The Early Years (Pre-K)

The sad thing about my early childhood is that I don't remember much of it. Well, maybe there's not much to remember. I'll be as thorough as I can for this section given the lack of material to work with. I don't have any pictures or anything, mostly just memories and memories of pictures.

I obviously don't recall being born. I was the first (and only) child born to Robert Merrill Lincoln (1954-2008) and Diane Louise (Martinson) Lincoln (1952-present). They were married out of high school, but the marriage dissolved by the time I was 3 years old. I really have no memory of us being a family together at all.

I was born in Albert Lea, MN and lived there for nearly all of my childhood. Up through kindergarten I remember living in a one-bedroom apartment on Washington Street, near a grocery store, and only about a block from our church (Trinity Lutheran). My grandparents on my mom's side lived in town and were a big help us in those lean years.

Prior to kindergarten, I only have a few memories that float around somewhere inside my head. I remember breaking rocks with a hammer, interested to see what was inside. I remember watching the Rocky and Bullwinkle Show. I remember playing with army guys and Lincoln Logs in the house. I remember getting spanked after stealing a candy bar. I remember fearing the lady who lived downstairs because she was ancient. I remember I slept on a hide-away bed, though usually I'd get to fall asleep in my mom's bed until she hit the sack. I remember dialing random numbers on the telephone and talking to someone. I remember going to the truck stop for dinner/lunch occasionally.

At the time, I'm not sure my mother had a job. I know by the time I was in kindergarten we were on Welfare for sure, but don't know for sure when that started. So, I'm not sure what I did all day. Apparently I was able to read before kindergarten, so I had that going for me. I don't remember having any friends at the time.

Seems like a bit of a wasted post, really. "Greg remembers little before kindergarten." News at ten, film at eleven. But I guess it does set up the background of things to come.