Remembering stupid things you did as a kid...

[LeslieDean]

Family Reunion and Reminiscing.  My cousins came back from  California for a visit this past weekend.  We had  not seen each other in many years. After dinner, we were all sitting around in small groups recalling old  childhood memories.  It would start by various ones saying  “do you remember when” then the details would follow. Robert started talking about how our fathers would get together on weekends  to go fishing and take us kids.  As his brother pointed out,  he remembered  it being a whole lot more beer drinking than actual fishing going on.  Nonetheless, they always took us kids and let us run wild around the campsites and venture into the woods to swing on grape vines and gather limbs for a fire later  that was sure to be a part of our weekend venture.  We got to  roast hotdogs and marshmallows to our delight and tell scary stories around the campfire.    My cousin, who is just as  much a nerd now as he was back then,  recalled finding an intact snake skin that he ooohed and ahhhed over.  He would hold it up and proclaim to his amazement the fact how lucky he was to find “this little beauty’.  He collected various bugs, moths, butterflies, rocks, and would keep them in his plastic collectors boxes and label them for his science fair projects that he would always do at some point for his project during the school year.  This one he was really pleased with due to it being whole and not just a partial snake skin.   He would run up to you with it held gently between his thumb and index finger and then shake it in your face trying to scare all the girls.  His older sister got very upset with him and made him discard it much to his anger.  Robert said, I can’t believe she was always so mean to me.  I was just having fun.  Pam, his sister, said “Mean huh?.  Well I guess I should tell you that the snake skin you were running around with and wanted to put in your collectors box to show for your  science fair project  was really just  a used condom. “  Complete silence.  Then uncontrolled laughter from everyone except Robert.  “”And you decided to just now tell me that?”  ---“I didn’t have the heart.  Would you have rather me let you put it in your collection box where the whole school could see it?”   Just remember, the next time you think someone is being mean to you they may just be trying to protect you.  Now, our memory will change.  The next time he tells this story there will be a part two.

[LeslieDean]

Robert and Chris and I were about 8 years old at that innocent time.  His sister Pam was 16.  So many years ago.