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Bordering
our farm to the east was a stream improperly named "Big Creek". Most of the year
it didn't flow at all and only had a few pools remaining in spots. Regardless,
it was the favorite part of the farm for Sam and me. We took every opportunity
to venture down there and play in the woods surrounding it.
Once when
our older brother, Morris came to visit he asked if we would like to camp out
over night on the creek bed. This sounded great and I was excited all the day
as we prepared for the big night. The event that night went well as we sat around
the campfire and listened to the sounds of nature surrounding us. My brothers
soon detected that I was a bit leery of the wall of darkness that crowded the
faint glow of the blaze before us. They wondered out loud about the kinds of animals
lurking out there in the shadows. It didn't take much of this until I was ready
to hike back to the house but I didn't want them to know. Besides, it was almost
a mile walk in the dark to get home.
I was about to run out of ideas
on how to get out of this when I saw the headlights of a car approaching. Our
parents were coming to check on us before retiring for the night. Sam and Morris
assured them that everything was fine, and we were having a good time. My mind
was spinning as I tried to think of an honorable way to get out of this and spend
the night in my nice, soft, safe bed at home. As they got back in the car I suddenly
got a brilliant idea. I ran to my mother and exclaimed. " Mama, I know you won't
get any sleep tonight worrying about me so I guess I'd better go back with you."
She hugged me and said that she probably wouldn't get any sleep, so yes, I'd better
go back with them. That trip back home was the most enjoyable ride I had ever
taken.
I don't know how much later it was that I realized what really
happened that night. Sam and Morris teased me about it for a long time, but that
night all I thought about was being saved from the monsters of Big Creek.
©
George Lester
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