1971
Winter

In early December Mom received the genealogy book “The Mixon-Mixson Family” by John Leslie Mixson.  John Leslie Mixson had been working on the book for several years and had contacted Dad about our branch of the Mixson family which was included in the book on page xxx.  Mom received the book, wrapped it up and gave it to Dad for Christmas.  Dad loved the book and spent many hours studying it, looking up people he knew and making some corrections including the spelling of my middle name.  It was Dad’s interest in the book that later spread to me and then to me writing this story.

As the winter solstice approached so did my birthday and it was uneventful as usual.  My roommate Bill didn’t even mention it, he probably didn’t even know when it was. Being fair, I had no idea when his birthday was either. 

Uncle Cork was released two months early from the Army, like everyone else in 1971 and he returned collecting his record collection from me.  Corky wrote in his memoirs,

“The truth is I’m sure that God was watching out for me.  Several Hampden Dubose Academy friends and Army friends of mine died in Viet Nam.  I was in the infantry and was scheduled to go, but other things happened and I never had to have a tour of duty overseas.  When I went into the Army, all I could think of was how we had never been a premature death in our family.  Now, as the youngest child of Mom and Dad’s, I was going into the Army and probably heading to Viet Nam.  Sounds an answer to a prayer to me.”

In December the Soils Department upgraded my position to a full time Computer Programmer I position making $3.19 an hour. Job description, “Write computer programs (Fortran IV and APL) for data reduction and analysis. Punch data on cards, enters data to computer, debugs programs and analyses alternative programs”. Officially they had to open the position to everyone who worked at the University to apply so they put in the job description “APL” for they knew that few, if anyone, knew the language such that they could justify me for the position.

On  Christmas Eve I went over to Mom and Dad’s for dinner but then returned to our apartment for the night and then returning to Mom and Dad’s in the morning to open presents.

As the year ended, I was still generally depressed about not having a girlfriend but there was much to be happy about, I had a job and had some friends next door to hang out with in addition to my friends from church.