Going To Visit Grandma

I was 5 years old. My second brother was 3. We decided one day that we wanted to go visit Grandma on the farm. We asked our mother if we could go.

Of course she said no. But I argued that I knew the way. I suppose she thought it was too far to walk. It eas several miles from the town we lived in.

Finally we asked if we could go to the church to play. It was a block away. We played on the steps and played on the railing of the steps. Flipping over the bar was great fun. Skinning the cat was my favorite trick on the bar.

In reality we had no plans of staying at the church. We went there then turned and walked to Main Street. From there we started to walk to the farm.

Mom was at home with no car. She had my other brother and my baby sister who could not be left alone. Mom was frantic with worry when we did not come home.

She had to wait until Daddy got home from work. She had no choice.

Daddy immediately started to look for us. He had an idea that maybe we were trying to go to see Grandma.

When he found us we were near the edge of town... the same end we lived. I do not know how long we had been gone. It was probably several hours.

As he pulled us into the car he gave each of us a swat on the bottom. Our parents had been that scared both for themselves and for us.