Once Upon A Time: Go Fly a Kite

Go Fly a Kite! Lose Yourself on a Sunny Afternoon Flying a Kite

by Rita Thurman Barnes

Every time I think about springtime I always think about Frances and Brodie Stockard’s Viaduct Grocery Store and the waist-high cardboard box of paper kites by the old red Coca Cola machine. Every kid within walking distance of the store did whatever they could to gather up dimes with which they could head for the best “kite store” on South Maple Street. And I was always among the group.

Kids from South Johnstone to Virginia Avenue thought they had it made back in the early 1950s not only due to the proximity of the Viaduct Grocery, but also due to the location of the old water tower that used to stand at the corner of South Armstrong and 14th Street. Kids from all over came to fly their paper kites in the shadow of that old silver water tower. Some came with one of their siblings and some came with friends. Some even came with a parent or a grandparent and some just came by themselves – all that mattered was getting there and getting that kite up into the air.

I don’t know why I remember the things I do and at my age I don’t even question it anymore. But I recall a Saturday afternoon in early March when, for some reason, I couldn’t find a living soul to go kite flying with. But I also didn’t let it keep me from heading down South Maple on the east side of the street and making my way to the flat land that surrounded the water tower. I hung around for a while, but it didn’t seem to be a good day to carry out my adventure, so I headed back home with my head hung low.

Another time I recall so vividly I was going out to our front porch and I saw a string floating low in the sky. I called to my brother and when he came to look, he agreed to drive me to follow the string we both were able to see. I hung my head out the window of his truck to follow the string and I thought it was going to go on forever when we finally located the boys the kite belonged to as they were having the time of their lives. Of course, I had no idea who they were, but I’ll never forget them or locating their kite.

My favorite kite-flying memory was when my sons were in grade school and as a trio, we decided to go fly a kite. I don’t remember where we bought this particular kite, but it wasn’t paper, and it didn’t cost a dime. The boys loved to shop at TG&Y, so I imagine that’s where we made our purchase. We took a vote and agreed to go to Sooner Park. I don’t know why but I even remember what I wore that day – a skirt of all things – but I wasn’t thinking that day about anything except the kite and the drive to the park. It was cloudy when we started out and it got windier the longer we were there but that day with my boys was one of the closest moments of bonding I recall to this day. We three ran like the wind with our kite flying high and only stopped when the rains came.

The photo here was taken when my hair was brown, and I was still somewhat svelte, and I was flying a kite with a fishing pole. It was the highest I’d ever gotten a kite off the ground and it was during a church gathering at a member’s country home. Everyone brought kites and the sky was filled with them as adults and kids alike were having such great fun.

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