Memories, pressed between the pages of my mind

Memories, sweetened thru the ages just like wine

Quiet thoughts come floating down

And settle softly to the ground

Like golden autumn leaves around my feet

I touched them and they burst apart with sweet memories,

Sweet memories

You can't whistle while you are peddling your bike up the hill on Washington Street. I know I've tried (and failed). I sure feel like I should try today though. I'm a pretty happy kid, I'm goin fishin. You know there ain't nothing better than digging up a can of crawlers, at 5:00 AM to go fishing with my Grandpa and my best friend. I spent a couple hours last night with Terry, just gettin' our rods and reels ready. I had restrung that reel just right. I know it won't take long for the string to get all tangled, up once I had made a cast or two. But we are ready.

Terry just got here and just in time to (Terry is not a morning kid). Gramps said we better be at his place at dawn and it was after 5:30 already. We both climb on our bikes and we are off. I get to carry the worms and the sandwiches we put in the fridge last night. No! not in the same bag. Terry carried both poles. I bet we look just like Tom Sawyer and Huck Fin.

If we hurry we might just catch Gramps out in the garage, and we might get to see those big traps gramps says he uses to catch rats in his basement. I don't believe he has rats in his basement, Gramma wouldn't allow it. These traps look big enough to catch a bear anyway. Gramps has a lot of old stuff like that that he will take down and show us but today we don't have any time to waste. We get the back seat of gramps Chevy, so Terry and I can hold the rods out the window while Gramps drives.

We're headed up town from the west side, on fountain street. This is the part about going with Gramps, that just bugs us. Gamps is the slowest driver I have ever met. This is not because he can't, Gramps does it just so he can look and see who might be up at this hour. Now Gramps knows every one in Albert Lea. He says I can tell every man by his handshake and I can tell every woman by her Toilet Water. OH MY GOD that's it. Terry and I can't hold it any longer. We're now curled up on our seats, holding our stomachs Cuz they hurt so much from laughing. Gramps turns his head and gives us that I don't understand you boys. His frown shows by the way his eye brows almost come together in front of his nose. He now will proceed to tell us that we should no by now that women have always called Prrrr Fuume, Toilet Water.

Gramps is always making up stuff. He calls them Wiz-Bangers. ( Huuhh?). Well he thinks they're cute. He might say out of the clear blue sky, "Fartin in the toilet is a waste of good inert Gas". Of course We have no idea what inert means, but he throws in a word like, and he knows we don't know what it means. this is to make us think a little. Terry thinks he's nuts, and gives me one of those crazy roll back your eyes and shake your head looks. He does this every time Gramps comes up with another Wiz-Banger. I know Gramps though and I know that he was the smartest man on earth. If you don't believe it just ask Gramps he will tell you.

We finally make it up to West Ave where Gramps likes to park as he says the way people drive up town, your car ain't safe even on top of Woolworths. We have to gather up all the poles and sacks including the one that smells just delicious packed by Gramma. I'm not sure what we look like but it must look kinda Weird. Me and Terry carrying all the tackle and bags while Gramps just chuckles and walks on ahead. He is talking about something we can't hear. We only have about three blocks then we head down into the Band shell park. Finally its fishing time.

I've known Terry since we were eight. Gads that's three years ago. prit near a life time. Terry has his moms good looks and his daddy dumbs. I say dumbs because any one dumb enough to let a woman like Terrys mom get away had to be dumber than a rock. You can say Terry is my best friend, and we get along just great. We like the same movies, comic books and cartoons. We love to play baseball and build forts. just about anything that 8-11 year old boys like.

We headed straight to the platform that sits out onto the water. It has a stone wall and a cement top to the wall. This is so we can lay down and watch clouds. Gramps of course, didn't like that place either. He said it was time for it to fall in the lake. It had been there forever.

Fishing to young kids our age is easy. You place a worm on the hook, cast it out as far as you could, lay back and dream. Now with Gramps its a whole different story. He will take at least a half hour just getting settled down under HIS tree, just to the left of the platform. He claims leaning up against the tree is softer than the cement. Baiting his hook is a picture in itself. "You can't catch fish if you don't present the bait just so",he will say. Who wants to catch fish? Not me. Not Terry. We came here to lay in the sun and dream.

Today just like every other day I will dream about being the Sheik of Arabie. I will have a fancy cape and a saber in my sash. Janet Leigh will need my help and I will ride down out of the desert to her rescue.

Ever so quickly the sun would rise and pound down on us, until we will get so tired.

Soon..I...will....be.............drifting......................awaaaaaay

"Me & Terry 1954"

Epilogue 1969

Well Gramps We laid you to rest today. I sure will miss you. You told me last spring when Gramma went, that you didn't know why you should stick around. I think it was to make sure I made it back from Nam. I got back yesterday Gramps, but we lost Terry over there and I'm so damn mad. Excuse me Gramma but I am. I hate war and I miss Terry. Watch over me. All of you know, that I will join you when God says its time. Until then……………