My Main Line

So I made friends with the little boy down the street. Some how, even thought my mother provided poor example of healthy relationship between the opposite sexes, we had a fairly good friendship that I can recall. I must say however, it was very short lived. If it were up to me, or him I would imagine, we would probably still be friends today, but, life circumstances sometimes, most times, dictate the way things will go in your life, whether you like it or not. It was not in the cards for us to be friends for very long, in fact, my roots have never been sewn very deep anywhere, with anyone, friend, family or otherwise.

I remember playing with my friend outside a lot in our side yard, in his yard, and in his house. We did a lot of outdoor/boy stuff together, because I was not a doll person so much and I did that stuff with my little sister when she was left in my charge. We were out on his porch playing with his cars one cool October evening. He had the really awesome miniature type hotwheels type cars and we loved to race them on his porch. My Mom had come downstairs and was walking around the side of our house when we saw Fred pull up in his El Camino. I guess my mom was coming to get me for dinner or to tell me it was time to come inside because that was usually the only reason she came out and around that way. Fred got out of the car and walked up to my mom real close and was looking real mean at her. We could’nt hear what he was saying to her because they were too far way, but I knew it was not nice by the look on his face, and the fact the my mom looked like she wanted to run away from him. They stood talking like that for what seemed like forever, but was actually only a couple of minutes. My mom kept shaking her head like she was telling him no. All of a sudden Fred tried to grab for my mom’s arm and my mom backed away from him. He screamed her name and then started chasing her through the yard. The whole time this was going on she was telling him stuff like "No, I don’t want to", "I can’t go with you" , "It is over". He did finally get a hold of her and I saw something shiny in his hand that he was holding close to her, but I did not know what it was. I started to get really worried because he was taking her toward his car. I thought he was going to take her somewhere and leave us all alone for good this time. Fred almost had my mom all the way in the car when a police car came speeding down the street and screeched to a stop in front of Fred’s El Camino. I thought "Boy, we are lucky this time!" …….

These are things I remember about my childhood that are either good, bad or indifferent that don’t fit in. They either don’t fit into the timeline, or they don’t fit in with other memories or they just don’t go with the other stuff.

I used to play out behind one of our houses/apartments. I do not remember there being a yard so much, but there was a gravel driveway and there was a fence of some sort that separated our space from the neighbor’s space. On that fence grew the most fragrant flowers. They were pink and they reminded me of my great-grandmother Neff. I found out much latter in life after smelling them in someone else’s yard and being drawn back into that memory, that they were tea roses.

I also loved spearmint/peppermint plants. We have one growing wild somewhere I used to live. It could have been the same place; it might have been somewhere else. I remember one day brushing against it. I could smell mint chewing gum everywhere! I figured out quickly that the smell was coming from the leaves on this bush at my feet. Being the tomboy that I was, I plucked off one of the leaves and sniffed it tentatively. I decided it smelled just like chewing gum and must be perfectly safe for chewing. And that is exactly what I did. I snatched a couple of leaves and balled them up and into my mouth they went. I do remember my mom getting a little perturbed with my green teeth, but it was worth it.

When I was really little, I think before my sister was born even we had a German Shepherd named King. I used to ride him around like he was a horse. I guess to me, and my little size, he was a horse!!

During the holidays, we got to have our pictures taken with Santa at the mall just like other kids, I do not specifically remember that, but we have pictures of it. What I do remember, is having Santa come to our house and visit us in our house on Christmas Eve. He would come and see if we were being naughty or nice, and ask what we wanted for Christmas that year. It was very cool. Thankfully he was pre-informed of our lists so he was always well prepared. One year I was in bed already because I had gotten into trouble. I haven’t the foggiest idea what I had done wrong, but I knew I was going to miss Santa, and he wasn’t going to have any idea what to bring me. Oh, no I thought what if they told him I was naughty when he got here and I didn’t get anything at all? I was heartbroken. I cried myself to sleep. Later on I was awoken by a little shake. As I rolled over and opened my eyes I saw Santa and my mom. I rubbed my eyes to make sure I was seeing things right. I was, sure enough Santa was standing beside my bed. He heard I was having a rough time he had said and he wanted to tell me that everyone has a bad night and as long as I promised that I would try my hardest to do better, he would not hold one bad night against me. I promised him I would be good from then on and hugged him and rolled over and went back to sleep. The next morning I was the first one awake and in front of the tree. I remember getting a sock monkey and a big stand up doll that was as tall as I was. We have pictures of that doll in the corner of the room, always naked! I guess we forgot to ask for doll clothes!

