ghost on second (1036 hits)
Category: NoneRating: 1.47 on 44 reviews (Rate this item) (V)
Submitted by loki (View user info) at 2006-06-15 13:47:40 EDT
It was a time before we were jaded, before variable interest rates, retirement planning, vehicle inspections, cell phones, deadlines, conference calls, and cholesterol screenings. Even better, it was that preciously magical time called summer when warm, sunny days stretched out before us with infinite possibilities for adventure and freedom, kid style.
The days all started out the same. Get up, eat a bowl of supersaturated sugary cereal while watching cartoons, then hop on a bike and off and away ready for whatever might happen. Generally the unofficial yet consistently used meeting spot would be the playgrounds at school. The very school that we couldn't wait to get away from 180 days a year somehow transformed into a kid zone where there was always something going on, usually several things going on.
Frankie was always, every single day hanging out in the basketball court. He would play anyone who cared to join him, but he was also pretty content to play by himself dribbling, spinning, faking out his imaginary opponent, and then swish.
Sometimes we'd play handball with tennis balls or racquetballs against the brick wall of the gym.
We also played baseball, lots and lots of baseball. Sometimes we'd have enough kids to field two real full teams, but usually not. Usually we'd end up with half a team so we'd stick someone's tag along kid brother out in right field were no one ever hits and one base on an overthrow.
Even when we had two full teams, Peter always pitched. I was usually the catcher. Sometimes I'd play short-stop but I never really knew what to do with myself out there, didn't have a good enough arm to play third, and quickly lost interest out in the field so catcher it was.
The reason Peter always pitched was because he was missing his left arm right above where his elbow would be if he had an elbow. I never knew why, you'd think that kids being kids he would have been teased but somehow it just wasn't something we ever talked about. Maybe it scared us a little and made us wonder what it would be like to only have one arm.
Peter worked it out though, he would tuck his glove under his stump of an arm and slip it back on his hand after every pitch so he could catch the ball. Then he would tuck his glove back under his arm and grab the ball from underneath. I developed a little hitch in my throw to give him an extra second, but other than that I don't recall any of us ever accommodating his disability. Maybe part of that was because he was a pretty good pitcher. I guess you just don't really make fun of a kid and call him handicapped when he just fed you your ass at the plate.
If Peter wasn't around, we'd play football or climb around on the playground equipment.
When it was hot, really really hot, we'd go over to Church's garage because Mr. Church always kept a stack of patched up truck inner tubes on hand just in case some kids wanted to go floating down the river that ran behind the school. The river was off limits during the school year, but in the summer there wasn't anyone around to tell us no. Of course as Mr. Church handed out inner tubes he always told us to be careful out there and keep an eye out for each other. We always said we would and then we'd take off running towards the water.
We would float past the school, through the fields behind the little grocery store where we sometimes bought candy and sodas, past the tobacco fields, and into the woods to the swimming hole. There was a big rope tied to a tree to swing out over the river and drop into the water making as big of a splash as possible. Sometimes there would be high school kids there lying out in the sun on the rocks. It was always a special treat if you could splash one of the high school girls giggling and showing off for the boys.
We'd get bored with that and head on down the river, over a couple of small waterfalls, out, walk up, over the waterfalls again, and then on down the river until it doubled back out of the woods and went under the road. That was somehow the end of the line so we'd get out and start walking back to the school. I think it was about three miles by road, but we never had to actually walk the whole way. Inevitably someone at least one of knew would come along in a pick-up truck and we'd all climb in the back for the ride back.
Hunger would drive us home where we would be fed, forced marched into a tub and then get fresh band-aids on the day's cuts, bruises, and scrapes.
I have no idea what ever happened to all of those kids. We've all grown up, moved on, frighteningly enough most of us probably have kids of our own now but we'll always be connected in some small way to a little valley in the mountains where kids were allowed to run wild and our worst fear was that rain would trap us indoors.
User Reviews
Submitted by cuberat (user info) at 2006-06-22 16:29:23 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Damn. And I read this while trapped at work.
Submitted by hour_man (user info) at 2006-06-16 09:13:11 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Very enjoyable read as usual Loki. Take your laptop. Actually don't, we would only ruin your trip!
Submitted by loki (user info) at 2006-06-16 08:59:13 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
You don't have a whole lot of friends do you Doodies? I mean except for the little imaginary ones that live inside your head.
