After Much Thought
It seems like yesterday, not 2019 when I was given the opportunity to write short stories and have them published. But little did I realize at that time, I would be chronicling the history of my friends and family.
With limited knowledge of the history of my beloved hometown, I wrote about my experiences growing up there, walking the town daily with a paper route in the 1950s and early 60s. Once a business and industry hub, Dawson was slowly succumbing to the lure of motorized transportation and the decline of the coal and rail industries.
I tried to cover each incident with truth and accuracy, to the extent of my memories; some humorous, some poignant, some simply historic. But, the wealth of the past in a town that once had 900 residents, 12 of them millionaires, creates interest that is wide and deep.
I also wrote stories of five generations of my family, the years when I stole my life partner from her parents, raised our three children and spoiled six grandchildren. Again, my family, like every family has story after story, not only precious to us, but applicable to most.
I get letters from readers who identify with some aspect of a story or are entertained by the content. Some older readers remember Dawson, or Connellsville, Uniontown, Trotter, or some other hometown, and recall significant stories of their own. That has been a goal from the beginning of my latest and most satisfying hobby.
One problem I find is storing or archiving the roughly four hundred stories that have been published. Everything that I have written, including this column, I typed into “pages” on iPad; and I do not know how to type!
That’s right, I hunt and peck. One of my columns covered a day in my substitute teaching experience overseeing a typing class at Penn Hills High School. Thankfully the students knew what they were to do and were very courteous.
So, with advancing age and failing health, I have decided to answer requests from readers and family to place a collection of some of the more popular stories in book form.
With the project producer Zachary End (my youngest grandson) I have selected 80 of the most popular columns for the collection. The material covers stories that have been well received over the years, including rivers, rails, history and observations of life in a small town.
The collection contains columns that have been published in the Herald-Standard, other local newspapers and several periodicals. Each is an easy five-to-six-minute read.
I have chosen for the title one of my columns: “Jumping in Puddles.” I was inspired by a television commercial that featured kids jumping into puddles of rainwater. That seemed to mirror things I did at that age.
I did not start on this journey intending to write a book, but every story opened my memory to another relevant situation or two. The addition of an iPad which put my typing finger in a comfortable position made everything simpler. Finally, our youngest grandson enthusiastically took the reins and produced the book, which is available on Amazon.
I hope the collection provides enjoyment. It’s your story too.
Roy Hess Sr. is a retired teacher and businessman from Dawson.