At some point I will discuss the dynamics of my childhood as it relates to playgrounds and companions. All I'll say is that we played and hung out like kids have been doing since the dark ages. They don't do that now. It's neater, better planned, better equipped and supervised. My generation is fond of saying how the young generation requires helmets and coaches and monitors and protections that we didn't have. We rode bikes without helmets; climbed on rooftops; stayed out well past dark. Well the truth is that we weren't any tougher then. The only ones that say such things are those that survived. The dead remain silent, may they rest in peace.
One night after dark Tommy Stein (who my Mother didn't like me hanging with cause he was Protestant and a delinquent) and Herky Burnett (who was non-Catholic but his Dad used to be one and a fallen Catholic beats a pair of Protestants), we headed to the steep ride at Jefferson St Playground, which was designed similar to the desert where Jesus spent 40 days and nights, and its where the Catholic School kids played. More on that later.
In the middle of the day the incline looked like this, a short unused rock-paved one lane road going from the playground street level to a height of 30 feet where it ended abruptly, seen here on the right. Length about 150 yards. A fast narrow ride with no bailout area. No little kids and no pansies allowed.
We'd never sledded down the old stone road. I had never even considered sledding this hill and none of my friends had ever mentioned it until this night. It was a popular spot for older kids, Protestant bullies, as well as the reckless, the damned and soon to be maimed. Tommy dared us and we were bored so we decided to give it a go. I felt nervous before we even got there. Would some of the boys I'd traded insults with be there? I might get a ass whipping.
It was 9 pm or later and very, very dark. No one was on the slope. Curious. Maybe they'd worn themselves out. Maybe it got too cold. In the mid thirties early in the day, the temperature dropped quickly when the sun went down and it felt like ten degrees right now. We got there and I saw none of my adversaries. I saw no on else but Stein and Herky and lots of snow and dark and cold and quiet. With no one else around, we were excited to give it a go.
One night after dark Tommy Stein (who my Mother didn't like me hanging with cause he was Protestant and a delinquent) and Herky Burnett (who was non-Catholic but his Dad used to be one and a fallen Catholic beats a pair of Protestants), we headed to the steep ride at Jefferson St Playground, which was designed similar to the desert where Jesus spent 40 days and nights, and its where the Catholic School kids played. More on that later.
In the middle of the day the incline looked like this, a short unused rock-paved one lane road going from the playground street level to a height of 30 feet where it ended abruptly, seen here on the right. Length about 150 yards. A fast narrow ride with no bailout area. No little kids and no pansies allowed.
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| Road, normally. |
It was 9 pm or later and very, very dark. No one was on the slope. Curious. Maybe they'd worn themselves out. Maybe it got too cold. In the mid thirties early in the day, the temperature dropped quickly when the sun went down and it felt like ten degrees right now. We got there and I saw none of my adversaries. I saw no on else but Stein and Herky and lots of snow and dark and cold and quiet. With no one else around, we were excited to give it a go.
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| This is how it looked that night, dark, cold, abandoned. |
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