I first met Todd Mold at Reese Elementary School in Lubbock, Texas. This was 1963. We were classmates in 4th grade and instantly hit it off as friends. Todd’s father, Lt. Colonel David Mold was Reese Air Force Base commander. My dad was an enlisted sergeant, and Lt. Colonel Mold was his big boss.
Todd and I were chummy enough that I was invited to their home several times. He was one of two children, and with his father in the limelight, I often wonder if my pal saw much of his dad. High-ranking officers are always in meetings and traveling places. Todd craved attention and with us paired together, trouble came with each new day. We both had creative minds making for some unusual pranks.
Todd’s mother was extremely nice and their home was spotless. They constantly had get-togethers for other officers and visiting personnel, with Todd having to resign himself to staying out of the way. I was perhaps his only friend from school invited to come over and play. She’d serve us ice cream and cake with Kool-Aid to drink. I remember the dinnerware being much fancier than what we had at our little trailer.
The two of us became such a problem for our teacher, Mrs. Hagan, that our mothers were called in for a conference. Dad was especially worried that my getting into mischief with the boss’s son—repercussions might come his direction. I was told to knock it off or else.
Some of the stuff we innocently did was bail out of swings when told not to. Mrs. Hagan always claimed one of us would break our neck or back while doing so. We’d clown around to get laughs from other students and talk in class on occasion. It was something that some of the other boys did yet their grades didn’t suffer as much as ours. It seems Todd and I put more effort into entertaining than learning.
After unrelenting mischievous episodes at school, Mrs. Hagan recommended to our moms that we be separated. Both parents were in agreement. Todd was to sit on one side of the classroom and me on the other. We weren’t allowed to play together, and I recall that depressing us both.
Lt. Colonel Mold was assigned to another base before 5th grade started and I never saw Todd again. I always wondered what happened to him, because he was constantly bullied and tormented about his name and weight, mostly by girls. I’m sure as time went on he was more than capable of handling such.
Several years ago I decided to reach out to former classmates and was successful in reconnecting with the majority. I sadly found that one girl who was in Todd’s and my class, Larelia Sadler, was killed in an automobile accident four years after graduation in 1976.
For all of my efforts, I could never locate Todd. It seemed as if he’d dropped off the face of the earth. I uncovered old newspaper articles regarding Lt. Colonel Mold and his celebrated military service, but nothing regarding Mrs. Mold, their son, or daughter, Edith. I eventually put things on hold until this past week.
Poring through newly released archived newspapers I learned that Todd’s first name was David, the same as his father. I never knew this. Evidently, my old friend went by Todd to avoid confusion.
Searching further I discovered devastating news. On July 4, 1972, Todd was in a car with two friends when it went off the road and hit a large tree. The other boys weren’t seriously hurt but Todd sustained a broken neck. He died several days later in a Massachusetts hospital.
The home address where this tragedy occurred was mentioned in a newspaper clipping. I was able to look this location up and see for myself where the crash occurred. A medium-sized tree is in the Google Earth photo in front of this house. It’s probably an offshoot of the original tree should that one have died back then. Nature has a way of healing itself.
Oddly enough, the cemetery where the family is supposedly buried has no record of them being there on findagrave.com. I assume that’s merely an oversight on their part.
It’s taken me many years to finally find out what happened to my friend. I’m not sure it’s any easier learning now than had I discovered things 52 years ago. I realize that I’m blessed to have made it this far while others didn’t. Just why is a question for which I have no answer. I do believe I’ll see my old pal Todd on the other side.
I like to write junk... 