Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Pinch Me: I Must Be Dreaming

1.  1984.  My mom comes home with Prince's Purple Rain album, purchased at the Rifle Dime Store--the only place in town that carried records, lipgloss, prescription medication, and gum until Walmart moved in.  The Dime Store is closed now.  I had my ears pierced there when I was 10.  I rode the 1 cent pony right before the bees sting, earring gun, grown-up-now gold studs were in place.

2.  1978.  Standing in shorts on a fire ant hill while my dad talks to a man I don't recognize.  The man slaps my leg hard, his red fingers burned there.  I'm speechless but for the tears now welling.  "Fire ant," says the man but I'm not sure if I wouldn't have rather been bit by 100 ants instead of the sudden sting of a stranger.

3.  1982.  First snow.  The light is gray through the homemade curtains.  I get up slowly so I don't wake my sisters sleeping beside me.  Pants.  Socks.  Boots.  Shirt.  Coat.  Two more pairs of socks on each hand.  Walking outside, the endless white fields reach into absolute silence.  I breathe in too quickly and the air burns my nose.

2 comments:

  1. Do you ever have students do this? Write about a childhood memory, I mean.

    Your writing is so vivid. I can SEE you there. I remember getting my ears pierced when I was ten. I remember how excited I was as a child when it would snow.

    I LOVE how you write!

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  2. Those are such great scenes you paint! Keep 'em coming because it's great to read your writing. Thank you!

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