Curious and Willing (555 hits)
Category: NoneRating: 1.35 on 17 reviews (Rate this item) (V)
Submitted by simplemindedhafwit (View user info) at 2008-10-02 10:34:13 EDT
"Curious and willing." I guess I've always been that way. More so as a child than as an adult. But I still have my adult moments. I've just never been afraid of much. I tell people things I have done and they say, "You did what? No way! You could have been killed or hurt really bad!" I guess they're right but I rely heavily on my guardian angel. She has taken great care of me over the years. We met, or I met her when I was six. I could go on and on about all the times she has pulled me from a blazing fire, so to speak. Or how she has softly said "time to go." And I went. I'm a product of the 70's. I started High School in 1972. In those daye there were two groups. The Heads (pot smokers, long hairs, freaks etc) and the Jocs (football, baseball, basketball etc) I was a Head. As I said, "Curious and willing."
Me and my High School friends were never mean to anyone. Well hardly ever. We didn't break in houses or cars. We didn't vandalise. We just enjoyed getting high. Anywhere, any time. Pot was the main drug and was easy to get. Columbian gold WOW what a high. It smelled like someone pissed on a fire when we lit it up. That stuff would expand your lungs like no other I've ever experienced. Hash was easy to get then too. We traveled into the dark alleys of harder drugs as well. THC, mesc, MDA, shrooms, etc. I can remember plenty of times when we would be partying somewhere like a house, barn, woods, parking lot etc. and she would say "time to go" and I went. By the time I was a teen I knew what she was capable of. I knew she knew. I knew she wanted to take care of me. When she speaks I listen! I would just get up and leave. There were so many times people would come up to me the next day and say. "Man! Right after you left the cops showed up and busted everybody." Or something that could have put me in real danger had occured. I have done so many things that should have landed me in jail. But I've never been to jail. Don't get me wrong, I'm not talking about evil stuff. I'm talking about party stuff. I've done so many things that should have killed me. But here I am writing about it.
The day I met her was a warm summer morning in Georgia. I was six. Me and my pals Russell and Alan were back in the woods on the bike track we built. It was really more like todays challenge / adventure bike racing. There was nothing easy about it. It was pure Hell on wheels! Not to mention Hell on feet, Hell on knees, shins, elbows, heads etc. There was a giant oak on the backside of the track. Some of the local teenage boys had just finished building a hut in it. The hut was about 40 feet up in the sprawling branches of that ancient oak. We walked up as the older boys were about to leave. They verbally abused us with the regular stuff like "if any of you little fuckers climb up in our hut we'll kick your asses!" And "you punks are going to take a real beating if we catch you up there." But we wern't scared of them. We might have kept our distance. We might have stayed really close to a tree incase rocks came flying. But that's not being scared that's being smart. They knew the only way they could get us was if we were alone, which we rarely were. If they did catch any of us alone, we were much faster and even smarter than them.
Just as expected the rocks did fly and they chased us from the area. But we split up and then returned to the hut when they quit looking for us. We knew those woods better than anybody. We had covered every inch of them. No one was more at home in those woods than we were. Not even the squirrels. Those boys talked big when they were in a group. But when the three of us would come up on one of them alone, they were completely different. They knew better. They knew we, as a team were capable of taking them down and beating the shit out of them. Each of them had experienced it and I'm sure it was very embarresing for them. I'm sure it's not something they told anyone. Not even each other. We didn't boast. We considered it our little secret. They knew we had all kinds of weapons stashed in the "our" woods. We had built traps and knew exactly where the traps were and how to lead the big lugs to them.
There was a ladder, or boards nailed to the tree leading up to the hut. The boards started at about 10 feet. I guess the reason for that was so kids like us wouldn't try to go up there. HA! We practically lived in the trees. A little 10 ft climb up the base to the boards was nothing for me. I wrapped my arms as far as I could around the tree, locked my bare feet into it and scooted up to the first board. I'm sure "she" my guardian angel was screaming at me to get down at this point. But remember, I hadn't met her yet. I wasn't used to listening for her. I didn't even know she existed. She had most likely saved my young ass a number of times but I guess I thought it was luck? I guess I just thought I was good at what I did? Well I was! We were! But I would soon find out I had some help along the way.
