When my brother Richard and I were young our greatest joy was traveling to Uncle Truman's farm to run and play with our cousins Jimmy and Donnie. They were like us in that they were apt to act like wild Indians most of the time.
One golden day is tucked away in my memory and it shines and glitters like a piece of gold.
The cast being Jimmy who as he informant me every chance HE got was the oldest grandchild being 2 whole months older than me. As I remember we were about 8 years young that summer . myself being the only girl and this was the last year I was allowed to join the boys in their play. After that summer they decided I was "a ole Gurl" and boys didn't play with girls.
As I said there was Jimmy with his dark hair and Donnie the younger child with freckles spread across his snub nose being even young than my tow haired brother, RICHARD who was one year younger than me being born in October 1939 and I rounding out the gang of four was the skinny blond headed girl child that who after that year was locked out of the boys play time cause boys don't play with girls. EECCeE!
So that year is precious to me because I was still allowed to play with the boys.
One summer day we were standing around on uncles yard trying to think of some adventure fit for 4 young adventurous bare foot children .
Parked in the yard was uncle's Truman's hay rake . the day before he had brought it in from the hay field having finished with the summer hay season.
Hey, Donnie said I know where we can have a lot of fun just like they do in the circus. We can ride the hay rake, will we soon discovered that riding the rake was a lot of work and only two could ride while the other two had to play being a team of horses. The horses part we soon discovered was not much fun.
Jimmy said he knew how we all could ride at the same time with out the aid of play horses which was fine with me because I had noticed that I was being drafter more often as the horse.
This was Jimmy's plan, we all would be horses and we would pull the rake down the road about a quarter of a mile and turn in uncle's hayfield where he had failed to shut the gate when he finished the day's work the day before.
Down road we pull and pushed the rake hoping that aunt Francis would not notice our departure because she was the one who usually stop our plans.
We arrived at the field turning our machine in the gate we discussed how this would work. Jimmy decided the best course of action was that he and Donnie would hold the tongue of the rake which is the part the horses are hooked too make the rake go.
You and Richard, jimmy said to me will push from behind one at each wheel until we get it going fast then we all will jump on and ride.
Ok that is what we did. we were moving down the hill at a pretty good clip when jimmy yelled NOW, get on which we did. hanging for dear life because we had not realized just how fast a rake could move on a steep incline.
The hot wind was drying the sweat from our brows and about that time the tongue of the rake rammed into the ground raising the part of the rake we were on a good 3 feet in the air and then down we came with a crash that Jared out teeth. and away we went again the tongue having broke free with the crash as we came down., after the second time the tongue ramming in the ground it crossed my mind that maybe jimmy's bright idea might not be so good after all and we could get hurt on this wild ride.
never the less all we could do was hang on and scream. Finally we reached the foot of the hill and we jumped off shouting with laughter. as we looked back up the hill which we had just rode down it dawned on us that our fun was over and we would have a lot of work ahead to get the rake back in the place where uncle had left it.
We discussed the matter and the boys said we will just leave it here and go back to the house since it was nearing dinner time and no one wanted to miss aunt Frances fine cooking least of all me. It crossed my mind that Truman might be upset when he discovered his rake missing but I reasoned that with any luck he wouldn't notice the fact until we were gone home and if he did express his displeasure by handing out corporal punishment I wouldn't be party to his displeasure and Donnie and jimmy's fate was not my concern. we went on our way Laughing and telling each other how great the ride had been and what were we going to do next. I know Donnie said lets go and walk the rafter in the barn. The rafters are real high in the air and it is just like being in the circus walking the rafters Donnie declared but I will leave that story for another day and bid you good night..
One golden day is tucked away in my memory and it shines and glitters like a piece of gold.
The cast being Jimmy who as he informant me every chance HE got was the oldest grandchild being 2 whole months older than me. As I remember we were about 8 years young that summer . myself being the only girl and this was the last year I was allowed to join the boys in their play. After that summer they decided I was "a ole Gurl" and boys didn't play with girls.
As I said there was Jimmy with his dark hair and Donnie the younger child with freckles spread across his snub nose being even young than my tow haired brother, RICHARD who was one year younger than me being born in October 1939 and I rounding out the gang of four was the skinny blond headed girl child that who after that year was locked out of the boys play time cause boys don't play with girls. EECCeE!
So that year is precious to me because I was still allowed to play with the boys.
One summer day we were standing around on uncles yard trying to think of some adventure fit for 4 young adventurous bare foot children .
Parked in the yard was uncle's Truman's hay rake . the day before he had brought it in from the hay field having finished with the summer hay season.
Hey, Donnie said I know where we can have a lot of fun just like they do in the circus. We can ride the hay rake, will we soon discovered that riding the rake was a lot of work and only two could ride while the other two had to play being a team of horses. The horses part we soon discovered was not much fun.
Jimmy said he knew how we all could ride at the same time with out the aid of play horses which was fine with me because I had noticed that I was being drafter more often as the horse.
This was Jimmy's plan, we all would be horses and we would pull the rake down the road about a quarter of a mile and turn in uncle's hayfield where he had failed to shut the gate when he finished the day's work the day before.
Down road we pull and pushed the rake hoping that aunt Francis would not notice our departure because she was the one who usually stop our plans.
We arrived at the field turning our machine in the gate we discussed how this would work. Jimmy decided the best course of action was that he and Donnie would hold the tongue of the rake which is the part the horses are hooked too make the rake go.
You and Richard, jimmy said to me will push from behind one at each wheel until we get it going fast then we all will jump on and ride.
Ok that is what we did. we were moving down the hill at a pretty good clip when jimmy yelled NOW, get on which we did. hanging for dear life because we had not realized just how fast a rake could move on a steep incline.
The hot wind was drying the sweat from our brows and about that time the tongue of the rake rammed into the ground raising the part of the rake we were on a good 3 feet in the air and then down we came with a crash that Jared out teeth. and away we went again the tongue having broke free with the crash as we came down., after the second time the tongue ramming in the ground it crossed my mind that maybe jimmy's bright idea might not be so good after all and we could get hurt on this wild ride.
never the less all we could do was hang on and scream. Finally we reached the foot of the hill and we jumped off shouting with laughter. as we looked back up the hill which we had just rode down it dawned on us that our fun was over and we would have a lot of work ahead to get the rake back in the place where uncle had left it.
We discussed the matter and the boys said we will just leave it here and go back to the house since it was nearing dinner time and no one wanted to miss aunt Frances fine cooking least of all me. It crossed my mind that Truman might be upset when he discovered his rake missing but I reasoned that with any luck he wouldn't notice the fact until we were gone home and if he did express his displeasure by handing out corporal punishment I wouldn't be party to his displeasure and Donnie and jimmy's fate was not my concern. we went on our way Laughing and telling each other how great the ride had been and what were we going to do next. I know Donnie said lets go and walk the rafter in the barn. The rafters are real high in the air and it is just like being in the circus walking the rafters Donnie declared but I will leave that story for another day and bid you good night..
4 comments:
Thank you for the story Patsy...so long ago but just like yesterday.
big lies I imagine
helen
It's a wonder any of us made it to adulthood, but we kids sure knew how to have fun in those days, didn't we? Children these days have no imagination, and would rather play video games than go outside and do anything. Of course, most everybody lives in town, so there aren't as many things to do outside.
Great story, Patsy. It left me smiling.
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