I met Roy when I was in third grade. We attended school together and I was the new kid on the block. My family and I had just moved to California from a rural part of Idaho, and I was afraid that I would not fit in with the Californian children.
The DeSotos lived only four houses down from us, in a small, light green, two-story house. All four of them. George DeSoto, Leanne DeSoto, Roy, and his big brother Mike.
We lived in a pale yellow one-story house. There was my father, my mother, me, and my kid siblings Ronald and Judy.
When I was living in Idaho and thought of California, I immediately thought of Hollywood and glamour. I thought surely the other kids would think I was a hillbilly with my stringy golden hair and overabundance of freckles. The gap between my two front teeth didn't help.
I was only eight when we moved. Ron was six, and Judy was four. Both little Ronny and I had to leave all of our friends behind, never knowing if we'd see them again. So, before I met Roy, my only friend in California was my Raggedy Ann doll.
When I first spotted little Roy, I was carrying a box into the house, feeling so grown-up for helping my parents with the things. He was sitting on the sidewalk, head cocked to one side, watching us curiously. I think he was waiting to see if there was a little boy his age moving in. He was wearing his play shorts and a ragged t-shirt and no shoes were on his feet. Just your typical nine-year-old boy.
Dad was the first to spot him. He smiled a huge smile and bellowed, "Hello there, Sonny! What's your name?"
"Roy." The little blue-eyed boy responded.
"Nice to meet you, Roy! Do you live nearby?"
"Four houses down, sir. My mother said I should come see if you needed any help."
"Well, that's right kind of you, son. Would you mind helping me with some of these boxes?"
"No, sir. That's what I'm here for!" Roy walked over to a box and lifted it. "Where should this go?"
"Just bring it inside," My father said. "My wife can take it from there."
Roy nodded and carried the box up to the front of the house.
"Who do we have here?" Mother asked in delight, seeing as though Roy was the same age as me.
"Roy DeSoto, Ma'am. I live in the green house." He pointed.
"You're quite the gentleman, . Thank you," Mother said, accepting the box from him. "How old are you?"
"I just turned nine," He replied.
"You're just the right age for our little Jo."
Roy liked the sounds of that. It seemed that maybe a boy had moved in after all.
"Do you like to play baseball?"
"Yes, Ma'am."
"So does little Jo!"
Just then, I ran down the stairs, colliding with my mother.
"There you are, dear." She chuckled. "It looks like you may have a new playmate."
I peered at Roy from around my mother and stuck out my tongue at him. All the neighbor boys in Idaho had been awful! I didn't like a single one of them.
"Roy? I'd like you to meet our daughter, Joanne. She's eight."
Roy looked so surprised! His eyes were wide and his jaw was dropped. "You're Jo?" He asked, pointing to me.
"Yes." I replied smugly. "And I'm the pitcher." I walked out from behind my mother and stood in front of him.
Finally, when he got over his shock, he frowned.
"Why don't you two run along?" Mother brushed us out the door. "Daddy and I will finish unpacking."
Roy and I, glaring at each other all the way, strolled down the sidewalk.
"You're ugly," He spat. "Where you from?"
"Idaho." I spat back."It's where all the tough kids live. Why?"
He studied me and his frown deepened. "Girls aren't supposed to wear pants."
"No. Boys aren't suppossed to wear skirts. Girls are better. They can wear whatever they want."
He scowled at me, and I scowled back.
Who would have guessed by high school we'd be deeply in love and married by college? Certainly not me!