’80s summer, mid-morning:
I want to walk to the store.
I could use some Bazooka.
The problem is…
the store is all the way up and around the neighborhood--
to Snyder to Pulaski--
and then all the way back.
It’s already hot out.
So hot.
Typically we cut through the boys’ yard.
Their house, at the top of the block, sits right behind the parking lot.
Their yard is basically a kid thoroughfare.
This morning, though…
no one’s around.
It’s so quiet.
And it’s so hot.
God, I want to cut through their yard.
But I shouldn’t just do it.
Not on my own.
I should ask.
Yes. You should knock on the door and ask.
The dad answers and squints at me,
trying to place me among the dozens of feral neighborhood children.
“Hi. I’m so sorry to bother you, but I was just wondering…
Can I cut through your yard?
I’ll be real quick. You won’t even have to know that I was ever here.”
“You’re… the one in my youngest’s class?”
"Yes! That’s me!"
“Okay… I guess...”
"Thank you!
And don’t you worry about me climbing the fence.
I do it all the time.
Oh, but… wait.
I can come back that way, too, right?"
“I guess… sure… But… just… uh… just don’t do it again, I guess.”
Got it.
I want to walk to the store.
I could use some Bazooka.
The problem is…
the store is all the way up and around the neighborhood--
to Snyder to Pulaski--
and then all the way back.
It’s already hot out.
So hot.
Typically we cut through the boys’ yard.
Their house, at the top of the block, sits right behind the parking lot.
Their yard is basically a kid thoroughfare.
This morning, though…
no one’s around.
It’s so quiet.
And it’s so hot.
God, I want to cut through their yard.
But I shouldn’t just do it.
Not on my own.
I should ask.
Yes. You should knock on the door and ask.
The dad answers and squints at me,
trying to place me among the dozens of feral neighborhood children.
“Hi. I’m so sorry to bother you, but I was just wondering…
Can I cut through your yard?
I’ll be real quick. You won’t even have to know that I was ever here.”
“You’re… the one in my youngest’s class?”
"Yes! That’s me!"
“Okay… I guess...”
"Thank you!
And don’t you worry about me climbing the fence.
I do it all the time.
Oh, but… wait.
I can come back that way, too, right?"
“I guess… sure… But… just… uh… just don’t do it again, I guess.”
Got it.
