Self defense snake
Scott Mclean
Going to have a little more serious subject for part of this one.
When I was younger there were whole families that made the fruit picking circuit. California, north through us and cherries in Montana. Most of these families came from Arkansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma. Many later settled here and actually bought their own farms.
This cycle is repeating but with a different group. Some of the kids from the traveling families were in school with us for a few weeks at a time. One of the kids I remember most was a black girl from Arkansas named Gay. I had no experience with racial problems so started talking to her like any other kid. She seemed shocked that I would associate with her and was shy anyway. Years later when I realized more I came to understand but found it sad. As I have said before, I was raised with the idea that if someone treated you right you did the same.
Now back to country boy life.
My older sister had about 4 of her friends over for a slumber party. She grabbed my record player and basically told me to like it or lump it. Wrong move!
They had sleeping bags layed out on our elevated patio. I filled one of Mom’s big canning kettles with water and all of the ice cubes in the freezer. This then got dumped out an upstairs widow onto the 14 and 15 year olds below.
I then locked the door to my room and blocked it. My parents had to chew me out but looked ready to bust out laughing. Dad actually did lose it! My sister was not happy and threatened me with bodily harm. I told her I knew where a bullsnake was that I could grab. She did not like snakes so that was a great protective device.
Good thing they didn’t make my little brother angry. He probably would have peed out the window on them.
Years later one of my sister’s friends said I was an evil child. Only if you crossed me!
More later