The best part of watering the lawn is the smell of my new garden hose. It reminds me of when I was a kid in the Summer. I sware the most aqua-fun I had was with the garden hose. We, the kids in the neighborhood, my little sisters, and I were so incredibly imaginative and so very easily entertained. Doesn't it suck that we will never get back to that kind of living?
Kick the can was also a big hit in my 'hood. I am not sure if that is a universal childhood game or not. I mean, sure, I am aware that in bumfuckasawiti Africa there wasn't much kickin' of the Folger's can. But it is, I think, a kind of timeless American youth game.
Just hearing the words "Kick the Can" bring back those Summers with such clarity of senses. Its as if time travel were a possibility, and we do it everyday, with no second thought.
A quick run-down on the game...A person is 'it.' This 'it' person is usually determined by the ring-up of feet by those playing Kick the Can. We all stand in a circle with one foot in, and an appointed person recites the lines while going from foot to foot, "Bubble Gum, Bubble Gum in a dish. How many pieces do you wish?"
Whose foot the finger falls on is then required to state how many pieces of gum they wish. The numbers are infinite...if you wanted to make a request of a googolplex pieces, you could do this, but then the real game would never start.
A request of '5' pieces is made, let's say, so the appointed person recites, while going from foot to foot again, "1,2,3,4,5 that means you are not IT."
This bubble gum process of elimination would continue until there were only two feet left. This last time the foot the finger stops on is "IT" and in the game of Kick the Can they have to sit on a Big Can, Coffee cans tended to work the best. They had to count to 50 while everyone else finds a hiding spot. Under bushes, behind trees, under cars, any place was game as long as it was within 4 or 5 houses.
After "IT" finishes counting they must locate the hiding folk. If he/she sees someone they have to run back to the can and jump over it shouting, "Over the Can on Susie hiding behind the tree." Susie is then out of the game, and she would usually then just hang out talking with the other outed players, or compare collections of Garbage Pail Kids cards.
Those hiding have a job, too. They must run and jump over the can before the "IT" person does. If they are able to this, it is their privilege to shout out, "Olly Olly Oxen Free," or something that sounds like that, as I don't think any of us kids really knew what the hell we were saying, but we sure liked yelling it. It was a good sound to hear.
When you shouted it that meant you were the winner. Well, until the next game in which you get the honor of being "IT." Being IT truly is the Shiznit.
So, yeah, I get all of that from the smell of a water hose. Olfactory memories are the best.
I really should make a list of various other "put your foot in" rhymes. Such as:
My Momma your Momma were hanging out the wash. My Momma punched your Momma in the nose. What color was the blood?"
If anyone is reading this and they have some to ad, that would be cool to hear them. They are such great reminders of childhood, don't you think?
Back to Reality
Going to pick up D. from the airport tonight. It is going to be really nice to see him. He has been gone for a week.
We have things to say.
I wonder how long it will be before we say them.
It is hardest when there is something wrong between you and the person you are with, but neither one of you really knows what that thing is.
I think maybe some people are meant to be together, but you don't know right off the bat if the person you are with is it until the initial magic wears off.
I believe if you get intimate with anyone, let them into your secret places, magic is created, a faerie glimmer effect. A veil is dropped down and then life is all fuzzy like how the camera work on soap operas used to be. When this magic fades, as all magic does, if they are the 'right' one this is when you will know. When all magic is stripped and it is just you and them, stripped.
This is where we are at.
See what American love story movies have done to my outlook on relationships? Magic? What the fuck?
Peace.
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