Submitted by Doodies (user info) at 2006-06-16 04:47:32 EDT (#)
Ranking: -2
Submitted by loki (user info) at 2006-06-15 13:57:09 (#)
Ranking: 0
23 hours until I leave for vacation
Thank Christ! Don't take a laptop you boring witch.
Submitted by Sacrilicious (user info) at 2006-06-15 22:34:07 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Nostalgic.
Submitted by extacy_red (user info) at 2006-06-15 22:30:43 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
i listened to give up the ghost today so a 0 for you.
Submitted by CoachMagirk27 (user info) at 2006-06-15 22:02:04 EDT (#)
Ranking: -2
needs more titties. at least two more.
Submitted by JohnGalt (user info) at 2006-06-15 21:38:53 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by Davros (user info) at 2006-06-15 19:49:15 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
This was me, if you substitute the baseball for football (soccer)/cricket.
Kids today are way to protected.
-Dave
Submitted by Maddog (user info) at 2006-06-15 18:01:23 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
"Ghost man on second". Damn, that brought back some memories for me. Good stuff.
Submitted by jgreening (user info) at 2006-06-15 17:43:25 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
w00t, deary.
Submitted by Shlongy (user info) at 2006-06-15 16:29:50 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Maybe I was on the "bus prototype".
Nope...Blue Bird buses with those puke green seats.
This chick let me tickle her hole for like 3 years. You shoulda been there.
Submitted by badassmofo (user info) at 2006-06-15 16:26:22 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Shlongy, wasn't it horse drawn buggies back then?
Submitted by Shlongy (user info) at 2006-06-15 16:20:39 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
I used to finger a chick named Julie on the back of the bus in like, fourth grade.
Childhood ruled.
Submitted by richsghostdog (user info) at 2006-06-15 16:17:08 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Hee Hee..course ya can't say "queer" these days, the PC police will get you.
We did ( Hey, queerboy! Ya queer! and of course "your such a faaaaag") didn't know what it meant, but damn it sounded good!
AAAHHH, Sublime... I do SO love a gallop down memory lane...thanks Loki, really good shit!
Submitted by badassmofo (user info) at 2006-06-15 16:07:36 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Ok I have this problem with reading a post and then the comments and then actually remembering every point I wanted to make.
First off - Teephphah, don't drink countrytime, it has a chemical that produces carcinogens in it, along with Hawiian Punch, Sunny-D and slew of other drinks.
Tim - I totally want to write something about my childhood now too.
Whoever brought up video games - You couldn't pay me to sit a minute in doors during the summer as a child.
Loki - I knew I always liked you, I can't wait to write something like this reminiscing about growing up in the Poconos, river floatin, backflips off of waterfalls, Brinkers Bridge, The 9 Foot Hole, hand fishing the Broadhead Creek. I miss those days, sometimes the thing that would make me the happiest would be a cold ass shot down the Rock Shutes. Have a good vacation dear, do something you haven't done in at least 10 years.
Submitted by inion_de_trua (user info) at 2006-06-15 15:55:55 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
definitely not my childhood.
sounds great though.
Submitted by loki (user info) at 2006-06-15 15:47:20 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
damn right richsghostdog
Can David come out and play?
anyone remember smear the queer
I don't think kids are allowed to call it that anymore and if you think about it, I don't think any of us even knew what a queer even was.
Submitted by loki (user info) at 2006-06-15 15:41:59 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
I sent this to my dad. He said that he still picks up kids with inter tubes walking down that road in the summer and drives them back to the school. It makes me wonder how long this has been going on.
I had to give up catching when my knees wouldn't stand for it anymore.
it's not the years, it's the mileage
well sad to say at this point, it may be both
Submitted by richsghostdog (user info) at 2006-06-15 15:40:09 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Are you kidding me...bunch of TV video brats...of course this isn't fiction...you just don't know what you missed by being born too late..
...don't forget ringaleveeo or red rover red rover or dodgeball under the streetlights until the the streets echoed with the bellows of mothers looking for their kids to come in (tomMYYYY, DAviiiid) (awww ma do I have to? Just five more minutes, puleeeze?)An when your mother finally screamed for you using your FULL name (PATRICK HENRY MICHAEL O'HOULLIHAN you get in this house right now or else!)you KNEW you were fucked!An all the other kids would snicker and whisper behind your back as you ran full tilt for home, dirty elbows and scraped knees pumping for all you were worth and praying she wouldn't smell the tobacco on your breath ...That's Skip's REAL name!?!:)
Submitted by Cyrus (user info) at 2006-06-15 15:38:08 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I grew up in a baby boomer neighborhood. Outside my door, just on my block, were a dozen kids between the ages of 2-3 younger than me to a couple of years older. The team sports/games we could play! Afterschool, weekends, summers... It makes me feel sorry for my kids, in a way.