After reaching the first board the rest of the climb was a breeze. The old oak had huge limbs that were so fat you couldn't reach around them. There was moss growing on the top side of those ol limbs that sprawled and laced around each other all the way to the top. I remember thinking the boys had done a good job of nailing the boards to the tree. Each one was as steady as could be. Me, Russell and Alan had built plenty of huts. We may have only been 6, 6 and 7 but we had done a lot of stuff. In those days kids like us could roam free without much worry of "the bad people." Well, that is if you don't count the older kids. But like I said. I think they were more scared of us than we were of them. I got about half way up the old tree and yelled down to Russell and Alan to come on up!
One board at a time. Up, up, up into this beautiful relic. I could almost touch the bottom of the hut. It was right there over my head. I reached for the last board, got a good hold on it and pulled. As I got into a half crouched position and was putting my weight on my upper body the board pulled loose. It's strange how I can remember the time it took for me to begin falling. It's as if I hovered there for minutes, suspended in a state of frustration. Almost as if I was being given a second chance to grab on to something? All I had to do was simply reach out and grab the closest limb. But my weight had shifted, my balance was unbalanced and I finally began to fall.
It seemed like it took even longer for me to hit. I remember thinking about all the limbs between me and the ground. I remember tightning my body for impact with the limbs as I was falling. I remember my toes tingling. Kind of like when your foot falls asleep. Not right as it falls asleep but when it's coming out of it. Like when the blood begins to flow back to your foot. Like when you step down on it and it feels like tiny little tickling needles poking in you. That's what my feet felt like.
Then it happened. Right there suspended in mid air. Right there where no one could possibly touch me. Right there, she whispered "shhhhhhhhh!" That's all "shhhhhhhhhh!" It sounded as if it were coming from a girl or a young woman. Was I screaming? I must have been screaming? I could feel her warm hands on my back. I could feel her presence at my left side. All of a sudden there was no fear. All of a sudden I felt safe. I know it sounds strange. I'm falling to the ground from 40 plus feet and I felt safe. It was like a walk in the park. Nuttin to it! I didn't touch a limb on the way down. We went back later and looked. From the point where I slipped, to the place where I hit the ground had a number of limbs in the way. I didn't even brush one. I landed flat on my back and was out cold.
I'm sure Russell and Alan were in a temporary state of shock. Then Alan took off to his house to get someone to the rescue. Russell stayed with me. The next thing I remember, I'm in a car I don't recognize and on my way to the Hospital. It was the Barges car. Bobby and Donnie Barge lived down the road. We only had one car and Dad had it at work. Alans older brother Mac carried me out of the woods and took me to my house where I arrived unconcious. I think about it now and know how scarey it must have been for Mom. She carried me (unconcious) to the Barges house, put me in their car and Mrs. Barge was driving us to the Hospital when I came to. Mom says one of the first things I said was "where is she?" They thought I was delirious. Maybe I was but I wanted to ask her name. I still remember how she was the first thing I thought of. I spent three days in the Hospital. When they finally decided there was not anything wrong with me they let me go. NOTHING. Not one broose. Not one scratch. Not one broken bone. They were amazed! Especially when my father had gone to the hut to see how far I had fallen. I remember him telling the doctor "there is no way that my child has nothing is wrong with him, I saw where he fell from! He fell 30 to 40 feet and bounced off a few limbs I'm sure." They were all shocked. But not me. I had a new friend. More than a friend, I had a guardian angel.
User Reviews
Submitted by UnknownEntity (user info) at 2008-10-03 00:43:51 EDT (#)
Ranking: 1
Good Read
Submitted by John_H_Kim (user info) at 2008-10-02 19:39:36 EDT (#)
Ranking: 1
No Comment
Submitted by simple_catalyst (user info) at 2008-10-02 15:43:25 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
meh.
Submitted by write-of-way (user info) at 2008-10-02 15:20:08 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
First round voting ends Friday at midnight!
