Here I sit looking out the window at the rain and wind waiting for another hurricane to hit our area. Luckily this one has already been downgraded to a tropical storm. I have been through to many to remember all the names. Let’s see? There was Fran, Bonnie, Dennis, Hugo, Diane, Carol and HAZEL. There have been others but those are the ones I can remember right now. Hazel was the first one I remember and was really to young to be worried about what might happen. I do seem to remember that during the eye we went over to Aunt Callie's house on Live Oak Avenue. We took the path that was between Sam Well’s and Mrs. Parker’s houses. After the storm as we walked down Mercer there were trees in the street everywhere along with downed power lines. Now I say this was Hazel but I am sure it is a combination of memories of all the hurricanes that I went through as a kid on Mercer Avenue. As anyone that has ever been in this area of the country when a hurricane threatens, Hazel is the storm that all others are measured by. Her winds where strong but the storm tides were even worse coming in on a full moon high tide.

Mr. Robbins Store was about 2 blocks north of Mr. Brocks Store at mercer and Market. Mr. Robbins Store was on the southwest corner of what is now Market and Darlington Avenue. At that time It was not named Darlington and was just a one lane dirt trail that ran from Market to Live Oak (Covil) just north of the railroad tracks. This was the road used to get to the cemetery in Taylor's field.

Back to the store. I don't remember a lot about the store except it had those old time fans hanging from the ceiling and fly strips. The picture is of me standing at the double back doors looking out across the dirt trail to where the North 17 Drive in was. Remember going to the movies and watching them from your car.  There was another dirt road between the store and Live Oak. Does anyone remember it's name or anyone that lived on it? I think one family was the Hornes. There were only 2 or 3 house down that road.

Miss Myrt. She lived on Mercer back in the 1950s. I don’t remember a lot about her, but what little I do has impressed me all my life. She was a large black (colored in those days) lady that was always happy with a big friendly smile and willing to always give a helping hand. Sometime in the 50s she moved with her son to a little house on Princess Place Drive. It seems I remember her husband died early in the 50s. I only remember seeing her one time after she moved, it was around 1974. I was on the Wilmington Fire Department and was station at the station just down the street from her home. One afternoon we were responding to an alarm in Creekwood and passed her house. There she was as we passed, sitting on her porch with that big smile. She died in 1987, not long after my mother had paid a visit to her. My mother tried to get me to go visit her but I was to busy being young and by the time I found time it was to late. That is one of the many regrets in my life. She is buried at the Flemington Oakgrove Cemetery.

Mrs. Bell ran a little one room store out of her house about half way down Mercer Avenue. Mrs. Bell was in her 50's and 60's in the 1950's and 1960's but to us kids she seemed a lot older. She had been a widow since her husband had died in the 1930's. She had moved to Mercer from 13th Street in the late 40's or early 50's. I remember she always had chickens and a garden behind the house she lived in. Us kids spent a many a day on her front porch playing and drinking 5 cent Cokes, Golden Girl Colas, Sun Drop, and True Aid Oranges. Those were the days, honey bun, peanuts and a drink for a quarter. Do you remember the sour pickle jar? We all used the same fork to get the pickles with. Again that was in the days before air conditioning. That made those drinks seem even colder.

The house is still there, but the store has been gone for years. Mrs. Bell passed away in the when she was in her 80's and was living in a nursing home her half brother was watching after her and her estate. She was buried next to her husband in Bellevue Cemetery.

Fred Kelly was the first full time preacher at East Wilmington Baptist Church, but we need to go back even before then to who actually started the church. Aunt Lanie always want to have a Baptist church in East Wilmington, so she started by teaching Sunday School to all the children in the neighborhood around Mercer and Live Oak Avenue (Covil today). From this small beginning East Wilmington Baptist Church was started. Sometime in the early 50’s of late 40’s Fred Kelly was hired by the church to be their first preacher. At that time the church was a Missionary Baptist church and would stay that way until the early 60’s went it joined the Southern Baptist Conference. I don’t remember a lot about Preacher Kelly except that he was well respected and liked by everyone. He left around 1954 or 1954 and then Dan Page was hired to preach. Shortly after his arrival the church built the new larger brick sanctuary. Gone was the little white wood church. After Pastor Page left, Paul Mull came and stayed as preacher for about 2 years. Then C. R Price came and stayed for about 35 years.  Not long before his retirement the church built the fellowship hall that they now meet in. After Preacher Price retired the church fell on hard times under his replacement. For reasons only know to a few the name was changed to Charity.

I know my dates maybe off and that a lot has been left out. So it is up to you the reader to fill in the gaps and make the corrections with your comments. Your comments are what I will use to update this story.