born. I still have it. I also gave you a Susan B. Anthony Silver Dollar, and an old railroad type of watch so that you to will have something of mine to see, and through this, you and I will always be connected.
I went into the service on January 23, 1946 at Fort Sam Houston, Texas. I was a skinny kid at the time. I was drafted into the Army. The people in power came by and made the announcement that anyone who wanted to sign over to the regular army for three years would receive a bonus of three hundred dollars. Man that was a lot of money. Nothing left to do; I signed over and was able to be transferred to the Army Air Force. Anyway, I really liked the service so I got promoted quite fast. I think if I would have had the education I could have become a very good Field Grade Officer.
I have already told your Granny who probably loves you more than anything, that I have a feeling you are going to become a great General or C.E.O of some company. We both love you and expect you to be a great man.
End,
Old Harold
Forward Number Two
After having started this journal of my life as I best know it and I had dedicated this journal to my grandson Jake, some other great things have happened. I now have three more grandsons that I am also going to dedicate this journal to.
I started writing this journal in 1997, and now that I‘m finishing it up in 2010, I want to add the names of my son‘s boys also. That would be Shane Michael, Bradley James, and Gage Denton. When I started this journal I did not think I would ever live long enough to see anymore grandbabies and I suppose if I keep getting more I will have to keep writing and adding to the opening foreword.
You‘re all a bunch of wonderful kids and I love you. May the best of everything come to pass for you, but it won‘t be free. Hard work and a belief in something greater than yourself will make it happen.
Old Grandpa Harold