Feb. 10, 2002 - 23:07 MST

THE WONDERING JEW

Boys ?

Note: David has improved, been taken off oxygen and had his feeding tube removed from his throat. If he is still prospering in the morning he will be taken out of ICU and put in a room. Have my fingers crossed.

With out going into too many details I look back and wonder how any of us boys ever got old enough to vote. We did manage to do some damn fool, dangerous things except trying to swim in the sand pits along the Platte River.

On the east side of the junior high school building near my house there was a great spot for high adventure. On a Saturday or Sunday when no one was in the building we would gather at the foot of the steps of the open, iron fire escape, steps which went up to the third floor. One of our adventures was climbing up the back side of the steps. About all the area to hang onto was a ledge at each step, wide enough for a finger hold. Climbing up was no big thing, it was psyching ourselves up to attempt it. Once on the way up and back down we knew that a slip would possibly be fatal and if lucky just incur broken bones. On a fairly cool day I would come down from that trip in a cold sweat that only felt cool when I was back on the ground.

But we were immune from damage, accidents were something that happened to someone else and besides we were going to live forever. Such stuff kept our hearts pumping at a great rate and near misses were spice in the drink of youth.

Years later I watched my boys try some risky stuff without them knowing they were under observation, hoping I could get there in time to render first aid if there was trouble - but knowing what a blow to them it would be if they knew an adult was watching them so I kept under cover. They, like myself never got hurt from activities like that. Just pure accidents was what hurt them. The oldest boy for instance had a pot of hot coffee kicked over by someone at the campfire he was sitting around, scalding his ankle and soaking his tennis shoes which burned his foot severely before it could be taken off his foot. But the bold, rash, brash stupid stuff they managed to survive quit well, just like me in the past. I shiver now to think of it, but I was considerably younger then and a bit stupider.

What is the next thing you will try Boys ? . . . . . . .

Blog