‘Return with me to when times were best’
As we started our journey, I told you guys my room was upstairs, far from mom and dad; I guess sleeping was more important. Home Air conditioning was in its infancy in the 50’s. So all my windows were open at night and the bedroom across the hall as well……with luck, the breeze gods smiled.
At a young age, I’d be in bed at sunset–bright orange and red dancing across the room, an impressionist wash. The breeze wafted through like an exotic dance. Stillness enveloped me, a giant blanket over the farms and fields, broken only by an occasional car or crickets. Then the rain came. I’d hear it miles away, mumbling incoherently. The light tap of drops on the grass, wind surging in the long grass of the field. I didn’t fear lightning, it was just annoying. The lights on the room kept my senses hopping. Then the thunder….I’d count the seconds to see how far away it was, kinda like this guy.
Rain on the Roof: was there ever a more wistful soothing voice to a young boy? I always passed out as the rain intensified, caressing me, safe and dry between the sheets.
But May and June give way to July. The heat was a grip of torment. I’d strip til I was bare-assed, leaving pj’s soaked with sweat for mom to discover the next day.
In third grade, I began suffering from hay fever, fed immensely by the golden rod singing wild in the field. Mom was up the stairs several times a night, vainly feeding me pills, and gathering dripping wet bed clothes. I inherited this asthma from my father, who was surprisingly sensitive to my hacking and sneezing.
This proved to be too much for daddy, and he parted with some bucks and bought a huge air conditioner for the living room. It was 3 feet high and weighed around 200 pounds. It had to be installed by two men who resembled Marvel’s Ben Grimm. Now, I could come down and crash on the sofa pillows, breathing cool and pollen-free air. But I still would be bare-assed or close to it: this monster was cooling four rooms and the air was shooting out way over my head.
Daddy was unnerved by my youthful lack of modesty. He didn’t raise no nature boy. But turning up the air conditioner meant the electric bill would be $20 instead of 6, Oh, the humanity.
Only one real solution…………..see ya next time