I loved to read. I can remember being under my blanket when I was in bed for the night, with a flashlight and a book. It was a bit tricky holding the flashlight with one hand and holding the book with the other, so most times I would just put the flashlight in my mouth, pointing the business end towards the book so I could see the text. I was supposed to be sleeping, and my parents never knew I stayed up for hours reading. That's probably why, when I was supposed to get up for school the next day, I was so dog-tired I couldn't lift my head. Fortunately, I never got caught. My parents slept downstairs and my brother and I had bedrooms located on the top floor.
The most fun I remember as a child in Pittsburgh were the monkey vines, we lived in a new development and behind our house was all woods. And there were some trees that had vines on them and we would swing like Tarzan...so much fun! We also had a neighborhood treehouse one of the older boys made in the woods, we would go there a lot. I remember playing all the games we did back then, kick the can, touch football, hide and seek, climbing the street sign pole, jacks on my porch and on and on and we did it all outside until my mom would turn the porch lights on, which must have been after the street lights came on because we also had a game of who was first to see the street lights. I had a good childhood, except for my strict father.
I grew up in Pittsburgh also -- I remember those monkey vines! It's amazing no one got hurt... but we were like little monkeys scampering around. I also remember in my back yard there were two trees fairly close to each other. I wanted a swing, but my parents didn't want me to have one. Why, I don't know. So, I took a long thick rope and tied it between the trees with a very large teddy bear secured at the bottom, so I could sit on the teddy bear and swing to my heart's content. I don't recall exactly the mechanics on how I did that, but I know it lasted a long time. I also had a strict father.
I wish I knew what trees they were that had all those vines, I've lived other places and didn't see them. We also had a rope swing attached to a thick limb by our treehouse...think we actually had a tire on it but I'm not sure. I grew up in Brookline in Pittsburgh.
I never saw those vines in any other places I've lived in -- maybe they're indigenous to the area. I grew up in Wilkinsburg until I was 13, and then we moved to Point Breeze (near Squirrel Hill). Tree houses are so cool. None of my neighbors had one and neither did we. To be honest, the only tree houses I have ever seen are online or on TV. Check this one out:
I think you're correct about the distance from Brookline, PA to Squirrel Hill. I had relatives that lived in Brookline, and I recall visiting them when I was growing up. Re: Squirrel Hill -- always loved the name of the area. There were squirrels everywhere. I've been in Phoenix, AZ for 17 years now and have never seen a squirrel, although I know someone who lives near the mountains and claims she sees them all the time. Have you been back to the area? I vowed to never go back again. After I lived in Pittsburgh, I went to college in Philadelphia, and from there I lived in the Midwest for 28 years, moving from one state to another. Then I moved back to Pittsburgh to help out my Mom after my Dad passed, then after she passed away I stayed on for several years before moving out here.
I haven't been there since about 1997. My dad died and then my mother moved in with my youngest sister In Sparta NJ...so no more family in Pittsburgh, just a couple of friends from High School. After Pittsburgh I moved to Chicago and then to Merrillville, Indiana. Now I live in Fresno since my husband died 11 yrs ago. I went to Pitt for a year.
Wow, that's really close to the time I moved away from Pittsburgh. In 1997, I decided I had to move to a better climate and by late 1998 I had purchased a house in Phoenix, and moved here early 1999. I would have moved in 1998, but I was afraid I'd run into some nasty weather in the winter, and not be able to 'get out of town' by airplane due to snow or bad weather. So, I waited until the weather was nicer and left town forever. The day I left Pittsburgh, on February 2nd, it was warm and sunny. Really nice day. Arrived in Phoenix, many many hours later and it was SNOWING! A very rare event. Sorry to hear about your husband. That's sad. I went to Moore College of Art in Philadelphia. At the time it was called Moore Institute of Art. When I moved to the Midwest I lived in Chicagoland, and other parts of Illinois; Madison, WI; Ferguson, MS; and Des Moines, IA. I was married at the time, and jobs took us from one city to another. I hate to move, so after I moved here I said, this is the last place I will move to.
We seem to have crossed paths many times, Toby! I also lived in many parts of Illinois besides Chicago. My son lives in Glen Carbon, Illinois which isn't too far from Ferguson. I was visiting him right when all the riots were taking place and I was flying back home from Lambert Airport and Ferguson is close to there...was afraid the exits would be blocked to the airport but everything was ok.
Yes, indeed... it's amazing how much we have in common. The internet is a wonderful thing! I lived in Ferguson, MS back in the mid 70's if I recall correctly. Memory has lapsed a bit on things long ago! When the riots were taking place and all over the news, I felt bad, because the Ferguson I remembered was a beautiful town... peaceful and quiet. Nothing much happened there. So much has changed over the years. In August 1970 when the Viet Nam antiwar protests took place at the University of Wisconsin I was living in Madison, WI. I worked up front in a book store, and the front door was open when the police threw tear gas into the area. I'll never forget the effects it had on our eyes and lungs. I wanted to leave work, but it was too dangerous. So, we all went into the bathroom and put wet paper towels on our eyes.
Yes, I can imagine..many cities in the US have gone though a downward spiral, especially in the downtown areas...Fresno is one. I'd be afraid to go to downtown Fresno by myself during the day and even with someone at night. In 1970 I got married in Chicago.
I can remember when my dad had a car that started with a crank. The same car had a rumble seat. I can remember when our telephone operated with a crank. Our number was short-short-long. I can remember when we didn't have running water. Our water came from a pump outside, which had to be primed sometimes. I can remember when, because we didn't have running water, we used an outhouse outside. We tried to take care of things before going to bed in Michigan Februaries. I can remember when people began replacing their gas-powered washing machines with electric ones. The washing machine motors were great for go-karts.
This is something I will have to deal with? I'll take a short break break from thinking about the project and fuming over it. After which I will treat it as something fun to do and write another twelve to sixteen mini-stories which will bring the history of the boy's family up to where they themselves entered the scene close to that time. Thanks to those of you who read and commented or otherwise offered encouragement. Thanks, Ken for placing this in its proper place, one I have heretofore not noticed.
No, No...don't delete....leave it let the writers among us read it and make suggestions...you're doing right trying to garner ideas on how to start All the best writers say the very worst place is the beginning, they all without exception say they stare at a blank pages forever, sometimes months, but once they get started it becomes much easier... You're such a good story teller Bill, a good writer, and clearly your family thinks so too...so stick in there, you'll do it...