5/04/2007

Grownup tag

Many, many spring evenings ago, I ran outside with my brothers.

Neighborhood kids always gathered for tag. Tummies full from supper, we pounded the yard in tennis shoes, chased or chasing at top speed.

My cheeks flushed as wind whistled past. Pinkish red clouds adorned the western sky. Grass freshly mown smelled like freedom – school would soon end for the summer.

I chased Chrisser and Kirby from next door. Tim Woodhead, who lived on the other side of our house, caught me. I let my youngest brother get away.

Sometimes we switched from regular “Tag; you’re It,” to freeze tag, where you stood, immobile, til somebody who wasn’t It touched you.

In my favorite version, you escaped being frozen by dropping to the ground and calling out a cartoon character’s name.

“Scooby Doo!”

“Jonny Quest!”

“Underdog!”

“Mighty Mouse!”

I’ve learned that different sorts of tag games abound in this blogging dimension. Though we’d likely prefer a chase-and-drop game on someone’s lawn, the logistics might prove difficult.

So thanks, Sandy, for freeze-tagging me in order to learn ten interesting things. Persistence has dug these from my memory’s back yard:

1. I let go of an airplane strut and fell backward, as instructed, one afternoon when I was 25. After my parachute opened, a former Army paratrooper talked me down via the radio strapped to my chest. It was an awesome feeling, hanging in the sky. I told my mom about the adventure afterward (and I hope my children will wait to inform me of such escapades until safely through them!).

2. I often ate dinner and watched movies on a nuclear submarine, with Tim in Charleston, S.C., after we first were married. As a reactor operator, he had 24-hour duty every three days.

3. I won two tickets to a Moody Blues concert in Portland in 1986, for writing an essay about my significant other (that would be Tim).

4. In kindergarten and first grade, I convinced my neighborhood pals in Moore, Oklahoma, of the existence of alien creatures who disguised themselves as rocks. You had to check carefully to tell the difference between the aliens and ordinary stones; of course I could always recognize the dangerous beings lurking in the driveway! Their leader lived on the moon, a gigantic boulder-guy you could just see if you squinted right – look out, everyone, there he is!

5. I wrote full-length novels in grade school to pass the time. A few of my teachers read or had me read them to the class.

6. Although I’ve had my gal bladder, appendix, and other assorted organs removed, I can still consume several ounces of chocolate chips per day.

7. I’m extremely spider-phobic. My family has fun with me, utilizing black, plastic arachnids placed strategically around the house. But they do rescue me from real ones.

8. I raised a baby garter snake named Jafar, for whom I found I had strong maternal feelings. He grew up in a dry aquarium on our dining room counter, until his release out by our woodpile.

9. As a child I pretended I was a dog, in many adventuresome stories, acted out on all fours on our living room carpet. (Thanks, Mom, for the tolerance.)

10. Tim gave me a ride on his tricycle when he was six and I was two. Our parents had participated in each other’s weddings and have long been good friends. In recent years our folks all moved to our city. They’re out doing the town together on senior discounts.

Yay, I’m free! Now to chase down and tag ten more bloggers. I aim to name some not yet touched. Hope you have fun, too.

Sufferingsummer, Elixir, LeiselB, Desiree (since I see you often come out to play with Leisel), Bella Art Girl, Cineboy, Indieninja, Geni, Annette, Patti – you’re tagged, now. I’m going inside to find my jacket.

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Nicely done! Alien creatures who disguised themselves as rocks, chocolate chips - do you need a gal bladder, appendix or other organs to eat chocolate? Did you enjoy reading your books to the class?

What doesn't surprise me is how creative you were at a very young age.

Marianne Elixir said...

Very fun, unexepected, and interesting things. Thanks for sharing! I'll try to dig up a list myself.

deanna said...

Sandy, I doubt I'd need those body parts for chocolate consumption, but it sounds dramatic, don't you think?

I enjoyed reading my novels to the class, especially when the boy I liked sat in the front row. :o)

Elixir, I look forward to a continuation of the interesting tidbits you've posted so far.

Princess Banter said...

Awww I used to watch those cartoons too! Blast from the past :)

Anonymous said...

Thanks for tagging me! I'm going to go play (make up my list) right now. ;)

deanna said...

Cartoons, Princess, yes! Thanks for stopping by.

Desiree, thank you, too. I'll look forward to reading yours!

Deadmanshonda said...

What the heck?! I couldn't beat this if I TRIED! Fantastic!

You seriously have known your husband since you were two years old? REALLY? That is so adorable I almost want to cry. You don't hear things like that very often. ;-)

Thanks for the tag-- I will try to do it justice.

cecily said...

I'm liking this tag... lots of interesting things coming out around and about the place! :) I'm particularly fascinated by the nuclear submarine meals. We used to live in a port city and when the Australian Navy submarines came into harbour we always went and had a look. Fascinating.

deanna said...

Leisel - Thanks, and, yep, I've known Tim a long time. He was that older, weird kid, kinda interesting when our families got together. But I got along better with his younger sister, until I turned 17. :o)

Cecily - The subs are cool. Tim always had to be careful what questions he answered, though; I'd tell you that but then I'd have to kill you - that sort of thing.

Pam said...

Wow, Deanna - I don't know which boggles me most, #1 or #10. I'm a sucker for adventure and romance. I hope you'll share (unless you already have) the story of how you and Tim came to be sweethearts! It certainly sounds like a sweet beginning. And I love that all the parents are still together, doing the town!

What a great list.

deanna said...

Thanks, Pam. I'll give more juicy details one of these days. ;o)

Angela said...

eating in a sub! wowza.

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