THE COTTONWOOD FALL
On the last day of school when I was in the 7th grade, all classes were released early in order to find weenie roasting sticks for a previously announced roast to celebrate the end of the school year.(Remember this was a small school with perhaps only 3 dozen students)
Since the school was situated on the top of a hill, sloping down to a few cottonwood trees in the back, most of the students headed for the trees. We were all savvy enough to know that "sticks" must be green to prevent catching on fire while roasting.
I remember climbing up the largest tree, looking for the perfect limb that I could harvest and turn into the perfect "weenie roasting" stick. That one? No. Oh, that one over there. Reaching out and tugging on the limb to try and dislodge it, I guess I pulled a little too hard and the limb resisted. I lost my balance and fell out of the tree. It wasn't a long fall, maybe 6 to 8 feet. But it was a bad fall.
Why? Because I landed astride a barbed wire fence which ripped open the leg of my jeans as well as my inner calf. Classmates quickly informed the teachers of my accident and I was carried up to the school house.
My parents were summoned and arrived quickly. The gash in my leg was about five inches long and everyone concurred that stitches were required. I was put into my parents car and we began the drive to the doctor (Dr. Stromberg by name who had a practice in Caldwell, nine miles to the south.)
What I remember vividly about the trip? My mother opened her purse and handed me a "Forever Yours" candy bar. (It was my favorite at the time.) And that took away my fears and my pain, temporarily.
Dr. Stromberg stitched me up rather quickly amidst all my tears and we were soon on our way back home. And I still have the scar as a reminder of that day.
And what did I learn from all this? Young boys who climb trees may miss a weenie roast but they'll get a candy bar!
Since the school was situated on the top of a hill, sloping down to a few cottonwood trees in the back, most of the students headed for the trees. We were all savvy enough to know that "sticks" must be green to prevent catching on fire while roasting.
I remember climbing up the largest tree, looking for the perfect limb that I could harvest and turn into the perfect "weenie roasting" stick. That one? No. Oh, that one over there. Reaching out and tugging on the limb to try and dislodge it, I guess I pulled a little too hard and the limb resisted. I lost my balance and fell out of the tree. It wasn't a long fall, maybe 6 to 8 feet. But it was a bad fall.
Why? Because I landed astride a barbed wire fence which ripped open the leg of my jeans as well as my inner calf. Classmates quickly informed the teachers of my accident and I was carried up to the school house.
My parents were summoned and arrived quickly. The gash in my leg was about five inches long and everyone concurred that stitches were required. I was put into my parents car and we began the drive to the doctor (Dr. Stromberg by name who had a practice in Caldwell, nine miles to the south.)
What I remember vividly about the trip? My mother opened her purse and handed me a "Forever Yours" candy bar. (It was my favorite at the time.) And that took away my fears and my pain, temporarily.
Dr. Stromberg stitched me up rather quickly amidst all my tears and we were soon on our way back home. And I still have the scar as a reminder of that day.
And what did I learn from all this? Young boys who climb trees may miss a weenie roast but they'll get a candy bar!
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