Treasures

 I am very proud of the town and surrounding area, in which I was born and reared. My family life, friends and education were all about as great, as anyone could want. Lots of bicycle riding freedom, easy access to a wonderful public library and lots of time spent, just being a kid. But...., and you knew this was coming, this little Eden, had some real quirks, that I would like to share with you.

Have you ever seen anything that was "tumped over"? You know, like a trash can or an out-house or even a car, cow or trailer? "Tumped over", in my neighborhood meant upturned or perhaps over turned. Same thing!

What about "whole 'nother"?  As is, "this Artificial Intelligence idea, is a whole 'nother thing". Those two words, used together, was our way of saying the one word, "another". Makes perfect sense, doesn't it?

Then take our word for what almost every one else in the country calls gravel. In my hometown, we call it "chat".  You know, little bitty crushed and broken rocks, used as paving material on our drive-ways and alleys.  

And then, there were those "alleys"! Due to the age of our little burg, garages were located, off the street and to the back of our houses. The driveways, emptied out, into alleys. Alleys, for my kids and other unknowledgeable younger folks, were one-lane, chat covered roads, that divided one half of a city block, from the other. Most of the time, they were laid out perpendicular to the paved streets. 

The trash trucks (early in my life, they were horse drawn carts) used the alleys to pick up trash, from the barrels set out, not on the street, but along the alleys. Alleys were great modes of  "kid transport" and travel. They were where we rode, constantly,  and they were short-cuts between friends' houses, cutting down on our travel time, which was a waste of our precious playtime. On the downside, the chat was a bit tricky to transverse, and most of my friends, to this day, can proudly point, to an imbedded piece of chat, in a knee or hand. There you go.

Good and gracious God. Thank you for giving us such wonderful memories, of long ago. Grant us the wisdom, to guide and protect our loved ones, as we were once protected. Keep us safe.