Random Memories

[Nat]

I remember in kindergarden, Mr. Maverick cut an earth worm in half in front of us in order to show us that both halves would live and they would be two separate worms. He did it with scissors while he had us gathered around to watch. I didn't look. I closed my eyes.

A week later, one half of the worm was still alive. The other had shriveled up and died.

[Blade]

I remember sand spur and red ant hills and the smell of my grandmothers cat head biscuits. I remember all us kids racing home on our bikes, when we'd hear the "skeeter" truck coming, and we'd ride our bikes toward the sound of the ice cream mans truck coming. I remember those southern thunderstorms rolling across the sky, and sitting on the porch thinking how pretty the sky was all lit up. I remember catching bream, not big as a piece of fatback off of Pa's pier, eventually using a whole basket of crickets in a day and I remember standing on the banks of the river and catching a many crappie with my grandma. I remember laying in bed at night with the windows open and listening to the hounds baying off in the distance.

[Julien]

I remember standing by the screen door looking out at the rain soaked yard and the dark clouds rolling overhead. It was a weird quiet as if something else was going to happen. My parents were there looking out the door at the damage of downed trees, limbs and powerlines. Years later I knew I lived through a hurricane. It might have been Camile. It was the first hurricane that I can remember.

[Gemme]

I remember the smell of wood burning in the fireplace and the pop and crackle as things settled. On occasion, blue flames would leap up as the critters who were unfortunate to be inside, ignited. One time, the lizard that was inside a log lept out of the fireplace, onto the floor and out the door. I felt proud of the little guy. I hope he made it.

[cara]

In fourth grade, my parents signed me and my brother up for ski lessons. Each Saturday morning for two months, we loaded into the mini-van with our gear and two closest neighborhood friends to meet at the local junior high. From there, we'd take school buses up to Snoqualmie Pass for the day. I wasn't a very good skier and my friend quickly decided she wanted to hang out with the older, public school girls. After our morning lessons, she'd go ski with them and I'd go off on my own exploring the lodge, walking around the ski area, and heading back to the bus early to eat my lunch and bide my time. One afternoon on the way home, we were invited to sit in the back of the bus with the older girls. My friend was so excited. I remember them asking me questions about things I had no idea about. They would laugh at me and ask more questions. I remember being confused and feeling as if they were speaking to me in another language. At one point, they asked if I knew what a virgin was. When I said I didn't, they mischievously told me to ask my mom when I got home. "You're embarrassing me," my friend said in the van when we got off the bus. I was hurt and angry she didn't stick up for me and retorted, "YOU'RE embarrassing ME!" Later, I did ask my mom what a virgin was. Together, we looked it up in the dictionary. I still didn't understand and shrugged it off. I didn't really care and I'm sure she was relieved I wasn't asking any further questions.

[Turtle]

I remember sitting down by the harbor at night with my best friend - just sitting there and talking, watching the heat lightning over the water.

[Nat]

I remember a party at my dad's and step-mom's. I was the only kid at the party, and although I haven't been able to smell irises as an adult, as a kid I was able to. That night, the air was full of the smell of irises in the night. I was the only kid, and the adults were beautiful and wild and cavalier. Colored lights were strung across the yard, and a hippie guy with a guitar sang music while we sat and lay in the grass. There was a drunk man trying to hoola-hoop, and a huge bag of chips with salsa. The smells of pot and cigarettes and incense mingled with that iris-smell. It was magical and it went late into the night. I was probably 6 or 7. It was low-key and warm, and I was free. The air was just warm enough and moist. A pretty woman was sitting next to me in the grass with long dark hair and big brown eyes. I remember asking her, as the night wore on and the laughter and singing got louder: "what if we are bothering the neighbors?" And she laughed and said, "They are free to come and enjoy the party instead of being bothered."

At home at my mom's, our neighbors had parties. Loud parties. I remember yelling from my window into their crowded driveway, "I NEED TO GO TO SLEEP! I HAVE TO WAKE UP IN THE MORNING!" To which they laughed.

I grew up in two worlds.

[skeeter_01]

i remember the day my dad left....

i remember how mean my mom got after that...

i remember the last time she hit me...i told her if she ever did that again...i'd kill her...i meant it and she knew it...i was 18yo...it scared the shit outta the both of us.....

i remember realizing that i'm gay and the fear and disgust i felt...

i remember my first love... <3

i remember when my life started getting better....

and now....i remember to be thankful and to pray....everyday...

[chefhmboyrd]

breakfast in bed....
when i was little, sitting next to my dad, mom bringing us eggs, bacon, and toast......
he would squish up the eggs (over easy) and scoop up the yolks with the toast and feed me little bites with bacon on top.....

i still eat my eggs like that

[Bard]

Fishing with my grandpa up on the NID ditch in Nevada City CA the smell of his pipe tobacco how his strong hands were so comforting on mine teaching me how to cast

[Miss Scarlett]

i remember our first kiss...

[Blade]

I remember getting a green 3 speed bike for Christmas one year and my Daddy telling me over and over..."Don't leave your bike beside the road. Someone might steal it" Naturally, whenever they'd call me in for something, I'd leave the bike right where I was, cuz in my mind I was going right back out there to it. Well you guessed it, I woke up one morning and my bike was gone...stolen....or not....My Daddy raised hell for days about me leaving it beside the street, inviting someone to steel it.

