We enjoyed a great breakfast of cherry and strawberry waffles (two different orders!), eggs and bacon and coffee. We were poppin' full when we left and eager to get home to our next project. That would be sewing for Sheyenne and me and playing b-ball for Sean.
As we rounded the bend in the street that gradually takes one from Whitney Ave. to Solar Ave, we noticed a group of kids congregated on our side of the street. Pulling into the drive way, we could hardly believe our eyes! Five kids had taken up residence in Shey and Sean's yard. They had ropes strung between two trees, palm fronds laying over the ropes and all sorts of camping gear scattered on the grass.
Among the kids is a girl holding a video camera. You probably have encountered the 'older sister', the 'group leader,' 'the boss,' 'the director' in your own childhood games, so you know the situation. We get out of the car and I said, " this looks like a set from Lost or Survivor!" The girl-in-charge says, "Yes! it is. We are filming a show sort of like survivor for World's Funniest Home Videos" Sheyenne's reply-"no one is going to get hurt-right?!" was answered with a chorus of no's and some giggles. When asked if they had seen any cats, they said, " Yes! Two. And the yellow one wanted to jump on us and play with us." "Where are they now," Sheyenne asks? "I don't know," replies a little boy with dark hair and a ornery grin.
We walk into the house laughing and shaking our heads at the 'nerve' of these kids making themselves at home in our yard to see two frantic feline faces searching the bottom six inches of uncovered patio doors for signs of SOMEONE to let them in the house. Sean opened the door and let the two inside. They dashed in, tails held straight up, to their food dish where they chomped away at the anxieties caused by the last hour with KIDS in their yard!
I have been to Fresno several times now-at different times of the year-and I have not seen kids in this neighborhood. It was such fun to see kids being creative, playing outdoors and it reminded me of a time when this was not a strange occurrence, but the norm. We didn't play just in our own yards, we were all over the neighborhood! I can remember re-enacting scenes from Gilligan's Island, and pretending to be archeologists, unearthing all sorts of treasures 'found' in neighbors' yards. We hunted for butterflies, fireflies, raced turtles found on country roads, played "Kick the Can" as the street lights came on. We built forts on the clotheslines, Barbie houses in the roots of Elm trees, we played Hop Scotch on the driveway and Jaxs on the porch! What a good little trip down Memory Lane I had this afternoon because a group of kids CHOSE OUR YARD to play in. I hope some day that they will remember this afternoon and their 'reality show taping' and be reminded of a carefree, happy day!
Sheyenne walks over to the front door. "It sounds like they are gone," she says. I join her on the front lawn. There is not a shred of evidence--not one palm frond--that anyone had ever been there, staging a camp scene, filming a video for AFV. I feel a moment of sadness that they are gone. It was such a joy to see them having fun! Maybe I will catch them on America's Funniest Home Videos...stranger things have happened.
