Day 10: A childhood memory

Today the challenge was to photograph a childhood memory. I immediately thought of my prized R2-D2 that I got from the treasure box when I was in the third grade. I talked too much when I was in elementary school which really exasperated my teachers. I never got to go the treasure box because I talked way too much. I got R2-D2 because I was quiet for once and I’ve had him all these years. He’s my buddy. When my son Marty was about four he colored R2-D2 with an orange marker. I think it makes him look all the cooler. Like he's been on Mars or something, battling storm troopers and saving the universe!

I had to include this picture of me at age four in my totally beatnik black leotard. Mom always let me be exactly who I am. I’m lucky.

And then, a childhood memory caused me to write this sentimental poem.

Magic

Again, Mama encouraged me

To get away and play

Next door

With the blonde haired, blue eyed

Girl who was just my age

But it was her spinster 65 year old aunt

Who was my true playmate

Aunt Mackie was what we called her

The girl just my age

Didn’t like living with her

And didn’t understand my fascination

With her aunt, the old maid

Who never cleaned the house

Because Bertha a lady from town

With skin the color of Hershey bars

Did that

Aunt Mackie bought Bertha colorful hats

From Neiman Marcus

And she let me pull them out of the grand hatboxes

With the crinkly tissue paper

To try them on

The girl just my age rolled her eyes

As I paraded around in purple satin and peacock feathers

“Ooh-wee, I just love me that hat Aunt Mackie,”

Bertha declared

The girl just my age drawled,

“Then why don’t you marry it?”

So Bertha decided she would do just that

The very next day

And Mama never batted an eye

When I skipped away in a party dress

Aunt Mackie wore a gray flannel suit

 I made my way down the freshly mown lawn

Sprinkling rose petals and humming the wedding march

Bertha’s chunky heel slipped on a petal

As she waddled towards Aunt Mackie

The girl just my age, who was wearing overall shorts

Helped me lift her

Together we moved Bertha towards the altar

Where she claimed her undying love

For the purple hat from Neiman Marcus

I saw Mama watching us from the kitchen window

With a curious look on her face

But she never once asked me about what she saw

Mama knows…

magic can't be explained (the end)

Until tomorrow...