I have written some good things about FBC Bellflower and some bad things. In spite of some failings, it was a good church. Belonging there was certainly a positive experience for me. I wrote several months ago that the church was the focus of my social life. I did have friends at school (once we settled down in Bellflower), but my closest friends were part of the church group even though some of them were also in school with me.
My father left the family when I was in Jr. High. I began to "act out" in school and wanted to avoid church. I did go to Sunday School and Worship, because my mother took me. But, I had no desire to go to BYF, or Baptist Youth Fellowship. This group which was divided into Jr and Sr. High School groups, met on Guday Evening. If my mother wasn't around, I would just stay home. By this time we had a TV and there were a lot of old movies that I enjoyed. But, my mother kept insisting and I finally gave in. The other kids were nice to me, but I didn't really know them. I guess that one of my first friends was a girl named Eleanor Carper who was pretty, smart and very friendly. This had nothing to do with romance since that was the farthest thing from my mind in those days, at least at church. Of course, I did marry Eleanor's sister a few years later.
I guess I should digress and discuss my horrible Jr. High School experiences. Even though I had traveled around and went to a lot of schools, I was a good student and had done well. Even when I started attending Washington Jr. High, I continued to be a good student. As I had mentioned in a previous posting, it was here that I found out that I could sing. I was also in the school orchestra and it was here that I found another friend, Richard Gaylor who like me had recently been abandoned by his father. We were very bad influences on each other. Most of our behavior was just silly, but my academics really began to suffer, but I did make it through the Seventh Grade -- barely!
Richard and I didn't see much of each other during the Summer, but when Eighth Grade started, our reputation preceded us. The first day of school, both of us were called into the Principal's office where we were told in no uncertain terms that he wasn't going to put up with our silly behavior this year. Well, that settled it, Richard and I immediately re-established our friendship and began our normal disruptive behavior. Mr. Groeling, our home room teacher, worked very hard to help us. He did nice things for both of us, even on two occasions taking us on weekend trips with his family. I think that both of us did really love him. I still have such fond memories of him, but it didn't change our behavior. At one point, Richard and I broke into the classroom and went through his desk. We discovered a very thick file with nothing but little notes, "Today Richard and Richard did . . ." We thought it was funny. We were so unfeeling toward a wonderful teacher.
In the meantime at church I made two other friends that would change my life; Wayne Hopson and Don Hamilton. Wayne was such a good friend. He and I talked about our future. He wasn't the student that I was, but he was more grounded in life than I was even though his dad had also abandoned him. He and I mutually helped one another to become more serious about our Christian faith.
My friendship with Don was similar (in fact, all three of us were friends together), but there was more to my friendship with Don. I had mentioned earlier that I was involved with the Youth Temperance Council. Don's mother was active in this movement, so Don and I went to a number of retreats and camps sponsored by the YTC. Unfortunately, Don's mother had some rather serious mental/emotional problems. Because of this, Don ended up staying with my mother and I periodically. These stays were for extended periods of time. This continued all of the way through High School. Because of this, Don was more like a brother at that time. Don was a good student. He and I both really hoped to go to college. I remember a talk we had shortly before beginning High School. We decided that this was the real thing, so if we wanted to go to a good college, we needed to settle down and get good grades. He and I both ended up in the top five of our graduating class. He graduated from UC Berkeley and I graduated from UCLA. Isn't it interesting that two Jr High School kids could make a decision one day -- and follow through. Don was a good friend.
