A Dirty Rotten Shame

I miss sleeping outside. I miss sleeping outside during the summer. I used to love digging out the old sleeping bag and strapping it to the back of my JC Higgins bicycle, one speed, and then pumping over to the best friends place in sleeping out under the giant willow tree of his grandparents. They were one of those families, originally from the South, where the extended family all live together – – not the same house but on the same property. I thought that was so cool that they had their grandparents living right next door and they were just part of the family. Anyway, this was all situated on a small farm. It was fairly rural area but the city or urban creep is fastly taking over that part of the town. We live to further south and our farm was a little more rural than John Tom's.

We would go over to their house after our chores were done: the cows watered,Cows milked and equipment washed in milk put away. Then we were free. You watch TV at that place – – they had the only color TV I had ever seen and I was totally amazed. We would go back to the camp when the news that start around 10 o'clock in bed down for the night at least that's what we told their parents. July and August of course were hot not only the days but the nights as well. Afterward given sufficient time to have the parents believe that we were sleeping we would get up and walk out on the road in front of their house. The road was asphalt in the tar would be spongy from the heat of the day. If you stood in one place you would actually sink a little bit into the asphalt. On the newer asphalt further up from the house we would lay down on the street and feel the warmth of the day this was great. We often wandered a couple hours then it was back to the campsite Where we would turn in for the night. At the crack of dawn we were up and on lucky days we are allowed to make a fire. And Mrs. C would provide us with bacon and eggs in a cooked our own breakfast it was great. On alternate weekends we would have the same adventure but on our farm. We had a standard live in trees on the far end of our property very often pitched our camp. It was fun but nothing is elegant as camping at the Cantrell's.

As I roll back and forth to the bus or the train to pass all these homes that would have wonderful places to spend the night, or have asleep out. I don't think kids can do that anymore at least like we used to. I don't see kids pack and sleeping bags back and forth in the evenings going to a friends house to spend the night. That's shame a dirty rotten shame