I wonder how many people remembers the first person they really liked? I remember a girl that lived down the street from us, we were about 10 or so, mouse brown hair, hazel eyes, copper tone skin, freckles on her nose and cheeks. Lucil was her name and we were great friends. Played together a lot and one day her parents just packed up and left, no rime or reason.
Was a very sad time for me as that girl could outplay most boys at anything. I made a friend shortly after though that I still chat to till this day which is rare, except for the series and movies. We didn't go to the same school, but spent a lot of time at each other's homes. He had three sisters, one older than us (just) and two a little younger.
Sadly his father left before he was born, but his mom has been a pillar of strength and as we often found out, not be trifled with, problem for us, two very naughty and very busy boys, neither was my parents to be messed with so there was no hiding when we got into trouble.
My Riaan's mother was a church going woman with a sweet smile and a temper like a mountain lion. I remember tying a rope from the chimney on their house to the chimney on the outbuilding and wanting to slide across with a belt. I went first and the chimney followed me as the mortar had weakened over the years. I hit the ground running and kept on running till I hit home. My mate ran in a different direction asif it would help.
Well she got on the phone and called my dad who proceeded to first laugh, then promised to fix the chimney and then belted me three of the best shots he could swing, my but was on fire. He never punished in anger and explained to me why I was punished. He told me that I needed to think things through and could have gotten really hurt.
My mate didn't appear till supper time at which time he got belted too, one for helping me almost hurt myself, one for destroying the chimney and one for scaring his mother with his disappearance.
We met up at the swimming pool the next afternoon and discussed our burning buts and how we could improve the foofy slide idea.
It saddens me how so many kids are not allowed to experience consequence anymore and how it robs them of valuable lessons and respect for both themselves and others. When you get punished for what you have done wrong, you learn how to do what's right and everytime this happens, you gain experience and so doing build up some pride in knowing more.
Song from that time in my life