Sanguine Tenacious Tidings

I'll Be Here Until I'm NOt

Do you remember your first friend? Under what circumstances did you become friends? Are you still in contact with them or any of your other childhood friends?

Quote: “It's the worst part of seeing old friends: when your rose-colored memories become undone by reality.”
― Brad Meltzer, The Inner Circle https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/tag/old-friends

FRIENDS?

OK here is the gist of the story. After my mom died we moved to a different town to live with my aunt who was going to help dad take care of us kids while he worked.

When I was in second grade there was a boy who was in charge of the boys in the class at recess. The boys use to harass the girls when we went out to play. When the girls gathered at recess to discuss the reason the boys were so mean on the playground I took charge of the meeting. I don't remember everything about this except that the girls ended up as a gang that gave back to the boys harassment for harassment. So, we became a gang of girls against a gang of boys. The leader, (I'm not going to divulge his name) would come to me and say, "we won't bother you any more if your girls will quit charging us on the play ground." I would say OK we will quit. Then he would go back and tell the boys we were going to leave them alone. While the boys were gathered together discussing this deal I would yell charge and we would sweep over into their midst and push and shove them, then retreat down the playground to our spot. The boys gang leader would come back for another parley, complete with white flag, which pretty much happened over and over. It was deal, charge, deal, charge over and over. until the boys were fairly exasperated with the situation. I think it stopped after one day. My aunt or my dad was told.....I was reported to parental authority that year for more than one problem as I recall. The teacher and I did not get along.

And, the boy and I started walking to school and home together it was only a couple of blocks. We had some good talks as I recall. My brother got into some scrapes as well. That's when my dad decided to move us to Gram-ma and Grandad's farm, where I still live.

On the farm for awhile there weren't any other kids close. The adjacent farm had my aunt and uncle living on it and dad would drop us there in the morning to catch the school bus. Their family had a girl cousin that was about 9 months older than me, same school class. We spent a lot of time around each other growing up. It was a rocky friendship. Her parents thought we should be friends so they pushed her to interrupt my solitary lifestyle with friendship. The last time I was in contact with her was hmm...2007 or later? It is what it is. She can no longer lead me I've developed in my own right and all our parents are dead. I don't attend family gatherings; which I guess are reduced to about once or twice a year.

There are a lot of things about the cousins I don't appreciate. Besides, I was always a tell it like it is person and they are all Masonic or Eastern Star. Many different brotherhoods and sisterhoods are the state of the surrounding communities.

There were several girls in my class I liked as friends. Girls I talked to sometimes but living on the farm, we were not a social family. My dad was not masonic; but he had some friends somewhere, that advised him sometimes. I spent a lot of time with my female cousin in my teen years. She had a morning paper route. when I stayed over at her house we went to movies and got up at 5 to do her paper route in the early morning hours before school. I liked the paper route. My dad discouraged my school activities.

One or two girls, my age and classes, rode the bus with me. They were nice girls but, I don't think I realized what social life is suppose to be like.One of the girls who I rode the bus with came to me for advice when I was a senior. We use to sit together a lot on the bus. I was startled when she told me she thought I was smart. It was a rough type of life in this area. Sometimes, I don't think people in this area for about 50 miles around are very civilized. Then, I think it has to do with the split between the brother hood societies, who own most of the stores, companies, jobs, and the non brother hood societies, who are the workers, and followers.

Once, I talked to one of my sons about some of this. His children are in lots of sports and activities. In a different area and school district. Their parents encouraged them to be active so they would be socialized. Since leaving the church (we use to go on a regular basis). Church around here has been the basis for most social activity if you aren't a member somewhere you pretty much don't have a social life unless you make it some other way. Volunteer fire departments or other community service can bring you into contact with people.

I made friends in Panama Canal Zone, and Texas but, lost contact with them years ago. Long distance friendships are difficult to maintain.

I like people. On the other hand, I spent a great deal of time in life with dogs, cats, parrots, and horses. They take a lot of time to care for. I did community service when I was younger now I blog, read, clean house. Sometimes I think there should be more. I could not get a job after college. The bush years and the economy was shutting down. I lost the financial ability to keep my own car. That's a pretty big loss when the nearest social outing is 5 miles or more away.The nearest silver sneakers is 17 miles away. So, I use the SS app to do exercises. I could probably make more of an effort to get out but, I don't. I'm someone who can be alone in a crowd.

THE END