WHERE WERE YOU 50 YEARS AGO ?

[Bill Gulley]

If you're old enough like my generation, we remember exactly where we were when President Kennedy was slain. I was standing in school in a hallway, a bridge walkover going to lunch. They turned on the PA and heard it from Walter Cronkite. I just stood there stunned looking out the window listening to the news. There was nothing but silence at first and then I heard the crying of teachers and students alike. I can clearly see the school yard between the two buildings, a small rolling knoll with shrubs. What I had stared at while listening to the news at school, I later saw in that very similar grassy knoll in Dallas watching TV.

It was a different time, a nation of Americans horrified, all with a sense of a some personal loss. It was much like 9/11.

There was immediate talk of conspiracies, Castro, organized crime, was there a political take over, rumors were passed in the news and there were concerns of going to war.

Today, over 60% believe Oswald did not act alone and the conspiracies continue.

What's your story? For those younger, did your parents tell you of those times?

[Jon Klaus]

In Utero. I've lived in/near Dallas since college. My first job here in the 1980's was as a limo driver. When out of town guests wanted to see the sights, the number one request was Dealey Plaza. Second was Southfork, but that's a different story.

The downtown traffic patterns had changed, but you could still drive west down the Houston St viaduct, and in the same lane as the presidential convertible. I would show my passengers JFK's route, the TX school book depository, and the 6th floor window, and then drive slowly down the viaduct. Someone always painted a white X on the spot in the street, which the city tried to remove, but it always got repainted. You really got a good feeling for space, place, and pace.

It was always interesting, and sometimes truly moving to see and hear the responses of my passengers. I could tell that they were in the moment. They talked conspiracies, especially when they understood the skill and accuracy needed for a single shooter, with a bolt action rifle, to hit his moving target, exactly on target. Some cried. I didn't add OpEd comment, I just told them what I knew.

Also notable to me, was how interested and knowledgeable international visitors were. Often more so than Americans. That helped bring home how important this killing was in history.

Thanks for the topic, Bill.