Tuesday, October 22, 2013

Inappropriate laughter

Sometimes old memories just flash in my mind.  Nothing in particular seems to trigger them, they just appear. 

Tonight one popped in my head and I had a little chuckle to myself.  I am going to record it here in case I forget about it again.

When I was about 9, we moved to a new house in Golden Grove. It was a newly developed area and there were lots of families around. Not too long after we moved in, our neighbors moved out and a new family moved in.  I spotted a girl about the same age as me. Sensing a possibility for friendship, purely based on the fact she was a girl around my own age, I devised a plan. It was nothing short of genius.

Are you ready for it?

 When I saw her outside next, I too would go outside. My plan didn't go as far as to actually SAY anything, I would just be out there....too.

As luck would have it, it didn't take long for me to spot her out there on her bike. Wanting to take advantage of the opportunity, I grabbed my own bike and headed out to my driveway. 

And we rode.  Her around her driveway and me around mine. There was no contact but we were both riding.  The plan was working perfectly you could say.   

Eventually we asked each other's name.  My new neighbor was Kimberly. I told her my name. The next day I found an eraser in my letter box and a note addressed to "Dianne" from "Kimberly".  Ah, a gift just for me from my new friend (well, for Dianne but I could look past that where gifts were concerned).

A few months down the track and I had a new best friend. We went to the same school and hung our everyday after school. 

A little while down the track, the people across the street moved out and a new family moved in.  They had 3 children; 2 girls around my age and a son.  The son unfortunately had a disability which prevented him from being able to walk or talk so we never saw much if him. As time went on we would sometimes see the mother carrying her son to the car.  She was such a small lady that this was a feat in itself as he wasn't a young boy.

Kimberly and I didn't really 'click' with these girls and I remember on one occasion we got in an argument with them which resulted in Kimberly, myself, and some of my siblings throwing rubbish from the wheelie bin at them as they threw rubbish right back.

One day, not long after this new family had moved it, my Mum mentioned to the neighbor that the poor woman across the road had injured her back. She had been carrying her son to the car and slipped and fallen flat on her back unable to move.  Her son lay on the ground next to her, unhurt, but unable to move or call for help. 

Now I know what a horrible situation this is and in no way mean to make light of it, but I can't help but have a quiet chuckle when I think of our neighbors response. She said;

"Oh dear! I feel awful! I came outside the other day and I saw that poor woman and her son lying on their driveway. I didn't know he had a disability and I thought they were out there sun baking.  I thought it was a bit different but I just gave a neighborly wave and went inside and left them to their sun baking."




1 comment:

  1. I remember the "rubbish flight incident".... in fact I can remember my pathetic insult I threw out to the girls (I thought I was swearing, haha).
    However, I don't remember hearing about the sunbaking comment, that is gold!

    ReplyDelete