November 23, 1963 was Saturday

The day after America was laced with shock and sorrow due to the assassination of our president, John F. Kennedy.

I have no clue what I did on that Saturday, after all I was in kindergarten. Crayons and cartoons, plus I'm sure a cat or two had my sole attention. I was in Iowa, so far from Dallas, Texas at the time. I had yet developed my love of geography, so Dallas or Washington DC, for that matter, could have been right next to the A & W Drive-In and I wouldn't know it. I was five years old.

What I do remember of that time--and it could be the day of the assassination, since I was with my Aunt Will as she babysat me while my mom went to work in the afternoon, until my dad pick me up about 5. I asked Aunt Will if President Kennedy was in Heaven. My aunt said he was. Then how could I still see him on TV if he was in Heaven? I wish I could remember how Aunt Will explained it to me. Must have been OK, since I went on about my business.

I do remember thinking of Caroline, who was a year or so older than me. I understood Caroline wasn't going to have her daddy anymore. That sunk in. I held my daddy close. I felt sad for Caroline then.

And I still feel sad for Caroline now.