Submitted by MyNameIsTim (user info) at 2006-06-15 15:37:11 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
i want to write something about my childhood now.
Submitted by MyNameIsTim (user info) at 2006-06-15 15:36:42 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
phenominal. best thing i've ever read that you wrote.
Submitted by Orgasmatron (user info) at 2006-06-15 15:28:38 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Note to self: get more Starbucks Bananas & Creme drinks around mid-day.
Submitted by JonnyX (user info) at 2006-06-15 14:54:13 EDT (#)
Ranking: 1
Well, wait a minute then, Who's on First?
YES.
Submitted by hot_pocket (user info) at 2006-06-15 14:38:41 EDT (#)
Ranking: 1
Submitted by sicosemen (user info) at 2006-06-15 14:24:56 (#)
Ranking: 1
This was good and remniscent but it lacked something way too big: Nicknames, everyone had nicknames.
Submitted by TigerLilly (user info) at 2006-06-15 14:38:14 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by c1ndy (user info) at 2006-06-15 14:35:39 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by sicosemen (user info) at 2006-06-15 14:24:56 EDT (#)
Ranking: 1
This was good and remniscent but it lacked something way too big: Nicknames, everyone had nicknames.
Submitted by Anansie (user info) at 2006-06-15 14:20:40 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Sweet. It comes off as fiction, which seems to me to be kind of difficult to do. Extra point for difficulty. I mean, I personally have a hard time with it.
Submitted by icarus1987 (user info) at 2006-06-15 14:18:05 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Hold up. Where were the video games? I mean we were only dealing with 8 bit systems and black and white gameboys at the time, and we spent at least a collective month of each summer sitting about inside playing them. Granted, much of the rest of the time was taken up by hikes in the forest or outings on the lake, but my god, without old school Zelda or Super Mario Brothers, I have no idea WHERE I'd be as a human being.
Submitted by loki (user info) at 2006-06-15 14:14:48 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
all true actually
I knew the pitcher / catcher thing was going to happen, but decided to ignore it.
Submitted by shitfuck (user info) at 2006-06-15 14:13:49 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I dig it.
Submitted by awesome_face (user info) at 2006-06-15 14:09:50 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
My generations childhood (at least in the city) was not very free. There wasn't alot of places we were allowed to go. There were no rolling plains or fields for us. Just video games and super soaker fights.
sigh
Submitted by ubetidid (user info) at 2006-06-15 14:05:18 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
damn, but i miss those days.
Submitted by Teephphah (user info) at 2006-06-15 14:04:20 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I would also like to point out that I knew beyond the shadow of a doubt that that pitching/catching comment was going to garner you at least one juvenille comment.
Wish I would have thought of it first.
Submitted by Anansie (user info) at 2006-06-15 14:01:53 EDT (#)
Ranking: 1
So... truth or fiction? It feels like fiction, but would be cool if it were truth.
Submitted by loki (user info) at 2006-06-15 13:57:09 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
23 hours until I leave for vacation
that water, now that I'm all growd up is fucking COLD
Submitted by Teephphah (user info) at 2006-06-15 13:56:32 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
"one base on an overthrow." That's a phase I've not heard since . . . a long, long time ago.
Submitted by Teephphah (user info) at 2006-06-15 13:54:49 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
DAY'UM.
What's up nostalgia?
Anyone else up for some Countrytime (TM) Lemonade?
This was pretty freakin' awesome.
Submitted by scourge (user info) at 2006-06-15 13:54:12 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
My brothers would always say that the ghost was stealing bases.
'Oh look! He just stole home. Score another run for us.'
'No he didn't I tagged him before he touched the plate.'
punch in the stomach
Arguing was futile as they were older and larger and would only tolerate a small bit of dissent before punishment was meted out.
It wasn't fun to always lose by 100 or so runs.
Submitted by Webered (user info) at 2006-06-15 13:53:26 EDT (#)
Ranking: -2
"Peter always pitched. I was usually the catcher."
Oh yeah? I thought it might've been the other way around. I had you pegged wrong, I guess.
This was boring.
Submitted by Anansie (user info) at 2006-06-15 13:50:59 EDT (#)
Ranking: 1
Is this truth or fiction?
Submitted by moneyshotforyou (user info) at 2006-06-15 13:48:33 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
loki=auto+2