Apollo 13

Apollo 13.

Almost every year, our aunt and uncle, Karen and Jim Williams, would drive around two hours from Warrenton, Oregon USA to Forest Grove to pick one or more of us Arnold family members, and they would usually drive us in their luxury car back to their house. That is four hours for them, there and back. They would usually come sometimes for the Independence Day holiday, which is the 4th of July each year.

They would also come sometimes for Christmas each year, which is the 25th of December of each year. I actually think they did come twice a year to see us.

In the year 1995, in July, when I was ten years old, they picked up just me, Joey Arnold, and I was so excited since this was always the highlight of my year.

They asked me what film I wanted to see in the big screen and I demanded for the Power Rangers; The Movie. Instead, i was like figuratively dragged into a big screen in I think Astoria, Oregon USA, and we saw the film Apollo 13, which stars actor Tom Hanks, and I was not sure what to think then, but now, and as I got older, I began to appreciate Tom Hanks and other things in life.


I almost drown at the beach one night. I am usually with them for a weekend each year, except for one year it was like 9 or so days.

I was not actually drowning.

I was full of sand. The waves were high.

I was with just Jim.

When we got back to their house, I showed Karen how high the waves are with my hands and she gave her scared to death face.

Sometimes, I would pick up golf balls with Jim at golf courses.


4th of July, 1995
10 years oldWarrenton & Astoria, Oregon, United States
Joey Arnold, The Original Oatmeal