More to come when the memory strikes!

Below Is what my office is doing to help with the relief for those suffering the devastation of Hurricane Katrina and the press release from our corporation showing their commitment to corporate giving.  I am looking through my brief case and my desk drawers now to see what I can contribute!

Melis

We will take the coins to the local Commerce store...count it in the Penny Arcade, and donate the full amount to this emergency relief effort.

Thanks in advance for your generosity in helping those who really need our support during these difficult times.....

Commerce Bank Launches 'Coins for Caring' Program to Aid Victims of Hurricane Katrina

Thu Sep 1, 2005 9:24 AM ET

CHERRY HILL, N.J., Sept. 1 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Commerce Bancorp,

Inc. (NYSE: CBH) announced today that it has launched a "Coins for Caring"

campaign to support the American Red Cross efforts to aid the victims of

Hurricane Katrina, which slammed the United States' Mississippi Gulf Coast

region earlier this week. Commerce will match contributions up to a total of

$50,000.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bi...)

Throughout the month of September, Commerce will encourage anyone with

spare change to use the bank's free Penny Arcade coin counting machines and

then donate all, or a portion of, the money to the emergency relief effort.

Penny Arcades can be found in all of Commerce's nearly 350 stores located

throughout the Metro Philadelphia, Metro New York, and Metro Washington, D.C.

markets.

The self-service, easy to use Penny Arcade machines convert loose change

into dollars and are conveniently located next to the teller counter at every

store. In addition, all Commerce stores are open seven days a week, including

the upcoming Labor Day weekend and Monday, September 5.

"With a disaster of this magnitude, the need for aid is enormous and

immediate," said Commerce Bank's Founder and Chairman Vernon W. Hill.

"Assisting people in need is a vital element of our longstanding community

service heritage, and we hope to rally the support of many people throughout

the markets we serve. Together we can provide much needed assistance to the

countless victims whose lives have been devastated by this life-altering

storm."

All funds collected will be used by the American Red Cross to directly

benefit the victims of Hurricane Katrina.

About Commerce Bank

Commerce Bank, "America's Most Convenient Bank," is a leading retailer of

financial services with nearly 350 convenient stores in New Jersey, New York,

Pennsylvania, Delaware and new markets Connecticut, Washington, D.C., and

Virginia. Overall, Commerce plans to open 50-plus new locations and create

1,800 new career opportunities throughout its footprint in 2005. The bank

will expand into southeast Florida in early 2006. Headquartered in Cherry

Hill, N.J., Commerce Bancorp (NYSE: CBH) has $33.4 billion in assets and, in

second quarter 2005, achieved a deposit increase of 28% and earnings per share

growth of 15%. For more information about Commerce, please visit the company's

interactive financial resource center at http://www.commerceonline.com...

Forward-Looking Statements

The Company may from time to time make written or oral "forward-looking

statements," including statements contained in the Company's filings with the

Securities and Exchange Commission, in its reports to stockholders and in

other communications by the Company, which are made in good faith by the

Company pursuant to the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities

Litigation Reform Act of 1995.

These forward-looking statements include statements with respect to the

Company's beliefs, plans, objectives, goals, expectations, anticipations,

estimates and intentions, that are subject to significant risks and

uncertainties and are subject to change based on various factors (some of

which are beyond the Company's control). The words "may," "could," "should,"

"would," "believe," "anticipate," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "plan," and

similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. The

following factors, among others, could cause the Company's financial

performance to differ materially from that expressed in such forward-looking

statements: the strength of the United States economy in general and the

strength of the local economies in which the Company conducts operations; the

effects of, and changes in, trade, monetary and fiscal policies, including

interest rate policies of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System

(the "FRB"); inflation; interest rates, market and monetary fluctuations; the

timely development of competitive new products and services by the Company

and the acceptance of such products and services by customers; the willingness

of customers to substitute competitors' products and services for the

Company's products and services and vice versa; the impact of changes in

financial services' laws and regulations (including laws concerning taxes,

banking, securities and insurance); technological changes; future

acquisitions; the expense savings and revenue enhancements from acquisitions

being less than expected; the growth and profitability of the Company's non-

interest or fee income being less than expected; unanticipated regulatory or

judicial proceedings; changes in consumer spending and saving habits; and the

success of the Company at managing the risks involved in the foregoing.

The Company cautions that the foregoing list of important factors is not

exclusive. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking

statement, whether written or oral, that may be made from time to time by or

on behalf of the Company.