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Shine
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Shine |
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Packratmike Senior Member
since 2001-02-25
Posts 632California, USA 
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This story is my recollection of being a seven-year-old in a small town in Illinois. Life was so much different then, it almost seems like a fairy tale now. The sky seemed larger, the stars brighter and the air on a Spring day, always smelled sweet and fresh. These impressions stuck with me as did my impressions of Shine. I wonder if he ever thought that he could leave such a wonderful indelible mark on a little boy. Shine Being a seven-year-old in 1951 was hoping that Mom would let you play a game of pinball at the ice cream parlor Saturday. It was building a fortress out of a big cardboard box and then inviting a friend in to split a ketchup sandwich. Being a seven- year-old in 1951 was sharing an afternoon with an old codger named Shine. Nearly every afternoon, I would make my way through Shine's vegetable patch of a back yard. A narrow path would then lead me along the side of his house where I could usually hear his wife, Mamie, busily rattling pots and pans in the sink or swishing a broom across the kitchen floor. As this sound would begin to fade, a new one would greet my ears assuring me that my old pal was right where I expected. "Squeak-swish-swish, squeak-swish-swish, squeak-swish-swish." Some days Mamies' broom and Shine's decrepit porch swing would seem to create a raggedy waltz, welcoming me to be seated on the top step of their Maple tree shaded front porch. "Hi Shine. D'ya git yer tabacca yet?" I would excitedly ask before sitting down. "Nope Mikie," he'd reply, laboring to pull a quarter from the pocket of his overalls. "Ya wanna fetch for me agin today?" I would then eagerly accept the quarter disregarding the fact that he had called me "Mikie" instead of "Mike." After all, Shine was a real pal so I didn't hold him to any unnecessary formalities that I might hold to others. Racing off to the store, I would start thinking about how I would spend my portion of the quarter - five cents! Bubble gum? Baby Ruth? Kits? Wax Lips? Maybe one of those orange-paraffin-harmonica-type things that tasted so good after you grew weary of playing it. No, that would take the whole nickel so I'd usually settle for a couple of Double Bubbles and three packs of Kits(chocolate, banana and strawberry). A few moments later, I would be seated on Shine's porch watching with amazement as he used his pocketknife to carefully cut a chunk from the dark brown square of chewing tobacco and plop it into his mouth. "Wanna chaw, boy," he'd kid with a winking eye. "No thanks Shine. I think I'd sooner chaw on my candy." Opening a pack of chocolate kits, I would pop two or three pieces of the chewy taffy into my mouth, trying my best to imitate the slow undulating motion of Shine's whisker stubbled jaw as it would drop nearly off its hinges, move to the right and then swing up to a higher than normal position almost causing his upper lip to touch his nose. Over and over again we would go through this contortion until both his tobacco and my candy were molded into a manageable wad. By this time, a goodly amount of spittle would be ready for its exit toward the honeysuckle bush to the left of us. Both of us, with a most audible "pfutt" would aim for our favorite spot. "You boys had best find another place to spit!" Mamie would crackle from inside the house. "You're killing my honeysuckle bush!!!" In response, we two culprits would then reflexively raise our shoulders and eyebrows in unison, trying our best to keep our not-so-hidden chuckles from escaping into an uproarious laugh. Once these spasms had subsided, the old man would cock his sweat stained wide brimmed hat back, fully exposing a weathered face upon which Father Time had etched an elaborate historical map. A map meticulously scribed around sunken eyes, through hollowed cheeks, and then leading further south to a toothless mouth. A map detailing each day of toil, grief and pain as well as all the joys of life. A map which could only be deciphered by Shine if asked to do so. That is what an afternoon with Shine was all about. Me at his feet asking most of the questions. He, sitting there with his thumbs locked through the straps of his overalls, one hollowed cheek puffed out, hiding a wad of tobacco and all the while, guiding a seven-year-old along a path which only he had traveled. Mamie and Shine moved away later that summer. At least that's what my folks told me when I couldn't find him one day. Oh yes, I was a little disappointed that he hadn't come over to say goodbye, but since Shine was a real pal, I'm sure he knew that I didn't hold him to any unnecessary formalities that I might hold to others. |
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| © Copyright 2001 Mike Powers - All Rights Reserved | |||
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Poet deVine
Administrator
Member Seraphic
since 1999-05-26
Posts 22612Hurricane Alley |
For such a wonderful simple story, I just say: You have a way with words...thank you. |
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Packratmike Senior Member
since 2001-02-25
Posts 632California, USA |
Thank you PdV....true story.*S* |
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LoveBug
Moderator
Member Elite
since 2000-01-08
Posts 4697 |
Awww, I really love this. It's great to think back to the people who really affected us in our childhood. Great descriptions.. very well written. Thanks for sharing.  "Men judge generally more by the eye than by the hand, for everyone can see and few can feel."-Machiavelli |
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Packratmike Senior Member
since 2001-02-25
Posts 632California, USA |
Thank you LoveBug. Glad you enjoyed.*S* Mike |
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Sunshine
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-25
Posts 63354Listening to every heart |
Geez Mike, I can smell the bubblegum... and I liked the way you wrapped it up. |
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obscurity of cloud Member
since 2001-05-11
Posts 294....:::::******:::::.... |
This has such great flow. It's so immeadiate, but nostalgic at the same time. Thanks for posting! "so when at times the mob is swayed to carry praise or blame too far, we may choose something like a star" --Frost |
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Packratmike Senior Member
since 2001-02-25
Posts 632California, USA |
Sunshine and o/c....thank you both for the nice remarks. Glad you liked this. Mike |
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