Fountains of Tivoli, Italy. 1969.
Rylan was just 1-1/2 years old when I asked him, “Where’s my house?” He looked at both sides of the street and pointed to the fourth house up ahead and said, “There yiz.” He then guided me home. Lol. So cute!
In contrast, I never had the opportunity to find my way home when I was Rylan’s age. I recall facing that challenge at the age of five. My parents had asked Russell, a sixth grader and family friend, to bring me home from school every day. After a week or so of doing that, Russell lingered in a store one day with his buddies. When I approached him, he turned around and told me to GO HOME!!! He didn’t want to have anything to do with me.
Tearfully, I walked out of the store to the crosswalk. Cars zipped by. I was deathly afraid of getting hit by one of them. Somehow, I managed to cross the street, but was confused as to where my house was. I walked and walked and was relieved to see the familiar white wooden structure on Kewalo Street.
When Mom greeted me at the door, I burst into tears.
Mom: “What’s wrong?”
Me (I didn’t want to tell her about walking home alone): “They told me I am a skinny bamboo!” (I don’t recall ever being teased, but that is what I told Mom.)
Mom (hugging me): “Next time people tease you, just remember this: Sticks and stones might break my bones, but words will never hurt me.”
Two things happened that day:
1. I learned how to make it home after school by myself, and
2. My mother never knew what was truly bothering me (being abandoned by Russell).
March 1, 2012 at 3:03 am |
naughty Russell, really! Kids will be kids, glad you made it home ok though.
March 1, 2012 at 3:54 am |
I’m glad you made it home all right. It’s a good idea to let kids be more resilient and knowledgeable, don’t you think? Rylan certainly is!
March 1, 2012 at 4:27 am |
That was a tough lesson to learn. Rather like being thrown into the deep end of a pool as a swimming lesson. Effective but not much fun.
Think I would have ratted on Russell.
March 1, 2012 at 6:14 am |
I think our parents would be shocked if they knew everything that we have had to deal with in our early years. Rylan is so cute!
March 1, 2012 at 6:55 am |
Nice reminiscence Glenda. Love the photos of the fountains.
March 1, 2012 at 7:27 am |
It is so sad how some kids treat other kids. I would have been a tattle tale. I’m curious about what happened next with Russell. There should have been consequences for him even though you luckily managed on your own.
March 1, 2012 at 7:30 am |
Ha! That’s where my memory of Russell ends. He was a 6th grader who wanted nothing to do with a kid in kindergarden.
March 1, 2012 at 7:30 am |
Funny that you did not feel you could tell your mother the truth. You must have really felt overwhelmed.
I started riding the streetcar in Berkeley when I was five. My father tracked me, at first, making sure I got to school OK. Sometimes I would lose my ride token and would walk home, which was about ten blocks. Once I Ieft a scratchy wool sweater on a fraternity house lawn, because I didn’t like it. That was a hardship, because we were poor at the time. .
March 1, 2012 at 8:27 am |
Back in the day, my wife’s mother said Helen’s big sister, about five years older, had to take her to the movies. When they left the house, her sister snarled at her, “You can go to the movies with me, but you can’t sit with me.” When they grew up, they were friendly with each other.
March 1, 2012 at 8:28 am |
We’ve all had that childhood stuff happen..good thing you got home safely..
March 1, 2012 at 10:45 am |
Russell did you a favor. He taught you to be independent at the age of five. Back in the 1950′s it was a lot safer with fewer cars on the road. Gigi did you start walking home all alone the next day?
March 1, 2012 at 11:05 am |
yes.
March 1, 2012 at 4:10 pm |
I can just visualize it all! Glad you made it safe; but sad Mom didn’t have a clue.
Loved her words of wisdom. Thank you for sharing Gigi.
March 1, 2012 at 6:08 pm |
Well, I guess you were ready even if you didn’t know it. It’s never too early to learn to be resourceful. there are lots of Russells in the world,