Sunday, June 28th, 2026. 4:19 AM.
The First Sunday After Father’s Day
Maybe someday it will be called Heavenly Father’s Day . . .
Or
The Day of Innocent Love
Or
The Heavenly Father’s Children’s Day
Jacob and Johnny in Conversation
Jacob: “Hey Johnny, your name reminds me of two characters in our reader’s book at St. Charles School back in the day.”
Johnny: “What day was that, Jacob ?”
Jacob: “It was in the late 1950s – when we were in First Grade with our teacher, Sister Mary Carlene, RSM.”
Johnny: “What does my name have to do with that time so long ago, Jacob?”
Jacob: “Well, Judy and her younger brother Johnny and their dog Spot were the main characters in that First-Grade Readers book that we read with Sister Mary Carlene – in a group in front of the class each day – sitting in a circle with Sister Mary Carlene – our school mom. And they lived on Pleasant Street.”
Jacob: “And there’s a song that somehow reminds me of that Pleasant Street from those days gone by – it may be the picture of the street in the music video that reminds me of Pleasant Street and Judy and Johnny and their dog, Spot. There’s a dog on the lawn in the picture – and he’s even spotted – so, maybe his name is Spot. It’s raining in the picture; but I imagine, after the rain stops and the sun shines again, it must look very pleasant on that street. Makes me think of Summer Street in Woonsocket, Rhode Island. Eileen the Second’s dad lived on Summer Street – maybe that’s where he lived with his family as a boy. And there was a public school on that street called “Summer Street School.” That’s a nice-sounding name for a school. I wonder if children who had to attend “summer school” went to Summer Street School. I never attended summer school as a boy; but I imagine it may have been rather nice to go to school during summertime – especially if the class read stories. I enjoyed reading stories when I was a boy. It might have been wonderful to discuss in class the stories we read at home all alone in our room.
Johnny: “What is that song, Jacob ?”
Jacob: “The song is called: “Just When I Needed You Most.”
Johnny: “I wish I could hear that song, Jacob – it might be very pleasant to me to listen to it.”
Jacob: “Well, it sounded just like this, Johnny:” Just When I Needed You Most – Randy Van Warmer- lyrics
Just When I Needed You Most – Randy Van Warmer- lyrics – YouTube
Where have all the flowers gone -The ingston trio(lyrics)
Where have all the flowers gone -The kingston trio(lyrics)
The Marmalade — Reflections Of My Life (lyrics)
The Marmalade — Reflections Of My Life (lyrics)
He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother THE HOLLIES (with lyrics)
He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother THE HOLLIES (with lyrics)
Johnny: “What else do you remember about your days at St. Charles School, Jacob ?”
Jacob: “I remember the school library. It was way up on the third floor. Only the 9th grade had a classroom way up there. And the auditorium was up there, too.”
Johnny: “Did you visit the school library, Jacob ?”
Jacob: “Yes, in 3rd grade we all went up there as a class for the first time – to be introduced to the school library. I walked around the room and looked at the many books on the shelves. I had never been to a library. There were many wonderful books on those shelves. I saw Nancy Drew books and Bobbsey Twins books and Tom Swift stories and several others. I even found a series of Hardy Boys Mystery Stories! I knew something about the Hardy Boys from watching The Mickey Mouse Club TV show at home – before I was in first grade. Every show had a segment about The Hardy Boys. It was based on the first book in the series of 58 stories: The Tower Treasure; but the TV version had a different name.”
Johnny: “I wish I could watch the Hardy Boys’ on the Mickey Mouse Club TV show.”
Jacob: “I can show it to you, Johnny.” The Hardy Boys – The Mystery of the Applegate Treasure Ep 0: “An Introduction”
The Hardy Boys – The Mystery of the Applegate Treasure Ep 0: “An Introduction” – YouTube
Jacob: “Johnny, when I saw a music video of the song: “First of May” which featured the song in a movie called: “Melody,” I was reminded of the third floor of St. Charles School – where the auditorium was located. And the part where Melody and some other girls are practicing ballet dancing and wearing black tights reminded me of Eileen in 7th grade at St. Charles School. She performed a ballet for the class – and she wore black tights ! Wish I could remember the music that accompanied her ballet dance.” The song in the following music video is so beautiful . . .”
Bee Gees – First of May FULL HD (with lyrics) 1965 Scenes from Melody
Bee Gees – First of May FULL HD (with lyrics) 1965 Scenes from Melody – YouTube
Thank you Barry Gibb and the Bee Gees. Your song: “First of May” is very beautiful and heart-touching.
And thank you Mark Lester and Tracy Hyde for your portrayal of the young couple in the movie: “Melody.” Your young romance is so beautiful. Thank you to everyone who made that beautiful movie.
We had an apple tree in our backyard on Sweet Avenue in Woonsocket, RI. It was near the picnic table. And in summer we often had dinner sitting at that picnic table almost under that apple tree on our grandmother’s property. Remembering Me mere Wilbur, too. She was so good to all of us. And she had a garden, too –
Mark's Imaginings 