In school I followed the usual pattern of doing just enough to get by, avoiding or appeasing bullies, and adapting as I always did. Gradually more families with children moved into the complex, and I befriended one particular boy, David, who would beat me up when his friends were around but treated me with more respect when we were alone. Eventually he stopped beating me up as I grew taller and heavier and began fighting back. I'm sure my attempts at self defense were pretty lame, but I think just snapping back put him off balance.

David's apartment was 3 down from mine. His mother was also a divorcee. I remember their apartment was so different from ours, with much better furniture and a TV that could pull in more than 2 channels. He also had his own room with more toys than I had ever seen. I remember he had all these Brenda Lee and Bobby Darin single records and a small turntable to play them.

By the summer of 1961, the other building was completed, and with it a swimming pool. David and I spent hours there, and it was there I learned to swim. After one attempt on the deep end in which I very nearly

drowned, I stayed on the shallow end until I got the knack of moving my arms and kicking. David, who could already swim, never let me forget. I finally made it over to the deep side on July 21, the day "Gus Grissom went into space," as our landlord old Mr. Sizemore was fond of saying.

Bob was sending letters, photos and gifts from the orient during the midshipman cruise in the Pacific Rim for the Merchant Marine Academy. I remember how impressive he looked in the khaki midshipman's uniform he wore. We looked forward to his visits home, and I loved rummaging through his seabag for all the things he brought back from the cruise: coins from Chile, Ecuador, Peru, Honk Kong and the Philippines; music boxes and jewelry for mom; college level books from the academy or those he bought in the orient. Some of these he left behind, and I was happy to peruse them.

He would only be with us a week or two before he returned to the academy, which suited me well enough. He would begin to go into Big Brother mode, and before he became annoying he was off and I had the room all to myself again. Each time he seemed less enthusiastic about returning to the academy. Late that Spring he