“Lets Walk Without Our Shoes Down Childhood Memory Lane”

Catherine Lyon - Literary Marketing Expert Writing Challenges, ,

A New DPChallenge Accepted!
1/27/2014
Weekly Writing Challenge: Leave Your Shoes at the Door…

“I am a woman in recovery from addicted compulsive gambling for 7 years, a child sex abuse survivor, and a “Writer in Progress”  living with Bipolar II disorder, with Manic Depression and Panic with Agoraphobia.
YES, I know,…that sure is a mouth full, but it is my life, and “It is what it is.” But man, wish I could leave my present life, and go back in time to those childhood days of innocence…..
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Those days that all we worried about was hearing the school bell ring, so we can get home and play with all our neighborhood friends! Play until it was dinner time, then come back out after, and until it got dark. Yes, those were the good days of “Just Being A Little Kid.”….
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Today, I’m a first time published author, writer, and blogger, and it seems I always tend to write about all the “BAD” stuff that I have been through in my 51 years of life on this earth. So when I seen what this weeks “DP Writing Challenge” was about, I thought it would be great to kick off my flip-flops, and take time to walk down memory lane of “The Good Times” I had as a child, instead of all the depressing stuff of life today.
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I also feel this challenge is another “De-vine” moment from God that has happened, ( Yes, it happens a lot to me! ), because yesterday I had an old childhood friend contact me. He found me through my “Facebook Author Fan Page”!! Then today when I went to see what this weeks writing challenge was, I got goose bumps that my old pal “John Harris” found me. See this weeks challenge is to write a little about:
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“This week, we’re asking you to consider things from a different point of view — to walk a mile in someone’s shoes. Leave your moccasins and bunny slippers at the door, and tell us a tale from a fully immersed perspective that is not your own.
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Most of us remember a time when we couldn’t imagine living the life we live now. Work? Marriage? Kids? School? Tattoos? Running five miles a day? A crush on someone who doesn’t have a mullet? Write a few paragraphs about a memory from your perspective, then, write about how someone else might remember that same event.”…..HHHHMMMMM….
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I already write much on my perspective of my life today in recovery, from abuse, and mental illness as them being part of my life. I try to give “Awareness and Insights” to these issues. Much does come from the negative experiences I have had, starting as a little girl. So it will be nice to share some “OLD” memories that John and I had as little kids, when he and his family lived across the street from us from 1971-1975 in Highland, CA. All I know is, when they moved, I was “Crushed”….My first real “Love Crush” was leaving me!!
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Little_boy_and_girl : Cheerful boy and a girl are lying together on the white background
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When I saw John’s friend request on Facebook, and then a message popped up that said, “Hey, Cat…don’t you remember me? I remember you “Bubba Gums”…..
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YES, kind of embarrassing, my nick name as a young girl was “Bubba,” thanks to my older brother. And then John’s “Uncle Eddie”added the “GUMS”….because I lost all my front upper baby teeth at the same time, so they called me “Bubba Gums.” John and I used to get in so much trouble together.
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My father and his were in the Air Force. We all went on family trips together, had BBQ’S and many dinners at each others houses. His mom Millie made the best homemade tacos! So when I found out it was Johnny, I asked for his phone number, and I called him right away! He was at his mom’s, they put me on speaker phone, and John, Millie and I caught up, 40 years worth! Then John and I started walking down “Childhood Memory Lane”….
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And just so you know, I was ALWAYS getting in trouble for not wearing shoes as a kid! And to this day I’m the same way, not trouble, No Wearing Shoes!…LOL. I go barefoot all the time. I hated wearing shoes, which now, my feet have so many childhood scars to prove it. From skateboards, fish-hooks and wire stuck through my big toes. Smashing my toes trying to stop myself on my bike on curbs.
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All us as kids used to go out in the middle of the street and play games like, “Red Rover,  Red Rover, and Red Light Green Light”!! John and I did talk a little about how our lives evolved as we grew up. See, those “Bad” things that happened to me as a little girl didn’t happen until after they moved away. Good times we spent as kids were “Young & Innocent.” I remembered all the days we spent out at the Air Force Base public swimming pool. All us kids spent many summer days at the pool.
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Little_boy_and_girl : little girl telling his brother a secret
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We both had a few accidents along the way too! Mine was in his backyard, while he was cutting their lawn. Johnny forgot to put the grass catcher on the mower, so he was going in his house to get us some cold drinks. He told me to keep pushing the lawn mower, and if it got to much grass or clogged, to just move the grass out-of-the-way of the mower.
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WELL,…..it did,  and I moved the grass out alright, I almost lost a few fingers from putting my hand in to far of the mower!! So he comes back out and see’s that my hand is bleeding. I didn’t feel it. He told me NOT to look down at my hand as he took me in the house to his mom, but I did, and I almost passed out! Blood every where. I think Millie dumped a couple of bottles of “Peroxide” on my hand, and almost lost a finger that was just hanging there!! Of course it was a trip to the base hospital ER, along with needles and stitch’s. Both our families went out to “Wong’s Chinese Food” that night, and all I could feel was my hand and stitched up finger in pain and throbbing.
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But my accident wasn’t as bad as Johnny’s. We were out riding bikes, and he decides to come down this hill on the road before you turn onto the street we lived on. With only a pair of cut-off shorts on, no shoes, no shirt, and waving BOTH arms in the air instead of them being on the handle bars of the damn bike, he crashed!!! It really was bad, I cried my eyes out. So much blood, and John laying there lifeless.
He was knocked out. He told me he didn’t remember the fall, only that he woke up in the hospital with gash and scabs all over him. He really gave BOTH FAMILIES a scare.
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I did forget to ask John if he remembered the family trip both our families took together to San Diego. We went to SeaWorld and the Zoo. We spent a couple of nights at a motel, so John and I went swimming in the motel pool, even though it was cold and overcast at the end of the day. We didn’t care, just because we were having FUN together.
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I also don’t know if he remembered when we were at the zoo, we were all standing by the different monkeys, apes, area. This lady was teasing the monkeys with treats, and one of the “Huge Apes” picked up a piece of “CRAP” and threw it at the lady!! We all ran back from the fence laughing so hard we were crying!!  Yes, so many wonderful childhood memories. Kind of embarrassing that one time John and I got caught playing nurse and doctor, that didn’t go over to well. What can I say,..”kids will be kids”…LOL.
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Yes, so many good memories. So we vowed that we will stay in close touch now, but I have to tell him “Thank You,” thank you for finding me, and sending me that friend request through Facebook. For sharing, and for being a part of my life. The part that we “Shared Together.” And like you said, “when we were young and had not a care in the world.” We were just happy being little kids. I sure do miss those days…..
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10 thoughts on ““Lets Walk Without Our Shoes Down Childhood Memory Lane””

