Molly was my best childhood friend. She was about three years younger than me, but lived next door. She was adopted by her Aunt, as she was a Native American and her mother could not care for her. She and I played together all the time, especially after Topher had left. We had many adventures together, but the ones that are implanted in my memory are the ones I will list here.
First Molly and I, along with my little sister, Maria and Molly's little sister, Trish would play all the time in the Big Rocks and the Bush. They both were on the border of land between my father's acre and my neighbor, Mr. Cassidy's land. The Big Rocks were made of Limestone-a rock that is very soft and when scratched produces a chalky-like substance.
We had the entrepreneur's idealism. We figured out that the Big Rocks could make us some money. We would scratch all the surfaces and make our chalk powder. Then we were going to mix it in water, bake it and make chalk to sell to our school; a great idea. However, the only tools we had to make this chalk were stones and pebbles. Little did we know that it would take about 20 years to chisel off all that stone to make chalk, and after about one month we gave up.
Our neighbor, Mr. Cassidy would get angry at us for scratching the Big Rocks. He would always talk to my father about the Big Rocks being on his property and that we, those "darn kids" keep messing up his landscape. We figured they were just, "rocks" not landscape. What was landscape if you cannot play on it?
That was not the only thing that Mr. Cassidy did not like us playing with. There was this huge Cedar bush, more like a miniature tree which was 1/2 on his property and 1/2 on my father's property. We did everything in that bush. We could walk into it; would put blankets on its branches and lay on top of the blankets. It was our "Fort", or we would also call it the "Bush". It was the place where we played all the time. However, Mr. Cassidy would chase us off from time to time, so we made sure that we would only play there when grumpy Mr. Cassidy was not home or was inside his house.
One afternoon, we wanted to give Bush a haircut. So, as my father was not home yet, I went into his tools and got out his large clippers. Molly took the small clippers to do the dainty details. We were so happy that we were giving Bush a haircut. She was long overdue. I would clip here and there and Molly would trim the sides of her hair.
All of a sudden, Mr. Cassidy storms down the hill and yells, "You darn kids!! You are ruining my bush!! Argggggggggggghhhhh!" We screamed, dropped my dad's clippers and ran for our lives. He mumbled something and stomped off with both clippers. Oh God! I was going to be in trouble with my father now! I used my dad's clippers without his permission. I would have to come up with some great story why I used them without asking him first.
So, my dad got home. I summoned Molly to accompany to explain to my father, but she refused. She said that Dr. Green would tell her teacher to give her a "D" again. She was somewhat intimidated by him, for reasons I do not know why, as my father is somewhat gentle. Anyway, he got home and I went to him and said, "Dad, Mr. Cassidy took your clippers away from you!" He said, "Why?" I said, "They were just out there laying in the lawn by the bush and he picked them up and took them away. I have no idea how they got out there in the first place."
My dad knew that something went on, so he said for me to go with him to get the clippers back from Mr. Cassidy. I said, "No daddy, please! Mr. Cassidy will eat me for dinner!" My father smiled and asked me, "Do you need to tell me the real reason why the clippers were out by the bush?" I said, as I looked to the ground, "Molly and I wanted to give Bush a haircut!" My father smacked his head with his hand, and said, "Okay, I will talk to Mr. Cassidy, but no more tools without my permission. Okay?" I agreed.
So, I went with my dad, holding onto the back of his legs all the way to Mr. Cassidy's house. My dad knocked on the door. "Uh, no answer, Let's go dad!" All of a sudden, Mr. Cassidy arrived. He looked down at me and growled and grunted. My father said, "Mr. Cassidy, Marissa and Molly informed me that they were cutting the bush, but there was no harm intended. They wanted to just trim it so the branches were not sticking out so far. Sorry for the inconvenience." He handed my father the clippers and grunted and snorted and slammed the door. Whew! That was the scariest of all days!
After that day, Mr. Cassidy booby-trapped the bush, tying it all up so that we could not play in it anymore. He hung a large sign that stated, "Stay Out You Darn Kids!" We were so depressed, but thought there were other ways to play. Molly stopped! I said, "What is the matter?" She said, "Do you hear that?" I said, "What?" "TSHCHSHSHSHSHSHSHS! TSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSH!" We leaned over the drain pipe, and saw a Diamond Back Rattlesnake hissing at us and shaking it's tail. We screamed and ran like the snake had taken our spirits.
