As a kid after school was always an event. I remember thinking what will I do after my homework is finished or what will I have as a snack. When I visited the gin it was icy Coca-Colas and a cold sausage and biscuit. Sometimes Pom-Pom would pick Walt and I up from school in the tan Nova. We would stop by the Jr. Food Mart to pick up a snack and a drink. Today, I picked up my niece and two nephews up from school, the same school I grew up attending.
Rhett, Reece, Lucy Grace and I loaded into the 4Runner after a long day at school and or visiting with family. We stopped by the Chevron station near the center of Winona. I think Lucy picked a brownie and juice out. I picked a Baby Ruth and Diet Mountain Dew. I don’t think Diet MD existed when I was a youngster. I gave the the same rule as Pom-Pom gave Walt and me, one drink and one snack… pizza didn’t count as a snack. We drove home and visited with my mom’s sisters.
After a while we all played like school was out for the summer. We jumped on the trampoline, rode a dirt bike, played football, climbed on the roof of the house and ran around like heathens. Yes, even though Rhett, Reece, and Lu aren’t red heads they act just like me.
We did have to study just a bit. Reece had to study for his spelling test. I took a practice test with him. Yes, I am not smarter than a third grader. I made a 95 on my practice test and Reece made a 105. Reece also beat me in a timed race around Big Momma yard on the dirt bike. Face it, I am an aging red head who is too big to be playing like a kid.
This afternoon was so precious. As I left to pick up the niece and nephews, I was reminded on my little brother Will. Each day around nine o’clock each school morning he would ask my mom, “When are we going to pick the kids up?” He would pester her until they loaded into the grey Subaru hatchback to pick Walt and me up. Picking up the kids was the highlight of my day. I wonder if I could commute each day to Huntsville. Or I could be a professional car pool driver.