Robin , from The New Dharma Bums wrote this morning about a shape her brother had seen in the clouds. Kind of cool that he saw a robin shape in the clouds for his twin Robin.
Well, this reminded me about an incident where children were looking for shapes in the clouds.
I was hitch hiking back to my school in mid November of my first teaching year. I was picked up about 2:00 PM by a young family that was on a long road trip. I was in the back seat with two young kids around five years old. They were super little kids. One thing their parents did to keep the kids amused was to look for shapes made by clouds. They were occupied with this activity for an hour until it became completely overcast and they couldn't see cloud shapes. Then they looked at books they had.
I was with these people for about 100 miles when I had to take a different road. By now it was around 4:00 PM . I had to walk for about 45 min before I could start hitch hiking again. A couple of famers picked me up in their truck and gave me a ride of 20 miles before they turned off in the country They had taken a load of pigs to town. By now it was completely dark. It might have been a highway but it was rural and very little traffic after dark. One car passed me and that was it. I could see a village about 5 miles away so I started walking.
The village was quiet. No one was on the streets. The businesses were all closed . But wait there was one place with dim lights on. The Chinese Cafe was open. This cafe did not even have electricity but it did have a phone booth. I phoned one of the farmers in my school district to come and get me. About an hour later he showed up and I got to my land lady's house about 11:00 PM.
It was an afternoon that I'll never forget.
Hi Red, Enjoyed two things thanks to this post. 1. Your story. 2. The bird cloud over at The New Dharma Bums.
ReplyDeleteI look back and sometimes can't believe what I did.
DeleteInteresting story. I never felt safe to hitch hike. I did enjoy looking for shapes in the clouds. Take care, enjoy your day and the week ahead.
ReplyDeleteHitch hiking was somewhat risky. I tried the cloud thing with my kids when they were small and it worked.
DeleteThose were the days! When people hitchhiked and kind drivers picked them up. There was never any thought about treachery and there wasn't much suspicion either. Did you eat a Chinese meal while you were waiting?
ReplyDeleteYou've summed up hitch hiking at that time. I was the only person in that little cafe for the whole 2 hours I was there. I did not have meal.
DeleteQuite the adventure, etched in your memory. No wonder! It would be a lot simpler these days…
ReplyDeleteI met some great people when I was hitch hiking.
DeleteWhat a brave soul you were. Amazing how years ago the goodness of neighbors helped those in need.
ReplyDeleteI don't think it was so much bravery as risk taking. It was fairly safe everywhere in those days.
DeleteA long, long trip.
ReplyDeleteThe family was on a very long trip. I had a trip of 160 miles.
DeleteI remember that we used to hitchhike when we were in college in the late 60's, early 70's. We were never alone when we did but when I look back now, I always think how risky it was. I would never want any of my children or grandchildren to attempt hitchhiking.
ReplyDeleteHiking together was a smart move. I wouldn't recommend hitch hiking today.
DeleteThat sounds like quite a journey, Red. I love how the cloud photos sparked this memory.
ReplyDeleteThat ride sticks out in my mind.
DeleteGood memories thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteIt was different at that time...1950's.
DeleteWere we safer back then or just more innocent? In any case, what a great -- and memorable -- adventure!
ReplyDeleteInnocence is a good word to describe things.
DeleteHitchhiking can take a long time unless you get lucky.
ReplyDeleteThat's the only time I got stuck and I had missed a bus so the only way I could get there is hitch hike.
DeleteThe Chinese Cafe surprised me.
ReplyDeleteThanks for talking about cloud shapes, which gives me a chance to write the word pareidolia, which I absolutely love to do. 😀
You're also making me go to the dictionary to look up pareidolia.
DeleteWhat an experience you had on that trip! Life was so different then, more simple and safe.
ReplyDeleteThat's the only time I got stuck hitchhiking.
DeleteWhat a great memory, triggered by clouds.
ReplyDeleteThe kids and cloud shapes will always stay with me.
DeleteOh my gosh, Red! What an adventurer you were. You were lucky so many people picked you up. I think people are more nervous these days about picking up a stranger.
ReplyDeleteIt was different at that time. We never worried about who would pick us up. I think people had to worry who they picked up.
DeleteI used to pick up hitchhikers, back in the sixties. Now I don't even see any beside the road.
ReplyDeleteI'll bet you have many stories about the people you picked up.
DeleteYou have such amazing stories!
ReplyDeleteI was raised on a farm and every day was an adventure. I just kept on having fun when I left home.
DeleteClouds can be very entertaining, you were brave to hitch hike:)
ReplyDeleteIt was the fifties and things were different.
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear the story told so well, Red. And glad you made it back safely, even if it took a long time!
ReplyDeleteIn the UK one never sees hitch-hikers nowadays.
ReplyDeleteClouds are very entertaining, especially for children! I don't really see hitchhikers anymore.
ReplyDeleteI can't imagine hitchhiking at all, and certainly not that far! (And into such a remote place!) You get points for bravery.
ReplyDeleteI also can't imagine clouds entertaining children for an hour in this digital age, but maybe I'm just being cynical!
that sounds intense story dear Red
ReplyDeletehow nice you were able to call your friend from village that had no electricity .being from new era this sounds quite scary where a stranger feels suddenly disconnected with world he otherwise carries in his pocket wow
One of my earliest childhood memories is lying on my back in the yard, watching the clouds and picking out shapes. In the quiet, I felt the earth moving. Amazing to me. Except that it wasn't the earth at all, as you know...it was the wind hurrying the clouds along.
ReplyDelete