Hickey Theology

Before I get too far from Fannin Street (Corpus Christi) I want to share some of those memories I have  of some very special friends , Mary Weigelt, Butch (Lawrence) Weigelt, Harlan (Sonny) Womble and Peggy Womble. 

I had a crush on Peggy. It seems there is a theme of me following in love with my friend’s sister.

The Fannin Gang spent hours playing hide and go seek in our front yard, sharing in a game of baseball in a vacant lot across from the Womble’s house. We went swimming at the local HEB pool just off Ayers. 

Peggy stood by the side of the deep end of the pool because I was doing a test to see if I would be allowed to jump of the diving boards. Peggy was there just in case I got in trouble. 

I was 6 and when I passed the test she was there to help me out of the water. Peggy was my heroine ! 

Time was spent at Ayers Lanes, where at 6 I actually won a bowling tournament. We all spent time at the Ayers Movie Theater, together.

Mary and I would play in dirt in the area between their house and the garage building roads with our hands for our cars. 

When it was raining that didn’t stop us from playing together. The house on Fannin was up on blocks so we got our cars and played under the house.

Mary and I would lay in the ditch in front of their house at night and pretend the lights on cars were some kind of ray gun and if it shined on you, you were died. 

Mary and I were inseparable. We went everywhere together. We sometimes rode our bicycles to the Buttercrust Bakery to just set outside to take in the wonderful aroma. 

I never told Mary this because she would have hit me , hard, but I actually I thought that someday I would marry Mary and we would live on Fannin  Street and Norton Street forever. We would take turn at each other’s house. 

I thought Fannin was the Hickey’s forever home but that wasn’t to be. My dad’s ship ‘Flagship Sinco’s ‘ home port was moved to Houston. So, on August 17, 1962 we moved and my life would be changed! 

I left Mary crying on the side of Fannin and my heart broke and I thought it would never heal.  I was losing my best friend, I was leaving my family , Aunts, Uncles, cousins and my grandparents who were a very important part of my life. 

This began the feeling that God had abandon me, but God found me again on Dewberry Lane. What I have realized is God hadn’t abandoned me God had been with me the whole time!

Until Next Time

Grace and Peace