Actually, it was a very short period in history, but for children, time moves slowly.  It was the summer/fall of 1960 and the world was changing, and I could feel it.  Until this time my only memory of a president was President Eisenhower.  He and Mamie seemed to have always lived in the White House, and now, this would change. 

At home my parents discussed Kennedy and Nixon and why they favored Nixon.  It was the first time I recall having a difference of opinion, politically (and it would continue until they passed away).  In school, the Sisters talked about Kennedy's Catholicism, and how historic it would be if he became president.  And on the streets, everyone talked about Jack and Jackie, the "beautiful couple."  And pill-box hats were all the rage. 

A couple of evenings ago, I caught McCain and Obama discussing the bail-out issues.  This is when Jack Kennedy came to mind.  Back then we had Nixon and Kennedy ... one was charismatic; one was not.  Today, it is McCain and Obama ... one is charismatic; one is not.  Anyway, back to my story.

When Election Day came, the whole neighborhood was abuzz about voting for Kennedy.  I sincerely believed I was the only child in the country whose parents had voted for Nixon.  However, I admitted their action and took the ridicule, saying that they had a right to their opinion.  And so Jack Kennedy was elected, and I enjoyed the Kennedy family tremendously.  Those were hopeful years and everything seemed fresh and new.  I remember feeling such pride that we had Kennedy and the rest of the world did not.  Ha! Ha! ... Ha! ... Ha! Ha!

I do not remember the year, but at one point, President Kennedy and Jackie were scheduled to drive through my neighborhood ... a motorcade that would head down Second Avenue.  I can remember racing down the block and arriving at the crowd at the corner just in time.  There they were!  It was thrilling and the entire neighborhood lined the streets or stood on stoops to catch a glimpse, and if they were not out there, they were hanging out of their windows.  We were so very proud of our president and we loved him.

I remember Jackie losing a baby ... how very sad.  And I remember Caroline and John playing in their dad's office.  And then there was the Cuban Missile Crisis ... we were all taken from school and lined up at the church confessionals so that we could confess and die in the state of grace.  We were then sent home, trying not to sin on the way, and waited ... I guess for the missiles to hit ... certainly they were headed for New York.

My last memory ... home from school that day for whatever reason, watching TV, waiting for my mom to return from the A & P.  And then ... Walter Cronkite appeared on the screen, telling me my president had been shot.  I changed the channels but it was the same on all seven of them.  And when my mom came in the door --- she had heard at the A & P ... we ran to the apartments of the few elderly women in the building who were wailing.  And the streets were filled with people crying and in school, I heard that they prayed that day.

I recall that the elderly woman who lived above me had a photo of Kennedy next to one of Pope John XXIII displayed prominently on her wall.  This is how he was viewed.

My brother came home early from school and my dad from work, and we sat glued to the TV for what seemed like days ... until it was over.  And we all seemed so much older.  And it really was the end of Camelot ... short but Oh! So sweet!