Pamplin Boys

     I grew up in North St. Louis specifically the Walnut Park area.  My childhood friends lived only doors away on the same block, Pamplin Place.  I love the fact that we stay in touch even though we have gone our separate ways. 

     Frank Berra (oldest) was always the mediator, Jim Madigan was the comedian, Reinhard Altenhofer was the adventurer and me, Jim Ladendecker, (youngest) was the observer.

     Frank was always the one to step in to mediate a situation.  He would negotiate things between us when we couldn't come to some agreement.  Frank is also a collector of memorabilia from past times.   He enjoys collecting things that evoke pleasant memories of the past.  Frank is the one that has reunited the old gang for card games at his house 3 or 4 times a year.  His basement is filled with old memories and many old movie posters.  I remember when I was very young and had a fist fight with Rein, I don't remember what it was about, just that the next day we were friends again because Frank told us to forget about the squabble and just shake hands as friends.  Frank's house was one of the places we would hangout when not running around the neighborhood.

     Jim M knew everyone and still does today.  He is like a book of knowledge regarding north county people and it seems like he is related to all of them in some way.  You've heard the saying "Six degrees of Kevin Bacon", well I believe it should really be the "Six degrees of Jim Madigan".  Jim was always cracking a joke, it was just his nature.  Jim had a natural talent for remembering jokes and repeating them at any time and he still does.   Comedy seemed to come to him naturally maybe it was his Irish heritage.  He could make me laugh almost anytime, especially when we were supposed to be quite while saying our morning prayers at school.  I guess some families have a humor gene that goes from generation to generation.  As it turns out Jim’s niece Kathleen is a professional comedian.

     Reinhard was always the adventurer wanting to travel the world. Rein lived right across the street (our 2nd house on Pamplin) from me.  He insisted that he would travel the world instead of getting married at a young age.  My Dad bet him $5.00 that he would be married by age 25, Rein won that bet.  His favorite car was the Chevrolet Corvette, which he intended to own some day.  He achieved this dream as well.  He joined the Marines which was the start of his world travels.  He has traveled the world and lived in many different countries for extended periods of time, working odd jobs while living there.  




     As a young kid, I was not the leader of our group but just one of the gang and more of an observer in some cases. To me as with most kids, friends were the most important part of being young.  My house was another place we would hangout either playing cards or goofing around in the garage.  My parents were glad to have us there partly because they could keep a closer eye on us which is important because boys can easily get in to trouble.  I was the smallest and youngest of the group and a bit quite but always glad to be included.  I guess it's not surprising that as the observer I am writing this story.

     Now we are older and grown in different ways but we still have traits of the personalities we had as young boys.  You can see the kid in all of us when we get together on our occasional card night at Frank's.  Our card games include not only the Pamplin boys but buddies from nearby streets like John O'Toole (Mimika) , Mick Noser, (Floy Ave), the Dunn brothers (John & Butch), Tom (very funny sarcastic humor) and a few others now and then.  These card games are fun but you shouldn't go if you have sensitive feelings, everything said is not politically correct but it's ok we are among friends and nothing is being recorded.