5. Write a blog post inspired by your childhood neighborhood.
Mom says I walked around with a glint in my eyes that told her I was up to no good and truth be told I probably was.
I stole Tab from the refrigerator when she wasn’t looking.
I snuck cough drops from her nightstand and listened in on her phone calls when I was supposed to be napping in her room.
I made my cousin knock on our neighbors doors for candy and then forced her to share it with me.
Up to no good.
Depends on who you ask I suppose…felt good to me.
I’m from a neighborhood where you knew the occupants of every house.
You knew to stay out of Hazel’s apple tree, but that it was okay to play tag on Bob and Honey’s immaculate lawn.
You knew that Penny Will made the best cookies on the block and if you played your cards right you could spend the afternoon making play dough from scratch with Misty in that delicious smelling kitchen.
Except that I threw up all over Penny Will’s carpet and broke Misty’s special bracelet and just played my cards so so wrong.
You knew that the rich families lived down the private road and that the Buscios did not want you in their pool.
I don’t know why they never once invited us to enjoy their pool on hot summer days, but then reached out to us to cat sit for them.
When it was my turn to feed their cat I took my time dawdling through each room, playing with their antique phones, sitting on their velvet sofas.
When they asked if someone pillaged the deep freezer they kept in their basement and dug into their ice cream I denied it.
As if they would just shrug it off like the ice cream ate itself.
I don’t know why those old people kept such giant tubs of ice cream in their freezer.
Up to no good.
Best damn ice cream I ever had.
Morgan says
I’m glad I wasn’t the only one that looked around people’s homes when pet sitting for them. I never found any ice cream in the freezer though.
I used to be sneaky when I was babysitting and would get some freezer pops and eat them and hope no one would notice.
Mama Kat says
I was a horrible babysitter. I used to order pizzas and then stuffed the pizza box in the bushes so they wouldn’t find out. Real bright.
May says
You were the kind of daring kid who would have sent a chill down my spine every time you did something I only wished I had the guts to do!
Mama Kat says
Otherwise known as the “bad influence”, but we would have had SO much fun!
John Holton says
I’m assuming you’re the one with the crown on your head…
Mama Kat says
For sure! And that’s the Buscio pool behind us!
Aunt Diane says
That photo tells many different stories when I look at it. Loved all the family gatherings, thanks for the reminders.
Mama Kat says
The family gatherings were the best!! I lived for pool parties at the Aurelios. :)
Christy says
You were eating ice cream while I was taking ciggy buts. Another lifetime ago…now, I’d much rather find ice cream, lol. I grew up in the days where everyone knew everyone, and all the kids hung out together, Some of those houses I knew better than my own. I always looked in the bathroom cabinets… I was a weird child I guess.
Mama Kat says
You and me both. :) You don’t find neighborhoods that tight anymore! At least not around here. And maybe that’s because I’m a hermit.
carol says
Up to no good!! Well at least you had an adventurous childhood. I remember sneaking out late at night to look for golf balls on the golf course. And sneaking a swim in the neighbor’s pond when it was off limits.. Am I’m sure they never knew!!!