Many more stories and many more to come, but another time.
First Molly and I, along with my little sister, Maria and Molly's little sister, Trish would play all the time in the Big Rocks and the Bush. They both were on the border of land between my father's acre and my neighbor, Mr. Cassidy's land. The Big Rocks were made of Limestone-a rock that is very soft and when scratched produces a chalky-like substance.
We had the entrepreneur's idealism. We figured out that the Big Rocks could make us some money. We would scratch all the surfaces and make our chalk powder. Then we were going to mix it in water, bake it and make chalk to sell to our school; a great idea. However, the only tools we had to make this chalk were stones and pebbles. Little did we know that it would take about 20 years to chisel off all that stone to make chalk, and after about one month we gave up.
Our neighbor, Mr. Cassidy would get angry at us for scratching the Big Rocks. He would always talk to my father about the Big Rocks being on his property and that we, those "darn kids" keep messing up his landscape. We figured they were just, "rocks" not landscape. What was landscape if you cannot play on it?
That was not the only thing that Mr. Cassidy did not like us playing with. There was this huge Cedar bush, more like a miniature tree which was 1/2 on his property and 1/2 on my father's property. We did everything in that bush. We could walk into it; would put blankets on its branches and lay on top of the blankets. It was our "Fort", or we would also call it the "Bush". It was the place where we played all the time. However, Mr. Cassidy would chase us off from time to time, so we made sure that we would only play there when grumpy Mr. Cassidy was not home or was inside his house.
One afternoon, we wanted to give Bush a haircut. So, as my father was not home yet, I went into his tools and got out his large clippers. Molly took the small clippers to do the dainty details. We were so happy that we were giving Bush a haircut. She was long overdue. I would clip here and there and Molly would trim the sides of her hair.
All of a sudden, Mr. Cassidy storms down the hill and yells, "You darn kids!! You are ruining my bush!! Argggggggggggghhhhh!" We screamed, dropped my dad's clippers and ran for our lives. He mumbled something and stomped off with both clippers. Oh God! I was going to be in trouble with my father now! I used my dad's clippers without his permission. I would have to come up with some great story why I used them without asking him first.
So, my dad got home. I summoned Molly to accompany to explain to my father, but she refused. She said that Dr. Green would tell her teacher to give her a "D" again. She was somewhat intimidated by him, for reasons I do not know why, as my father is somewhat gentle. Anyway, he got home and I went to him and said, "Dad, Mr. Cassidy took your clippers away from you!" He said, "Why?" I said, "They were just out there laying in the lawn by the bush and he picked them up and took them away. I have no idea how they got out there in the first place."
My dad knew that something went on, so he said for me to go with him to get the clippers back from Mr. Cassidy. I said, "No daddy, please! Mr. Cassidy will eat me for dinner!" My father smiled and asked me, "Do you need to tell me the real reason why the clippers were out by the bush?" I said, as I looked to the ground, "Molly and I wanted to give Bush a haircut!" My father smacked his head with his hand, and said, "Okay, I will talk to Mr. Cassidy, but no more tools without my permission. Okay?" I agreed.
So, I went with my dad, holding onto the back of his legs all the way to Mr. Cassidy's house. My dad knocked on the door. "Uh, no answer, Let's go dad!" All of a sudden, Mr. Cassidy arrived. He looked down at me and growled and grunted. My father said, "Mr. Cassidy, Marissa and Molly informed me that they were cutting the bush, but there was no harm intended. They wanted to just trim it so the branches were not sticking out so far. Sorry for the inconvenience." He handed my father the clippers and grunted and snorted and slammed the door. Whew! That was the scariest of all days!
After that day, Mr. Cassidy booby-trapped the bush, tying it all up so that we could not play in it anymore. He hung a large sign that stated, "Stay Out You Darn Kids!" We were so depressed, but thought there were other ways to play. Molly stopped! I said, "What is the matter?" She said, "Do you hear that?" I said, "What?" "TSHCHSHSHSHSHSHSHS! TSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSH!" We leaned over the drain pipe, and saw a Diamond Back Rattlesnake hissing at us and shaking it's tail. We screamed and ran like the snake had taken our spirits.
Many more stories and many more to come, but another time.
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