A Day With My Brother

Faster, faster I peddled to keep up with my brother on Second Street, in the small village of Perrysville, Ohio, my home town as a child.   Many summer days we were on our bikes or in the sandbox.  Dad built our sand box with seats in the corner and big enough for all the kids in town..

The Hottest Days

The hottest days of the summer, I remember running across the alley, into our yard, and jumping into a huge  blow up pool.  Uncle Sunny lived in Akron and working at Firestone somehow got this huge, bright yellow and dark green, swimming pool for us?  Once again in those days it was the biggerst blow up pool around Perrysville!   Uncle Sunny was marrid to Aunt Sal.  She and my dad were twins, maybe they thought alike being twins, and Uncle Sunny just drove to our yard that hot, hot day with a delivery from Aunt Sal?

The Grandest Club House

There were days my mother would let me play at the end of  Third  Street,  Glenn Hammonds, house.  Glenn and I were in the same grade of school and his mother transformed, I think, a chicken house into the grandest club house I had ever seen.  The only clubhouse I had ever seen..

Maybe I Was Along For the Ride

There was a particular day no friends were around and it was just my brother and me. He either played alone that day or with me. I found myself on Second Street moving speedily, we two on our bikes and going somewhere.  As my brother got to Main Street he took a right turn, and in slowing down, parked his bike on the side walk.  In no time, just a few seconds, I arrived.  Maybe I was just along for the ride, because remembering where we were  going is evasive to me then and now.  Hanging out with your brother, just him and me, it was a good feeling.

Hurrying to catch up, I parked my bike.  I noticed a particular house.  Big it was to me, with a porch.  The house had that look of gray, white and a tinge of black.  You know when you don’t paint a house for so long it has no color, just weathered boards and kinda spooky.  The screen door squeeked opened and a crumpled man came half way out and invited us in.  My brother started walking up the weathered steps and going toward the sceen door.  Is he nuts?  I thought.

I Was Afraid

I was afraid to go in and afraid to stay outside.  This tattered house was at the end of town,  several big unkept trees hid it partially and my brother was inside as the tiny man held the screen door waiting for a pair of dirty, bare feet to follow.  They both mumbled a few words I didn’t quit hear.  The man went to a huge, dark cupboard with tall doors and little drawers.   Everything inside was concealed by the doors and drawers.    It wasn’t a big drawer but it wasn’t  small.  It kinda stuck and needed a yank or two.

Ours eyes bulged out at the same time. How did he get so many Hersey Bars in one little drawer?    The man handed one to my brother and then one to me. I think my brother thanked him quietly as then his engineer boots I could hear took a step or two toward the screen door.   I  thanked the little old man with a half smile and followed my brother like a pup.  I had no idea how to converse with such a sort and was uneasy in this mans house with no wife nor dog of any sort.  Jumping on our bikes the man watched us with a smile from the porch. My brother turning back onto Second street and headed for Plum Alley, back home.  It was getting cooler as the sun was lowering. We both knew mom would be wondering were we were, she was prone to worry.

Poison

Both hands holding fast to the handle bar grips we both also held onto a grand Hersey Bar.    Watching my brothers back to make sure he made no sharp turns or any more stops,  I heard him yell out, ‘I bet these Hersey bars have poison in them!’  Taking the chance of wrecking my bike, I lifted my hand off the handle bar and pitched my Hersey bar into the weeds.  My brother turned and looked at me with a grin, as he devoured  what looked like a very fine Hersey bar.**