  2. Catherine– thanks for participating in this week’s challenge! 🙂 I loved the sweetness of the story. You have a youthful spirit and it dances with every word. 🙂 It’s wonderful about being connected with your old friend. Blessings to you!

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    • AWE….Thank you! Coming from YOU means a lot. I think many by now know I’m still learning & growing
      better each day as a Writer & Blogger. This piece truly was *Special* to share!
      I appreciate your Visit, as you are a Busy Dino!…LOL…*Catherine*

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  4. I remember John was always getting into trouble as a kid. He has changed a lot and consider him a close friend (and cousin). Deb, always was the careful and collected (still is). I kind of remember you when we would visit? Or maybe not, that was so long ago… I know that Uncle Ron had a huge influence on my life (enlisted in the USAF) and Millie (now Mylania) helped me a great deal when I moved to DC (still remember her saying “Gary, you’re not smiling” when your mowing the lawn in 95 degree, 95% humidity weather)….

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    • Yes he WAS…LOL…he was also accident prone back then too! I do remember Deb just as you mentioned, and her and my sister Rose we just the same. I think that’s they got on so well. I just wished we would have more years growing up together!

      But what a *Blessing* to be reconnected! And yes, it was long ago, I’m sure we may have met. My folks stayed in touch with Uncle Eddie & Jean for many years. We all did have some good times….I appreciate you coming by Gary and sharing your memories with me..*Catherine* 🙂

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