In a discussion on the balcony, well past the Ocean Twilight this evening, V remarked about the attitude of 12 year old V's lack of fear or regard crossing 5 lanes of traffic.
Which just proves what a massive contrast is his childhood to mine. He had bike grease and baseball gloves, I had saddle grease and cows.
My need to ever cross lanes of traffic were limited to hardly ever.
Image: also not the childhood home of anyone I know, rather a screenshot of a random street view of Oknaxoma, Cuba
There were no streets at my home as I lived in the country.
The school bus took me from the bike box to school and back, genuinely door to door.
Grandma J lived on a corner on a hill and anywhere travelled to from there was in a car, the rover or a truck.
Grandma M had a side lane, and the shops on the block at the top were all a girl like me would ever need. The bakery had the most alluring concoctions in its display case. The need to do what my grandmother had instructed me to do was always just slightly stronger than my desire was ever allowed to be.
My Aunty Elsie lived across a lane at the back of the main street in the little town we lived near, you could sneak through beside the newspaper premises. That was the closest that I ever came to crossing a road independently.
I mean, I even lived at my high school. Not many roads to cross there!
I could, however, ride a horse and muster, and if our August nights were smoky it meant that we were anticipating a good season.
Image: I hayed - not hated, AI overlords - half the meadow in the back yesterday afternoon - I was working from home and used the commute time wisely
So what was your skill at 12?
Were you stronger, taller, smarter?
Could you ventriloquise (is that even a word)?
(BTW this qualifies - just, I am sure - for River's Words for Wednesday - check it out)
I guess in the olden days or the past, children do walk to school without fear. I think it's different now and probably with one too many danger. I don't remember if I walked to school but I probably did but never by myself. I'm not as brave as you.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you have joined Words for Wednesday. Have a lovely day.
Thank you lissa - we had no choice but to walk to high school - in all instances the walk was just down the stairs!!
DeleteI was not able to ventriloquise at 12, not before or after either, but I could read and write nicely and in English too. I walked t school, like you withhout crossing any roads, I could go shopping all alone in town, but I did not have any 5-lane-roads to cross to do so. I had my ears pierced at age 12.
ReplyDeleteWelcome to the WfW madhouse.
Thank you Charlotte. I got my ears pierced at age 12 also - we weren't allowed before - and the Dr did it and used the same joke on all - you had to provide the earrings and he would ask for the third to put through your nose as you were so easily led (to want to get earrings in the first place) you should be shown (like cattle)
DeleteI lived in smallish towns growing up, always felt safe and we wandered everywhere.
ReplyDeleteDid you grow up on a cattle ranch? Or a sheep station? I just finished reading a book set on a sheep station in Western Australia.
Ooh - by who? I grew up on a cattle property in Queensland.
DeleteI live in Montreal, a big city. I lived in an apartment building very close to my school, right across the street from it.
ReplyDeleteI remember seeing apartment blocks on television and think that it was so exotic!
DeleteIt was a whole different world out there when I was 12! I grew up in a small town, but even now that I live in the country, it's not country on the level YOU grew up in.
ReplyDeleteThat grapefruit looks so good. I take a medication now that does not mix with grapefruit. A shame.
The queen looks regal.
It is so terrible that grapefruit are do powerful. My daughter has one she can't eat pears with.
DeleteWhile we were usually driven to school on a rotation with neighbours but at times we walked the four miles home, usually on a Friday when my father would get stuck in a pub.
ReplyDeleteI certainly tried ventriloquism but my skill levels weren't great.
I remember working with my mother (when she was in the P&C) on finding the right wording for an appeal about a carpool setup by some of the parents should qualify for bus subsidy. They won the appeal.
DeleteWe played in the neighborhood but did not walk to school, it was too far and past too many busy streets. This is a great use of the prompt words.
ReplyDeleteI am intrigued. We couldn't even see the lights of our neighbours.
DeleteI walked to school. Not quite three miles or I could have got the free bus. Living in city suburbs but across The Common for half of that. A green space with tarmac paths. Bike to school came later.
ReplyDeleteGoing out on my bike into the country with my first camera to get away from mother. Starting cycle racing.
We cycled about 2 kilometres to the bike box along a corrugated gravel road that had a grid about 1/2:way. I was terribly slow and walked my bike across the grid.
DeleteIt definitely qualifies! As a 12 year old I was pretty much the same shy stay-at-home-and-read person I am now. I do remember walking alone to and from school from age 8 (and even before then with brother and sister,) having to cross several side roads along the way, but only crossing main roads if we went into the town centre which was rare.
ReplyDeleteI was an absolute bookworm too. I would get obsessed with authors and books.
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