This house at 147 Hayden Rowe recently was razed recently to make room for the new Charleswood School access road. PHOTO/JERRY SPAR

On a recent afternoon, I drove up Hayden Rowe and saw that the house at 147 was gone. It was razed to make a driveway to go to the new Charleswood School.

The memories came pouring back, of a time around 1954. I was on my journey to become an Eagle Scout, and one of the merit badges I needed was first aid. Steve Fleming and his wife, Marie (Colella), lived in the house, and he happened to be the first aid counselor. Steve ran the motor pool at Natick Labs and had been an Army medic in World War II.

I made an appointment with him and rode my bike to Steve’s house to start meeting my merit badge requirements. We spent several evenings at a picnic table in the backyard going over the requirements and tying many dressings and splints. He said I did very well at first aid, adding that I had a knack for it. I went on to get to badge and my Eagle Scout Award in 1955.

He motivated me to become a first aid instructor and firefighter/emergency medical technician (EMT) for the Hopkinton Fire Department, a position I held for 30 years.

Steve was a good guy. Colella’s Market had a bowling night at Crosti’s Grove in Ashland for a few years. My brother worked part-time at Colella’s around 1965, and he was on the bowling team. I was invited to join the team. Steve was one of the bowlers. We had many a fun time bowling and having a couple of beers together.

Still later on, I joined the American Legion, and Steve also was a member. We marched in many Memorial Day parades together.

So, all these years later, just driving up Hayden Rowe and seeing his house gone turned on the “old memory clock.”