This photo made me think of a theological debate I had when I was six or seven. A neighbor kid at my grandpa's cottage used to come over and we'd swing. We were like pen pals without the pens. We'd see each other once or twice a year. I don't think I even knew his name. One time he told me that Battle Ram (from HeMan) could take God. I told him he was wrong. He didn't relent. I told him I had to go and left. He probably kept swinging. He said he did nearly every day with or without permission. My mixed-up, rebel pen pal.
In grade school I was in love with a girl named Maxie. I carved B + M in my friend Matt's tree. Matt's dad saw it that week while mowing the lawn. He yelled at Matt for carving into their tree with his friend Brad. Matt then yelled at me for carving our initials into his tree because his dad got, "totally pissed." I didn't tell him who the M was really for. It was nice sharing the conviction with a buddy. Sorry, Matt. And sorry if your dad thought we were gay.
This image jogged a memory of my dad taking us to get ice cream. It was the magic hour in late summer. A perfect ending to an ordinarily perfect day. I sat in the back seat with my friend and his sister enjoying our frozen trophies. I looked over to see that my friends didn't know how to eat ice cream. Their parents were born in another country where ice cream must not be a part of growing up. It was melting down their hands, moving towards their elbows like a sugary glacier. I looked at my dad in the rear view. We were both shocked and struggled to find the words to prevent a sticky disaster. I remembered being surprised that they were so bad at ice creaming. I wonder if they were equally surprised by how fondly I talked of such a messy treat earlier in the day.
This photo made me wonder what the dogs are saying to each other.
"I'M GOING TO THE PARK!!!"
"ALRIGHT! Quit yelling."
or
"I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHO YOU ARE ANYMORE!"
"I'm Matt Flowers. Stop being so dramatic."
6 comments:
I'm assuming by "neighbor kid" you mean BD Willis
Wow. Thanks for completely destroying the foundation upon which my manhood was constructed. I wonder how many other bonding moments I've had were merely veiled attempts by my friends to get a piece of action.
I hope your love for Maxie endures for as long as the emotional scars I now face.
The picture is cool at least.
matt, throwing toads on your roof and watching them burn to death. that was real. as was whipping pig nuts at each other. the real stuff out numbers the B+M incident.
if it makes you feel better, i'm still dealing with the scars of being left behind when you guys went to see HeMan. I can still picture walking home watching your van drive off.
Fair enough then. As for the toads, I've always prayed that they are not counted among God's chosen creatures, or we have some serious explaining to do at some point.
If it makes you feel any better, He-Man was terrible. Dolph Lundgren. Who would have guessed it would be bad?
matt, all this reminiscing brought up another memory. the summer after 4th grade i got diagnosed with diabetes and was stuck in the hospital for two weeks. so that sucked. and then you moved to arizona. that really sucked. I remember your van driving off that day too. later, as they stuck me with needles i remember thinking "well, not sure it can get much worse than this. i can't eat candy anymore, i'm stuck in a hospital when i should be outside building crucial forts with my best friend oh wait... he just moved away forever."
so much abandonment in such a short span of time, man. i'm gonna go google a therapist...
Funny how life works itself out. Because some of our best forts were constructed during those summer visits after I moved. And who would have guessed that those glucose tablet things would be some of the best non-candy created.
I'm with you on the therapy. Imagine moving 2000 miles to a place that is about as opposite of Tiffin as imaginable? I blame the vast majority of my neuroses and other mental instabilities on that.
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