The Neighborhood - The Wiggings

Bremerton, Washington is the only other place that has ever reminded me of Marbletown. I have seen some strange things in Bremerton and some strange people. Now, let me make this clear. Bremerton is as good a city as I have ever lived in and there is nothing wrong with being strange. I'm strange. I am the strangest person I have ever met. So, this is home, but nonetheless Bremerton is unique of all the places I've lived. Not a day goes by that I don't see something weird happen. I can't describe it; I guess you'd just have to live here to find out. My lady Becky came here to Bremerton a little over 2 years ago and I told her then and she couldn't figure out what I was talking about. But ask her now and she will tell you the same thing. Just tonight on the way home from a late supper (10:15 PM) we saw a woman mowing her lawn in the dark. I had to pull the truck over so as not to wreck due to the ensuing laughter. Marbletown was strange. Many different people from many different walks of life. I was just another one thrown into the fray. Let's start with the folks who lived across the street. There were 3 principle families. At least in my immediate world there was 3. The Wigging's, the Smersaw's, and the Cross's. The Wiggings lived directly across the street from us on a corner lot. They lived in a single level 3 bedroom rambler. It had a large garage attached to the house with a breezeway. The Smersaw's lived next to them but further over to the left if you stood on our porch facing the street, and the Cross's lived next to the Smersaw's. Actually there was about a lot and a half between each of them. Between the Smersaw’s and the Cross’s there was an old dirt road that cut up into a field behind the homes. Harold Wigging was a short stature man with black curly hair as I remember and a solid build who looked like he could hold his own in any bar room brawl. He taught school in Fort Jennings, Ohio. He would one day become the mayor of Delphos but by then I would have been long gone. I saw that he ended up in court in Van Wert, Ohio about some improprieties while he was the mayor of Delphos. Don’t know the outcome and don’t really care. When I knew him he was a hard working man and a good provider and that is the way I’ll remember him. His wife’s name was Peg. Peg from Texas. Harold met her while he was stationed there in the army I believe. Peg was tall, leggy, long dark hair, and a Texas drawl that went on forever. She kept house and to herself mostly. Nice woman, never saw her mad at all. They had 2 children Kathy and Mike. Kathy was about my age and Mike was maybe a year or so younger. They were good kids. Strict Catholics they were. Nice family all around. Harold liked big old cars and he had a couple of them that he liked to polish up on the weekends. I remember the red convertible. Man, Harold loved to cruise in that one. When he was coming down the street he was just so laid back enjoying the ride. I’d swear he’d learned the Detroit Lean from somewhere.

* End note. I have no idea of the correct spelling of the families names so I have spelled them out best I can remember them sounding. The names are real as are the families...