Sometimes it seems life presents a pattern of embarrassing situations. School was more than frequently a series of misunderstandings and misinterpretations. My teachers got a few laughs because I was so literal in my understandings of what was said, and I would often be in the wrong place at the wrong time.
I remember being dropped off at the front door on my first day of school Continue reading
In the 60’s, living in the woods of Vermont involved a lot of down time because there was hardly any t.v. reception, and certainly no cell phones. Riding a bicycle was the only way to experience the feeling of freedom, and how much fun you have on that bike is dependent upon how hard packed and smooth the dirt road is. One summer day, David, the neighbor closest to my age stopped by, and we anxiously rode up the road to Cavendish town. It was always a big deal when we got permission to go all the way to town about 2 ½ miles from where we lived. The partial shade of the trees made cool spots along the way. It was a free feeling to weave and change speeds at a whim as we enjoyed the sounds of the tires sliding and rolling along on the dirt. We got to the end of the dirt part of our ride where the railroad crossing marked the spot that the pavement started. Pavement riding was rare. We stopped for a few minutes to talk with a pretty girl who was a classmate of ours, but unfortunately that was the last thing I actually remembered Continue reading
Parents are full of advice as their child grows. My mother was full of advice, and full of superstition and scare tactics. She had a variety of fears and she wanted me to adopt them. She was well meaning and often the lessons were valid, but sometimes it would have been good to add a few exceptions to the rules.
One of the things she told me time and time again was that if I ever got into a stranger’s car I’d never be seen again, and Continue reading
I’ve been interested in writing most of my life. As a grade school student, my interests developed with some encouragement from my educators. My third grade teacher, Mrs. Hemenway, wrote a note on my report card that I might perhaps become a writer someday. I was drawn to writing as a form of self-expression and to occupy my time and exercise my imagination. Continue reading
It was a great start to the summer when I was between 11 and 12 years old. The neighbor down the road a quarter mile away and I decided to go to the only farm in the valley and go woodchuck hunting. The farmer told us it was always a big help to get rid of them because they were so destructive to his gardens. I had worked on the farm so he knew I had a good handle on the specifics of the property and would be safe while hunting there. My friend and I took a mile walk to get there and scouted around the fields. We were on our way home and came upon a man who was maneuvering a bulldozer around the huge stone wall near the Mactice house Continue reading
There are lots of reasons for believing in God. As a child it is sometimes difficult to remember one particular incident or moment when we actually decided there is a God and are aware of his presence. As a very young boy, my mother took me to church with her. My father brought us to the actual building and let us off and would read the paper or run errands and come back to pick us up after the service was over. I had some semblance of belief, and would follow the Sunday school lessons and learn about Christian history from the bible. Though I was very young, I actually do remember the time that cemented the belief that prayers could Continue reading
Over the course of my youth I had a variety of pets, some cats and dogs which were all very meaningful to me. One pet in particular stands out as more memorable and unusual than the others. I had a Billy Goat. A rather large pet with an ornery disposition. Very often I would stand up petting the goat and before long, I’d be on the ground with Continue reading
Main events in a child’s life add up quickly and the listing order of importance usually begins with the most current event. My sister’s birth was one that seemed to rank high on the list of what’s happening now. We had gone to Massachusetts to visit my mother’s relatives while she was very pregnant. Evidently she wasn’t close enough to set off any caution lights in my mother’s or father’s list of things to worry about, but on our way back to Cavendish Vermont we had to make an emergency stop at Continue reading
A wake-up slap on the butt is a different story than being knocked to the ground by a large hand to the side of the head. Where, in the sequence of time, does age decide the punishment or the reward? Growing up is a process and learning the hard way isn’t always a choice to be made.
Starting off as the result of a teen pregnancy in the 1950’s, a bundle created by two people in love and unaware of their futures. Dreams and ambitions seemed simple when a dwelling and small parcel of land sporting an outhouse could be bought for $500.00 in Vermont. Anyone would worry about the baby coming home and where it will fit in, as the family structure is expanded by one. I was one of those welcomed but surprise guests that entered the world with a few Continue reading
mind salvage 