June 10th 1963
I rolled over in bed and stared at the ceiling. It was Monday and I was not all that excited about the week ahead. I looked at my clock radio and saw it was already 7:20 and I hardly heard anything coming from downstairs. Mom had not called and did I really want to get my body out of bed? Usually IF there was work to do Mom was at the open stairway door way before this. I knew what Dad had said I should do today. He had mentioned that he wanted a load of rocks picked from the "south" land that we farmed but belonged to Uncle Jim. I actually did not think it was necessary as it seemed there were few rocks on that land. It was so so different than our land east of the farm. That land seemed to grow rocks. I know that is not possible but it sure seemed that way. Anyway I knew it was time to get out of bed and see what was happening downstairs in the kitchen. I rolled out of bed and walked to the west window. I opened it half way and saw that there were dead flies on the window sill. I opened the screen just a bit and with a dirty cloth that was on the floor I swept them out into the open air and watched as they blew away in the wind and onto the ground. Good I thought, now the window is clean! I put on a pair of cut off jeans and the T shirt that I had worn the week before. No socks as I seldom wore shoes in the summer. The field dirt still felt hot under my feet but I knew in a week or so I would not feel it.
As I opened the stairway door to the kitchen, it was empty. Dad's darkroom door was shut so I knew he was working or writing. For a second I hoped he had forgotten that I was supposed to pick rocks but really I knew his memory was better than that. I was surprised to not see Mom in the kitchen as she certainly was up and about. I walked into the living room and looked out the east window and there was Mom in the garden tending to the new plants that were already up. I retreated into the kitchen and then out the SE entry door into a sunny warm morning. As the door shut behind me Mom looked up and asked if I wanted her to make me some breakfast! Of course, that was not even a question! Not only would I like some eggs BUT it would also delay my trip down south with the Ford and rock wagon.
As I was finishing breakfast Dad emerged from his dark room only to say that he was going to Geneseo but I should get down south as soon as I could.
I backed the Ford out of the shed and hooked up the rock wagon. While I pumped gas I reflected on the summer. It was only starting and it already was too long. Dave was OUT and I knew he was happy about that. Actually this was the second summer since he had graduated. I missed doing the farm work with him. Now, most of the time, it was me, myself and I! Back then it was the two of us and we often could make a game of whatever we were doing but it is pretty difficult to make a game of ONE. Anyway, as the Ford gas tank filled, I made up my mind I HAD to made this summer interesting in some way. There had to be a way to make life fun and it seemed to be up to me to make it happen. Sure there would be work BUT to be truthful Dad was an awful farmer and he often let things slide or go which meant I had a lot of free time. Now of course I could have made things happen on the farm in a positive way but I just did not have the interest. So with the Ford gased up and the rock wagon behind I headed down south to pick rocks.
I knew there would be a way to make one rock wagon last the entire day. What a rotten attitude that was BUT I could justify it by telling myself Dad had little interest in the farm so why should I? I did make one load of rocks last all day and it kind of went fast. Well I knew Mom would be expecting me home for lunch. I had no watch but I was pretty much an expert at standing facing north with the sun at my back. When my shadow was straight north it was noon and time to go home for lunch. AND guess what? I arrived home at 12:10, pretty darn good! Well IF one is trying to stretch work lunch needs to be at least an hour and really what matters as Dad still was not home. There were the standard fried egg sandwiches with a side of dill pickle and then a short trip upstairs to my bedroom to see if I could get the Twins score from the day before. I had not heard it on the radio as I woke up. The only thing I could get was Paul Harvey so I turned off the radio and decided it was time to visit the outhouse before heading down south again. By the time I started the Ford and headed out it was almost 1:30 and still NO Dad.
As I drove around the summer fallow field, the wheat field and oats field during the afternoon I slowly formed a summer plan in my head. I would make myself a one hole golf course with the fairway being the grass between Mom's garden and the road coming into the farm. I would make a sand green in the ditch just below the mailbox and then make a tee off area near the biggest rock in the line of rocks where we parked the car near the house. We had sighted in the rifles enough there so I knew it was about 90 yards. I would hitch the scoop behind the Ford and get sand from the lake shore. Of course that was a no no but nobody would ever know. I could drive the Ford up to the lake some morning when Dad was not home and of course there never was anybody swimming or boating in the morning. Then after I had the putting surface done I could take used oil from the 5 gallon can in the shed. The only use Dad had for that was to oil the chains on the combine during harvest so there would be no reason he would care if I used some of it. Yep, that was a plan and it was pretty much set by the time the sun set in the west and I headed home with the rock wagon loaded up to the sides!
So it happened. By mid summer I had my golf course in place and it was my "go to fun place" for many many Sundays over the next couple of years.
It probably was my finest example of "when life deals you a batch of lemons make lemon aide and enjoy"!
I should add that those summers of 62, 63, 64 and 65 were some of the best and some of the worst. There were times that I was so lonely and it wasn't only Dave that was not there other people were involved too!! another story some day It actually was some of the best as well. It was a time that I learned to rely on self to make things thappen and make life worth living! During that time I found out that a person has something deep deep inside that If or WHEN you realize it and make up your mind to do things life can be worth living even if it is not the best circumstances. It is a lesson that I have tried to remember in adulthood as anyone knows we ALL have times in our lives where we need to be resourceful and resilient. I am not saying I have always been successful with that but those years stuck with me and served me well all through life.
A breakfast of eggs with cheese and bacon accompanied by FP has he feeling good today.
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