Thanks, Sue! Yes, my mom knew a shotgun was an overkill (pardon the pun), but also knew we needed a lesson on trespassing. So light on the punishment, heavy on the consequences. 😉
Anybody who was ever a kid knows the lure of adventure. Of innocent curiosity. We were harmless. The guy who owned the orchard, we later learned, was a child abuser, a wife abuser, and had lost sight of his own childhood. They were a family in distress. My mother tried to help the woman, but like it is in many such stories, she was afraid to leave.
And yet somehow we are resilient! We first survive and then we grow by understanding a bit of the world-even if we, as women, don't particularly want to know-since we can't UNKNOW anything.
Yes, Jill. That’s it! We cannot UNknow! Sometimes, it helps us learn life lessons, other times, if I only could forget what I don’t want to know! Good point, Jill!
We sure knew how to have fun when we were young. Can't remember how many times we sneaked into an orchard and ate apples or peaches or apricots that were NOT ripe. We then spent hours in the bathroom with belly-aches. We didn't care. Thanks for this wonderful reminder, Sharon. A fine story!
Thank you, Sharron! I know some of my friends got bellyaches..we would have, too. But we had two apricot trees in our backyard, so we were just taking a shortcut, and ended up finding a cool old building, and our imaginations ran away with us. My mom made some killer apricot cobbler with our apricots, though! 😋
Short cuts end up being long ways around to find the answers not easy. But double barreled shot full of holes and the apricot owner had more than enough to share. Grown ups greedy, never learned from siblings to share the wealth. One more problem with the world you often don't leann until it's too late.
True, Richard! Thanks! We all learned lessons that day. Even my mother learned to allow the consequence to be the main punishment. (Although mothers seem to have a natural wisdom, by nature).
Obviously, you've never heard of the concept of "cash crop." I realize there are many who believe firmly that people aren't supposed to make money. Horrors! Work isn't done for free, especially when it's hard work with an unpredictable outcome. The farmers earn their pay every day and none of it is greedy.
I understand. I've worked on a farm for little pay. But the greed wasn't really about taking fruit, fruit, but people taking short cuts, but to rob farmers of making a living. Misunderstanding.
Wow! I had forgotten about that! It’s a good thing the owner didn’t realize that your two older sisters were related to you hooligans. He hired the two of us to cut apricots in one of the out buildings for a summer job. We loved it in the shade and we drank Kool-aid with ice! We made enough as a team to buy our school clothes in the fall.
Thanks, Sue! Yes, I remember you guys working in the orchard…didn’t you and Sonnie have a crush on the 𝙨𝙖𝙢𝙚 guy? He was one of Andy’s boys….I think his name was Paul. 😍
Whoa! That's hellacious! Good thing he wasn't so serious as to leave some permanent marks on your backsides. And GO MOM!
Thanks, Sue! Yes, my mom knew a shotgun was an overkill (pardon the pun), but also knew we needed a lesson on trespassing. So light on the punishment, heavy on the consequences. 😉
But now there's this old kid--me--aren't rules made to be broken?
That's just the old rebel. But a shotgun!
I'd be outta there too! You have kids who have questioned the rules yourself? I bet you do!!
Anybody who was ever a kid knows the lure of adventure. Of innocent curiosity. We were harmless. The guy who owned the orchard, we later learned, was a child abuser, a wife abuser, and had lost sight of his own childhood. They were a family in distress. My mother tried to help the woman, but like it is in many such stories, she was afraid to leave.
And yet somehow we are resilient! We first survive and then we grow by understanding a bit of the world-even if we, as women, don't particularly want to know-since we can't UNKNOW anything.
Yes, Jill. That’s it! We cannot UNknow! Sometimes, it helps us learn life lessons, other times, if I only could forget what I don’t want to know! Good point, Jill!
We sure knew how to have fun when we were young. Can't remember how many times we sneaked into an orchard and ate apples or peaches or apricots that were NOT ripe. We then spent hours in the bathroom with belly-aches. We didn't care. Thanks for this wonderful reminder, Sharon. A fine story!
Thank you, Sharron! I know some of my friends got bellyaches..we would have, too. But we had two apricot trees in our backyard, so we were just taking a shortcut, and ended up finding a cool old building, and our imaginations ran away with us. My mom made some killer apricot cobbler with our apricots, though! 😋
Short cuts end up being long ways around to find the answers not easy. But double barreled shot full of holes and the apricot owner had more than enough to share. Grown ups greedy, never learned from siblings to share the wealth. One more problem with the world you often don't leann until it's too late.
True, Richard! Thanks! We all learned lessons that day. Even my mother learned to allow the consequence to be the main punishment. (Although mothers seem to have a natural wisdom, by nature).
Obviously, you've never heard of the concept of "cash crop." I realize there are many who believe firmly that people aren't supposed to make money. Horrors! Work isn't done for free, especially when it's hard work with an unpredictable outcome. The farmers earn their pay every day and none of it is greedy.
I understand. I've worked on a farm for little pay. But the greed wasn't really about taking fruit, fruit, but people taking short cuts, but to rob farmers of making a living. Misunderstanding.
OOOOPS! Sorry, I triggered. Thank you for clarifying.
"A combination of fear and fury" - apt description of mothers throughout the centuries - cute story!
Thank you, Linda! Yes, I have felt that feeling with my children, as well. It’s when the “Momma Bear” kicks in!
Wow! I had forgotten about that! It’s a good thing the owner didn’t realize that your two older sisters were related to you hooligans. He hired the two of us to cut apricots in one of the out buildings for a summer job. We loved it in the shade and we drank Kool-aid with ice! We made enough as a team to buy our school clothes in the fall.
Thanks, Sue! Yes, I remember you guys working in the orchard…didn’t you and Sonnie have a crush on the 𝙨𝙖𝙢𝙚 guy? He was one of Andy’s boys….I think his name was Paul. 😍
Oh, jeeeeeez! I don’t remember that part. Darn it! 🤭
He was a cutie! Maybe it was 𝙈𝙀 who had a crush on him! 🤭