Exploration #6

ARCHEOLOGICAL DIG

Collect objects that relate to your childhood or inspire memories. Write a brief story to accompany each of them.

Object #1: A small, frayed, pink collar with a tiny silver bell on it.

Six years old and I'm already afraid for my life. How long do most people make it? 80 years? Boy, I'm really letting the ancestors down. I wonder what my obituary will say... "Little girl murdered by a devil cat!" Blech. That's not the legacy I wanted to leave behind. I suck up my fear and peek over the side of my bed. I can't see her, but I know she's there... waiting. I can only hope that I'm faster than she is.

I spring off of my mattress and make a run for the hallway. My rapid footsteps are followed by the repetitious jingling of a tiny bell. She's going to GET me this time; I just know it! I manage to reach the living room and I instinctively leap on top of the couch, turning my head just in time to catch her demonic glare. She can't reach me up here and she knows it. She bolts back into my room and I breathe a sigh of relief. I'll live to see another day.

Object #2: A little red stuffed "telly tubby".

I remember being so proud of myself on New Years Eve when I saw my sister fast asleep, cuddling this little TV character. She was less than a year younger than me, but it didn't show. We did everything together... and she was typically better than me. I didn't have as many friends as she did and she excelled in sports where I struggled. When she fell asleep first on New Years Eve (we had promised each other that we'd both stay up until midnight), I felt utterly victorious. It didn't matter to me that I was older than her. I could do something that she couldn't!

Object #3: An old Harry Potter book.

I don't remember what my sister did or said to me, but I was livid with her. I'm certain it was something trivial. We used to get mad about the dumbest things... I should preface by saying that she was much stronger than me. All of my siblings were. I didn't often take them on in physical combat, because I knew I would lose. I had to use my words to cut into them. In my anger, I spoiled the ending of the book that she was reading (it happened to be a Harry Potter book). It ruined the novel for her and she hasn't read the series again (or forgiven me) since. For most people, this would be a terrible way to get back at someone... but it definitely worked for my sister. I still kind of feel bad about it! It's a fun story to tell, though.

Object #4: A dvd player.

I remember the awe that I was filled with when my father first brought this home. He had a surround sound system with it as well. When he told me that it was able to play movies in the form of discs, I honestly didn't believe him. I thought he was kidding around with me. I genuinely could not fathom the concept. It was pretty cool to see it in action, especially coped with the surround sound. It felt like we had a movie theatre in our basement.