The following quotation is from two photocopied pages of a manuscript in my Uncle Fritz’s genealogical files:

“The Eberlein house across the street was open house for all the neighborhood kids. There was always plenty of fresh milk from their farm along with graham crackers for snacks. At mealtime, though, everybody out.

Laura [sic] Eberlein was a gracious, uncomplaining matriarch who held the entire Eberlein ensemble together — Mike senior, a daughter, and four sons.

Wally Eberlein, the youngest, and I were close friends as we grew up together. He was a first rate intellectual and was to become valedictorian of his 1939 high school graduating class. Wally’s next older brother, Fritz, and I were also to become good friends in our teen years.

Mike Eberlein, a big, gruff, successful, small town lawyer occasionally picked me up for a hug and a whiskery kiss on his way to work and the barbershop for his regular morning shave.

Like all little kids, I, too, was irresistibly huggable.”