Thing is to this day I still don't know if someone stole my bike or if Daddy had someone come get it. I was taught a lot of lessons this way so ya never know. Just wonder why anyone would want my green 3 speed bike when there must have been 20....5 speed and 10 speed bikes in the neighborhood. Not to mention go carts, dirt bikes and so on. Anyway you can trust and believe I never left another bike beside the street. Actually I don't remember when I got my next bike or even what it was.

[Okiebug61]

Riding my bike all over Norman without a worry. Hanging out and the park with my friends, jumping from the swings as far as we could. Racing to the Taste Freeze for a fresh squeezed cherry limeade with extra cherry. Trading marbles we bought from TG&Y and wishing I could go back and do this all over again.

[girl_dee]

Syr and i chuckled while fishing today remembering the time we were all out fishing on the jetty only i was sent to get more Powerbait and two rainbow trout were put in my tackle box when i wasn't looking.

i returned, unsuspecting.

Then was told to get something out of my tackle box.

i opened it and two trout came flying out at me.

i believe i wet myself. The butches thought that was hysterical.

Oh hell it was funny!

[Katniss]

I remember when I was real little visiting my grandmother's farm in rural Alabama. She was making a cake and had run out of sugar so she sent me down to the barn, up the ladder and into the loft to get more sugar. You would not believe me if I told you how many bags of sugar were hidden under that hay. It wasn't until years later I figured out the old woman was running shine. (and I thought she told me to keep it a secret because she had a sweet tooth).

[Mar]

Snowmobiling across 100 acres of my great uncles land in Canandaigua and stopping atop the mountain that over looked Canandaigua Lake. It was dark out, and the lights reflecting over the water, rippling with it's subtle movements. It felt so high up above looking down, and though I was surrounded by snow I didn't feel cold at all. The night was quiet, there was nobody for miles all around me. A peace came over me and my mind drifted. All I could think about is how breathtaking a sight it was, and how amazing it would be to some day bring that special someone up there to share it with, at least one time. My uncle still owns that land, but I haven't been up there in a couple years. I never did get to bring that special girl of my dreams up there, maybe there's still time.

[girl_dee]

i remember once while in my boat, back in the swamp of Louisiana (before Katrina, a defining moment) and i was so still that a momma otter came out and her babies were playing on the thick layer water hyacinths .... it was a moment that has stuck with me always.i miss those times sometimes.

[Soft*Silver]

I remember chasing the sun across pastures, on horseback, as it rolled over the great land of home...

I remember our shetland Sheepdog, Tiny Tim, playing for hours with me as a young girl...he was so happy and frisky.

I remember burying my baby dolls. In my mother's garden bed.

I remember hating school. I loved the studies. I hated the cruelty of the other children.

I remember having my first drink. I drank it because I was so unhappy. It became a theme for my drinking.

I remember the day my brother committed suicide. In fact, everything after that became defined by it.

I remember falling in love for the first time. And I remember falling in love each and every time. I wonder if love really does feel like the soft velvet of a rose petal...thats how it feels to me inside...

I remember when my horse snapped her femur in half and had to be put down. I still get nauseous thinking of it..

I remember looking in doorways and smiling

I remember being told the facts of life and thinking sperm jumped over the bellybuttons to get into the woman. My sister didnt tell the facts very well..,

I remember holding my baby for the first time, after giving birth to her...I never saw anything so close to god before..

I remember the physically abusive relationship I was in for 7 years. I remember it was safer for me to be in it with him than it was for me to come out....

I remember coming out...

I remember seeing my mother dead...

I remember watching my father die...

I remember seeing my front yard alit with thousands of dragonflies....

I remember dating a priest....

I remember being destitute

I remember every insult against me. We all do. I can bet that those who delivered it do not...

I remember christmases at my house when my daughter was young. I filled the house with traditions and family and it was the most joyful time of the year...

I remember being a bulimic...

I remember the taste of a good sweet apple in my mouth...god I love fall!

I remember playing bingo with my parents as a young girl, in a bingo hall that was three stories high...

I remember disco dancing...

I remember sanitary napkins and tampons. Thank GOD for menopause!

I remember learning about a new disease called ARC, later AIDS

I remember paying $3000 for my first computer.

I remember my first kiss...

and my last...

[Duchess]

I remember looking forward to the tent revivals that our church would host. They always felt so good.

Duchess

[femmeInterrupted]

The rolling hills of the Qu'Appelle Valley. The drive down, to Buffalo Pound Lake and the cabin--
I remember summers spent with my grandparents, my cousins, my aunts and uncles!
I remember summers spent running free, floating and cloud watching, following deer tracks up to the prairie floor.
I remember feeling love, and laughter.
I remember saying goodbye with my first cousins when our Grandma died, and we all flew back to Moose Jaw for the funeral.
I, the eldest, bought everyone rubber rain boots, and we drove back to the lake from town, and trekked the hills of our childhood for the last time, to say goodbye the way we needed too.


What a great thread!