On Running Away

Mom & me, on running away....
"I'm Running Away!"
"Well, good luck...you won't make it far."
"Yes, I will, too!"
"I don't think so...you don't even have a stick."
"A stick?"
"Yep, a stick & you don't have a bandana either. You won't make it far at all."
"Huh?"
"When little kids run away, they're called hobo's & they all have a stick they carry over their shoulder with all their worldly belongings tied up in a bandana, hanging from the end. Haven't you seen Orphan Annie?"
"I don't have any belongings. I don't need a stick"
"You have some clothes that you'll need to take."
"I don't want them."
"You'll need to take some food."
"Hmmm..."
I grabbed a napkin & wrapped it around a very large dill pickle and then, I hit the brick road, until I found myself walking in circles on a loop around road carrying a half eaten pickle...undecided if I should save it, chunk it, or just keep on eating it.

Kimbies & me, on running away...
"What are you doing out? It's after dark?!"
"I'm allowed to stay out after dark."
"No, you're not."
"Yes, I am."
"No, you're not. Where have you been?"
"Yes, I am. I've been over at Mere's."
"Ewww...you're gonna be in trouble."
"No, I'm not. Mom sent me to look for you."
"What? Why?"
"She said you ran away again."
"Well, then you're gonna be in trouble for going to Mere's"
"No, I won't. Really!"
"Why not?"
"Because if you really run-away, she'll never know I went to Mere's and if you come home, you'll be in more trouble for running away than I will be for going over there."
Kim lazily did figure 8's with her bike around me until we saw Dad on foot, coming to get us both.

Nana & me, on running away...
"Baby, come here & tell your Nana what you want for Christmas."
"I want a suitcase"
"A suitcase?"
"Yes and one that's not too big. I need to be able to carry it myself."
"Are you planning on taking a trip?"
"Yes Ma'am."
"So, where are you going?"
"Maybe I can come see you?"
Nana gave me a small pink suitcase that I would later pack with my swimsuit, my baby doll ripped of all her hair, some hot wheels & a supply of pickles wrapped in napkins.

Mom & Dad, overheard by me, on running away...
"It's pouring down rain, you have to go find her."
"Suzanne, she'll be back."
~Crash of thunder~
"It's lightning & thundering. She's been gone for hours now! She'll get struck by lightening"
"G--Damnit, Suzanne. She'll be back."
"It's dark ...she's been gone too long this time."
"She'll be fine. She'll come back. Now, calm down!"
Mom's gutteral sobs brought me out of the closet, where I had been hiding in with my book since it was raining so bad.

Running away. Out of 5 kids, I was the one who was forever running away.

I wanted the hallowed out hole in the Big Old Oak tree to be my cocoon. I wanted the long-armed branch that flatly spread across the street to be my bed when it was dry. I wanted the dirty earth that grew no grass under the draping leaves of the banana tree to my shady spot and sleeping space when it rained. I wanted the muddy waters under the old wooden dock to be my kitchen. I wanted the seaweed that grew 3 inches thick to be my washrag & soap & the lappy waters of the lake to be my bathtub. I wanted the fallen elephant ears to be my fan, my seat on the dewing grass, my umbrella on rainy days or even a blanket on windy days. I wanted the rocks , nuts & seashells to be my pens and pencils. I wanted the concrete sidewalk to be my sketchpad. I wanted the drainpipes that ran under the roads & down to the lake to be my private thoroughfare.

I wanted a world where one could sit in silence & feel peace.

I wanted a world without the constant drone of a TV in the background. I wanted a world where alcohol didn't smell bad on people's breath & didn't make nice people mean. I wanted a world where music was made from a symphony of sounds that involved no instruments, but birds, crickets, leaves, squirrels & water. I wanted a world where I could stay up all night, as long as the moon was bright. I wanted a world where Santa didn't need to worry about finding a fireplace. I wanted a world where I could be kissed by the sun and showered by the rains. I wanted a world where hospitals, bumper cars & leaky roofs didn't exist and a buggy borrowed from Winn-Dixie was just fine. I wanted a world where the bugs were friendly little lady bugs & dragonflies & the yucky bugs, roaches & such, were left to the world they preferred...in the house. I wanted a world where getting something sweet to eat simply meant plucking an orange from the tree & something substantial meant pulling a fish in with my scavenged bamboo pole. I wanted a world where enemies were your friends & they didn't remain enemies long. A world where war was fought by throwing the rotten oranges at one another. A world where the freshly mowed grass left rows of cut grass that could be gathered to build the softest of beds. I wanted a world where make-up was a smooshed berry smeared on my cheeks and perfume was a fresh lemon rubbed onto my wrists. I wanted a world where having a fur coat meant having a dog to cuddle up to. I wanted a world where all fires were controlled. I just wanted peace.

I still do, but I seem to just run in circles...but without the brick road, the loop around road, the little pink suitcase, the dill pickles & lightning storms.

*I started this post on Thursday April 12 & put it on pause when I saw that my ever-so-kinetically-connected sister Singleton had written a beautiful post titled 'When I run away...' LoL! I love that post, I love that we are so connected, even across the miles. And if she ever does run away, I think I'll meet her there! Photos compliments of the WWW.