Sixty-five years ago tomorrow, my parents, Kathryn Edgerton and Louis Cody Sossamon, were married in Orangeburg, S.C.

My mother's parents both died when she was young and she was raised in Orangeburg by her aunt.

After the wedding, Dad borrowed his brother Frank's car and he and his new bride honeymooned, in Myrtle Beach, I think, while he was on leave from the Navy.

Almost eight years to the day after their wedding, I was born, the third and only boy of three children.

We lived in a very small house at 308 E. Fairview Ave. I don't remember it being all that small, but with only one bathroom, it had to have been a bit crowded I guess.

One of my dad's favorite stories is about the time at church when my Sunday School teacher asked if anyone knew where God lived.

"He lives in our bathroom," I replied (according to Dad).

"And just how do you know that, young man?" the Sunday School teacher asked.

"'Cause my dad is always knocking on the door and saying 'My god, are you still in there?'"

Back in those days, parents were not anywhere close to as involved in their children's lives as so many are today.

Oh, we did some stuff together, like playing ball in the backyard, and went to the beach every year for a week's vacation at Pawley's Island. Even though we stayed in a cottage that was smaller than 308 and it was behind the sand dunes with no AC and no ocean breeze, I have very fond memories of those family times together.

There was a main house where we stayed (Miss Daisy McGregor's, I think) where meals were served to all the cottage guests. When the evening meal was about ready, one of the children was chosen to walk along the wooden paths winding through the dunes and ring the dinner bell.

We went crabbing in the creek across the street and played endless games on the beach.

I'm sure it was a financial burden on my parents to 'splurge' on these vacations, but then they always did sacrifice for us kids.

At home, we all sat down together for almost every meal and the TV was turned off. Of course for most of my early years it was an old black and white and only three channels were available.

During the week, at lunch though, Dad would tune into the local news on the radio station and we'd all laugh at J.M Smith's commercials. J.M. had a men's clothing store downtown (Sewell suits were the specialty) and was quite a character. He and Dad were dove hunting on a hot September day, again according to my dad, and J.M. stripped down to his boxers because he got so hot. He never stopped shooting doves, though.

In addition to teaching school, my mom taught ballroom dancing in a little building behind a church at the end of the divide on Buford Street (near where the auto parts store is).

I was one of her reluctant students, but thanks to her, I can hold my own on the dance floor when the occasion rises.

Before Dad joined the Ledger, he worked in construction with Uncle Frank. Sometimes he'd drive the motorgrader home and park it in the alley next to our house. Those were special times for a kid like me who loved to play in the sand pile with his Tonka trucks. Dad would hoist me up on the real thing and boy, did I think I was really something!

The highlight trip of my childhood was when Dad took me to New York for the World Series. He had some connections from when he played pro football and we got to go into the Yankees' dressing room where I met Yogi Berra, Mickey Mantle and a host of other Yankees. Talk about being on top of the world!

One of the fondest memories I have of time alone with my mother is when she would sing Christmas carols to me and rub my back as I drifted off to sleep.

Funny, the memories we have, isn't it?

The thing I remember most, though, is that no matter what happened or what I did, I always knew my Mom and Dad loved me and each other.

There's no better gift a parent can give a child and I hope my children can say the same thing about me as the years go by.

Happy 65th Anniversary, Mom and Dad!

(Their e-mail address is sossamon@sc.rr.com if you'd like to send them a note.)

Cody Sossamon (cody@gaffneyledger.com) is publisher of The Gaffney Ledger.