I am one of the “Silent Majority” who read I Remember Hamlet
(IRH) and now sit in disappointing shock at webmaster Russ
Lancaster’s announcement to shut his site down but can certainly
understand his reasoning with all the hard work, time, and
effort required to monitor and maintain such a popular and
frequently visited site.  I grew up in Rockingham but have lived
in Hope Mills for the past thirty years.  I do not physically visit
Richmond County often but mentally returned daily through
IRH.  I have been “silent” for the past five years and have
“spoken” only once with pen since becoming a member sixty days
ago.  Like so many of the out-of-town members and visitors to
IRH, I will miss my daily trips to Hamlet.



I am a baby boomer and tend to be nostalgic.  As many my age,
I have a tendency in today’s troubled world to look back at the
good ‘ole days before drugs, bankruptcies, mass murders,
rapidly rising divorce rate, NAFTA, school teachers/clergy
rapists and too many heinous crimes to mention existed.  I have
no interest in city or county politics other than the names of
the individuals I might have known as a kid.  I am merely an
outsider looking in.  Likewise, I can look at CNN or read U.S.
News & World Report if I want expert opinion on national and
world politics.  The local opinions of Richmond County mean

little to me.  Yet, the accounts and reflections of days-gone-by

found by IRH drew me to my computer daily like hunger draws

a new born pup to his mother’s bosom.



Russ was such a talented writer and storyteller.  Anyone who
grew up in any small town in the South during the truly
enchanted childhood of the baby boomer generation can place
himself right smack dab in the middle of the one hundred and
eleven real-life adventures found in Russ’ Hamlet Tales.  I too
can still remember as a kid “Playing For Keeps” and losing all my
marbles to the older boys at Roberdel Grammar School.  I too
can still remember as a kid the thrill of catching “The First
Fish” out of Ledbetter Lake.  I too can still remember the
special fifteen-year bond between my dog Zeke and me as I
read “Spot and Bologna Rings” and “Rags to Riches.”  I too can
still remember as a high-school kid “Basketball … the way it
was” in the 1960s in Rockingham High gymnasium.  Yes, it was
the same game played on the mirror-image building of Hamlet
High gymnasium.  I too still remember as a kid climbing up in
the stands for the “Rockingham-Hamlet Football Games” year
after year.  I too can still remember as a kid “Summer Nights”
watching the county’s best playing Legion Post 49 baseball and
after nine innings “Cruising and Dragging” as my friends and I
would circle Tom & Sarah’s and “drag the Hub.”  I too can still
remember as a young college kid the first time I stuck my thumb
up in the air as I was “Hitching a Ride.”  Yes, I too can still
remember as a young father with three girls “Sleepless Nights.”



I cannot comment on the enjoyment and pleasures of IRH
without mentioning The Insider.  Reading his postings was like
sitting on the bench in front of the Mayberry Barbershop with
Floyd and Andy catching up on the neighbors’ joys and woes.  I
will miss The Insider.  Other members have also done a great
job carrying me Back to the Future through their writings.  I am
sure Russ’ Hamlet Tales inspired them to write as it did me on
my one and only posting on IRH.



Russ gave great advice when he suggested “support your local
newspaper and share your memories with one another to keep all
the memories still alive.”  Russ’ Hamlet Tales also inspired me to
write the life and times of Bob McDonald growing up in
Rockingham, North Carolina - a small textile town in the South
in the ‘50s & ‘60s.  I posted these episodes on
rockinghammemories.net, the website of Joel Bailey located
on the other side of the tracks.  By the way, my friend Joel
credits Russ a ton for assisting and advising the set-up of his
successful website.  Joel’s website makes very few political
statements but is overflowing with memories.  I am sure I am
not speaking out of turn when I say Joel would welcome all the
Red Ram childhood memories and compositions of the IRH
members.  Give rockinghammemories.com a try.  In fact, one
of the staunch contributing members of IRH was a ’66 graduate
of Rockingham High School and a classmate of mine.  Robbie
Hassler and Red Rams everywhere give Joel a shout.  After all,
a memory is a terrible thing to waste!



As a result of the genesis Webmaster himself with all his hard
work and dedication to IRH, always I will remember Russ
Lancaster.  But, most of all … I remember Hamlet.