Number 26 of the I Ching
Corn and milo in the fields. Fishing for perch and catfish in the pond.
Falling from the top of the pear tree while reaching for the biggest one. Blackberry briers and wading in the creek. Getting down on hands and knees to get a drink as the water rushes over the rocks. Goats butting and jumping on family, friends and neighbors only to one day be taken away with the pigs. Chickens laying eggs in the barn, hay and holes in the loft we would always unknowingly step into.
Things in the basement never quite sure what’s there. A pet pig as big as I, always letting me rub its side. Days spent with Dad building fences taut and sturdy. Cranking ice cream all the while hoping to get firsts. Going to the Barco Drive-In sitting in the chairs in front of the concession stand never really paying much attention or caring what’s playing.
Taking momma crawdad to school for show and tell. Only to have the jar fall and break sending baby crawdads scurrying from under their mother’s tail. Throwing sticks in the pond always to be returned by King, our one and only true dog. Coming back from Massachusetts at the age of seven and being able to spell it when no one else in the second grade could.
A snowy Christmas at the old schoolhouse, a set of dominoes and finding our way back home. Forever stuck with wearing glasses only to have them be lost again and again and again.
Losing my BB gun on a trip around the lake, never to be seen again. Cousins always coming over to our house for Christmas breaking all of our toys and going home to theirs. Leaving us with none.
Momma’s movie camera always taking embarrassing pictures later to be seen by all over and over again. A fire and then a concrete slab for what was left of the coop where baby chickens and David died with Grandma watching helpless through the window. Pat and Bub much older than I. Pat was to go on Ted Mack. Bub on to baseball before his arm gave out. Mary and Susan fighting over dishes and broomsticks yet to be broken. Julie and Matt too young to remember, the farm but a distant memory.
Momma’s garden, the pump on the front porch and the big maple tree we loved to climb. Going over the hill to visit Grandma’s to make animals from giant cucumbers she would grow just for me. Sitting on her lap eating sugar and butter bread as she clipped my fingernails all the time commenting that she could not believe how they grew so fast. As I would sit spellbound by the stories and tales she loved to tell.
Being the first ones on the school bus in the morning and the last ones off at night.
The bus driver giving me a nickel for putting all the windows up. A bucket full of fish caught at the pond only to be knocked over. Fish laughing all the way back as we watched in shock and horror. Trips to the pool in Lamar wearing earplugs and confined to the wading pool because of them. Going to see my sister Mary in the high school play all dressed up and pretty. The old farm house with its big picture window and veranda along the side. The lane and circle drive telling all to come again.
All of the above actually occurred to the author before the age of ten. An original composition and interpretation of the Chinese Classic the I Ching (BIG CATTLE / Mountain over Heaven). 2/21/94
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