Give them a read even if they won by forfeit, there's some really good stuff.
icarus1987: Gargoyle http://www.ubersite.com/m/118950
vs
Impassive-Digressive: The Gargoyle http://www.ubersite.com/m/118922
stardamage: Floorboards http://www.ubersite.com/m/118960
vs
Ahumblefool: Floorboards http://www.ubersite.com/m/118981
Fungah: Like Unto Stone http://www.ubersite.com/m/119028
vs
JoeyG: Heartstarter http://www.ubersite.com/m/119012
inion_de_trua: the blizzard http://www.ubersite.com/m/119033
vs
Jack_McCallum: The Blizzard http://www.ubersite.com/m/118987
Hornet: The Nest http://www.ubersite.com/m/118982
vs
Gonefiguring: The Nest http://www.ubersite.com/m/119029
Brian_Johns: The Unspoken http://www.ubersite.com/m/118961
Brdn_Nkd: Under Glass http://www.ubersite.com/m/118973
Squirrelly_Girl: Who Killed the Chokomut Loving Zombie and Why? http://www.ubersite.com/m/118945
Snark: Brick by Brick http://www.ubersite.com/m/119032
Whiskeyjack: Needles http://www.ubersite.com/m/118983
Desz: Duel http://www.ubersite.com/m/118989
Sandmantate: Burning Eyes http://www.ubersite.com/m/118997
NintendoCzar: Made to be Broken http://www.ubersite.com/m/119021
Frankthebear: Pearls Of Wisdom http://www.ubersite.com/m/118941
Submitted by haikumikoo (user info) at 2008-10-02 15:19:00 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
This +2 is to encourage you to vote Astley.
http://ema.mtv.co.uk/vote/#__best_act_ever
Now do it.
Submitted by TigerLilly (user info) at 2008-10-02 14:49:05 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by simplemindedhafwit (user info) at 2008-10-02 12:13:37 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
3) I wrote it that way because thats the way I write. As if I were having a conversation. The key word is "Georgia" or "Jawja" we tend to lean toward wreckless wrambling down here.
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Welcome rookie.
I write that way too. Conversation style. Unfortunatly these types of stories and post don't get much recognition here.
I enjoyed this though. Glad you weren't hurt.
Submitted by Lib (user info) at 2008-10-02 14:03:50 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Thank you. Good read
Submitted by simplemindedhafwit (user info) at 2008-10-02 12:13:37 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
I'm a rookie here. If this is the wrong way to reply, call it a rookie mistake and correct me. I can't find a "reply" clicker thing here.
to: all of the above
1)
Tests. 3 days of testing. And it took me a couple of days to get my head clear in the hospital. I had a con- cuss- on I suppose. Plus back then the doctors had to stand around the bed for a few days with cigarettes hanging out of their mouths while they slapped the nurses on the ass and talked about football before they could release anyone. Kind of like today minus the cigs, slaps and football.
B) The reason I mention the high school drug stuff was to show just how curious and willing I truly was / is. It also leads into "Curious and Willing parts 2.3.4.5 etc.
3) I wrote it that way because thats the way I write. As if I were having a conversation. The key word is "Georgia" or "Jawja" we tend to lean toward wreckless wrambling down here.
Submitted by sage104 (user info) at 2008-10-02 12:09:02 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Good story; kept me interested.
POINTS!!
Submitted by TigerLilly (user info) at 2008-10-02 12:00:14 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by Brdn_Nkd (user info) at 2008-10-02 10:55:47 EDT (#)
Ranking: 1
I feel like all the drug stuff could very easily have been left out to leave the focus on the whole of the story of meeting your gaurdian.
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I agree. It didn't seem to fit.
That being said, both of my stepboys saw an Angel once. I shit you not. Thats a story for another time.
Submitted by TigerLilly (user info) at 2008-10-02 11:53:20 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
In those days kids like us could roam free without much worry of "the bad people."
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Right. Thats how it was back then.
But I'm curious..why did it take 3 days in the hospital for them to figure out nothing was wrong with you?
Submitted by Darth_Famine (user info) at 2008-10-02 11:40:55 EDT (#)
Ranking: 1
No Comment
Submitted by monkeyswithguns (user info) at 2008-10-02 11:05:29 EDT (#)
Ranking: 1
"Not one broose."
Also, what Brdn_Nkd said.
Submitted by Brdn_Nkd (user info) at 2008-10-02 10:55:47 EDT (#)
Ranking: 1
the writing is a bit rough at times and i guess I feel like all the drug stuff could very easily have been left out to leave the focus on the whole of the story of meeting your gaurdian.
Submitted by Desz (user info) at 2008-10-02 10:53:56 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
ending is rather disappointing for the rest it is beautiful
Submitted by EmissionImpossible (user info) at 2008-10-02 10:45:35 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
"Curious and willing." I guess I've always been that way.
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Sounds like my ideal girl.
Submitted by F.J.Bell (user info) at 2008-10-02 10:41:06 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
This started off brilliantly.