Memories are important to us all. There are milestones in our lives that we consider very significant to our growth and development as people. In order to preserve these memories forever people often pack a few things away to remind them of the important happenings.

Some people take this a little too far. I realized recently I was one of these people. For some reason I have held on to things that really should have been thrown out years ago. There were several times I had pondered throwing them out, but I always found a reason to hold on to them. What if I am being held by terrorists and they say "We will let you go IF you can present us with your backpack and homework from your kindergarten year." Hey, you never know. Who am I to say that a University of Alabama media guide from 1986 will never come in handy? Why shouldn't I hang onto my old tee ball hats and jerseys?

As far as I am concerned all of these things all have a very important place in my life. The only problem now is where that place will be. Being the avid collector of all things Rick that I am I'm running out of space. Most of these things are actually sitting in my closet at my parent's house and slowly beginning to overflow.

Soon they will take over the rest of the room and probably make their way into the back hall. I don't think my mother will ever let it get that far.

To keep all of these precious things from being thrown to the dump I have to take some kind of measure. That is why I have proposed the opening of my own museum. The name of the museum will be "The Museum of Things You Could Probably Have Gone the Rest of Your Life Without Seeing" and admission of course will be free (all donations will be welcome for the upkeep of the museum).

Visitors can see such historic displays as the glasses Rick broke when he fell out of the slide in first grade. Look on in awe at Rick's awesome General Lee collection. And of course, no visit to the museum would be complete without a visit to the hall of matchbox cars.

I feel that my story needs to be told and what better way to tell it than through my own shrine composed of things I have no place to store. When visitors hear about my triumphant struggle through the presidency of the second grade class at Patrician Academy and the crayon and glue scandal that followed, a made for TV movie should not be far away. Don't look for a sequel because that was pretty much my biggest accomplishment.

If you ever find yourself in Pennington, Ala. and have some time to kill, stop into the "Museum of Things You Could Have Gone the Rest of Your Life Without Seeing." Maybe it will inspire you. At the very least it will help you waste some time until you can find something productive to do.

Rick Couch may be reached at

383-9302, ext. 132 or

via email at rick. couch@greenvilleadvocate.com.