What we survived as Kids

It is amazing that we survive from childhood. What are some of your stories?

The first time I rode a bike, I took it up a small hill. I reasoned that by getting on it while going down hill would solve the problem of not knowing how to ride. After all, it only made sense that if the bike were in motion from the hill -- all I had to do was hang on. And hang on I did -- down the hill where I found I couldn't turn it. I saw my Mother's clothes line coming up on me so I ducked. Wow, I missed that I thought as I looked behind me. Bam! I hit a fence and the bike came to rest but I continued on over the fence and landed in my next door neighbor's yard.

Some things I don't remember exactly and had to have hypnosis to bring them out. Like the day I was climbing a fence and slipped. So I had my arm pit stuck in the tines of a chain link fence. Someone had to lift me off. Or the day I went to save the cat who had climbed a tree. That day I was waving in the wind high above the ground with the cat backing up above me. A fire ladder truck came out and got me first, then the cat.

How about the time I was returning from work and decided to play hand ball -- so we climbed a building so we could play on the roof. After all, everyone else was sleeping. After an hour of fast play we came down and were passing a phone booth. The friend I was with, Gary Crumbpacker, had bet me that he could make a free phone call with a nickel. I thought that was crazy since someone had cut off the phone completely and taken the receiver. How could you make a phone call with no receiver. Just watch me, he said. So he took off his shoe and was pounding on the pay phone with his heel while placing a nickel in the slot. I caught an incoming police car checking us out in the corner of my eye and immediately slid underneath the fence. They brought in six or seven cars and tried to catch me. I ran incognito into back yards, over fences, through woody areas, down storm drains, and kept low to the ground and out of sight. They kept looking for me for months. They kept bringing Gary in and asking him who his partner was that stole the phone.

I bet we all have stories we laugh about and think -- it is amazing that we made it in one piece in this crazy world.