Archie Cole loved 8 Tack Tapes

The detective work continues. Who is or who was Archie Cole?

Archie must be at least my age – or maybe my dad’s age. Now that sure makes the age range a little wide – doesn’t it? How do I narrow it down?

It all started with a box of 8 track tapes that I purchased at a Bethel Church Garage Sale late summer of 2006… I think. The dusty old box of 24 - 8 track tapes has been sitting on a shelf in my garage since that late August date in 2006.

Last night I began to sort through the box. The tapes were well played to say the least. They date back to 1974 – 1979 – from the publishing dates on the labels. About 35 years ago.

35 Years ago the cars had the ability to contain an 8 Track Tape player. The tapes were big to match the cars. My dad’s one car – huge green Chrysler – had that wonderful hole in the dash board and the place to carry a selection of Tapes.

So Archie was getting down to the beat of Glen Campbell, Anita Ward, Paul Anka and “25 Rock Revival Greats”.

How did I figure that one out? Well Archie had written his name on the outside of the tape’s cover.

But along with Archie writing his name another name was written as well. Her name is Sherry L. Carr.

Perhaps a true love story? It seems it could be so with about half the tapes with their two names signed on the outside jacket.

But then the rest of the story started to appear. One some of the tapes the two names appeared – but Sherry’s name was scratched out with some effort. I count at least 15 lines through Sherry’s name on the Glen Campbell tape – trying to smudge her memory.

This is turning into a sad story.

As I lifted one set of tapes from the old grungy box – a photo popped out from between two tapes. There standing on a river of lake shore was a couple that had just married. His groom’s man was to his left side – her brides maid was to her right… and with them two kids stood – not sure what they were doing… the ring bearer and the flower girl.

Who are they? The clothing and hair do would suggest a 1970s wedding. And it is 3:30 PM in the afternoon according to the best man’s watch.

From the background it would appears to be the shore line beside the United Church in Warsaw. (I have fished there…)

Was one of these kids Archie’s? Seems about right in my mind?

I did a Canada 411 search and found an “A. Cole” on the listing in Peterborough. When the answering machine kicked in it was a woman’s voice asking me to leave a message. Her name wasn’t Sherry.

I am guessing that Archie passed away in the last few years and his widow answered the telephone with the message. The kids had taken the 8 Track Tapes to the garage sale.

I found an S. Carr on Canada 411 also. When I called her she was not nice, when I asked her if I was speaking to a Sherry Carr. She gave me some other name and snapped that I had the wrong number! Conversation Closed!

So she doesn’t like telephone solicitors any more than I do.

Her voice is much older in sound.

I plugged in the Paul Anka tape… “Having my baby…”, then One Man Woman, One Woman Man…” and then followed by “Everybody ought to be in love…” filled my garage.

Seems like maybe these old tapes with two names on them are all old love songs – from the last century. WOW!

Oh boy – I better stop – in case I find out too much… a broken marriage… an old girl friend… a lonely dad that lived alone and played his 8 tracks until he died…. BETTER STOP.

It is amazing what you find at a garage sale – and when you look closely.

The couple in the photograph would have been in their mid twenties in the 1970s. That would make them near retirement now with kids of own… maybe university students…

I wonder who they are?

Maybe the guy in the wedding photo is Archie Cole – and that isn’t Sherry L. Carr standing beside him. Oh Boy!!!?!

One thing that I am sure of now… Archie loved 8 Tack Tapes and so do I!!!!

~ Murray Lincoln ~
www.murraylincoln.com

By The Way –
Today is our Daughter Dana’s birthday.
Happy Birthday Dana!