Monday, August 29, 2011

last days of August


  It seemed there hadn’t been anything new to do for several days now and summer was almost over. Just the thought of the end of summer was hard to accept in itself. That thought was more than enough to make you agitated with a dreaded panic of time running out, There was no way to ignore the reality that it was now August, and not only did that mean the end of summer but it is the hottest time of year and Lord knows, around here, you can’t just beat out this heat with a stick. It will win every time.

            We were by no means lazy and it’s not like we didn’t already spend hours on end thinking long and hard about things to do, but by the days end, we still came up with next to nothing. Even the creeks had become too murky and dried up to swim in. And with little money, we were for the most part stuck inside.
              Most Summers, we could usually find an odd job here and there for pocket money, maybe a few quarters banging out tire rims at Crumley’s store but we knew the situation was nearing a dreadful dire state when even crazy old man Wayne, who every summer would pay us a lousy fifty cents a bail, split four ways, when bailing his lousy hay for him, even thought it was too damn hot to be outside, and God knows that old ‘coot’ would work a mule to death on any Sunday and Christmas even if lightning was striking down.
               I myself pretty much grew up with this heat and have as much respect for it as the next person but some people it affects a lot worse than others and that’s when this ruckus started that finally gave us the final jolt, causing us to get up and out of the house. It was clear that us leaving fore sure had less to do with our anxious boredom, but more likely it was the unforeseen mad commotion when Billy’s big sister took a loaded rifle and shot at her own relentless barking dog, right through the heart of the front screen door. Luckily she was half blind and missed the damn dog but the bullet left a perfect hole in the screen that Billy poked and twisted his finger in as we left nervously laughing and tripping over each other.            
            “Damn Janette, you are crazy girl!” chuckles Billy as he ducks while pushing me off the front porch spilling an entire full cup of kool-aid. I was clinched and tensed all the way down the gravel drive, weaving and giggling nervously until I was sure I was far enough away not to get shot in the ass. She would never actually shoot at us, (I don’t think), but my body still got all goosed up and jittery in anticipation anyway.

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