I've been thinking a lot about this topic, for obvious reasons. Having a kid makes you remember what it was like to be a kid. Sort of. Because the brain you have now can't perceive things the way you used to.
And it was your young, immature mind that made all the memories you have of childhood. So things probably seemed kinda weird back then.
And let's face it, some of us had it weirder than others.
Some of the contributors on this blog knew each other pretty well back in those days.
Some of our greatest friendships were made in childhood.
Literature had a profound impact on us.
Things seemed bigger then.
And scarier.
And funner.
We might remember it as sweet and pleasant, or terrifying and traumatic. But let's not forget the true horror is where it always ultimately leads.
54 comments:
I'll start us off.
Zack walked to the park.
He knew the whole way himself.
Shouted "Hi!" to planes.
Immediate needs
Thwarted. That's where it all starts.
Years of therapy.
The end of childhood
When you see *no one* gets it
It isn't just you
Childhood is 'magic'
Santa Clause, Easter Bunny
Reality bites
The endless summer
That's how it seems when you're 12
Now it just flies by
Family trip; Disney
In a way I never left
I want to live there
My childhood summers
Fifteen is when they ended
"You're getting a job"
I spend my whole life
Trying to find that feeling
Of Christmas morning
Italian Mom
West Virginian hick Dad
my childhood was strange
What's for dinner Mom?
Your Dad hasn't killed it yet
Yes, in Barrington
Venison's awesome
I know squirrel tastes like chicken
Rattle snake stew rocks!
My Mom drew the line
when he brought home a raccoon
skinned and gutted out
I once asked my Dad
if he had eaten opossum
he got mad at me
"No we didn't eat
opossum. It's too darn greasy!"
Like I should know that.
As movie stars go
West Virginia's claim to fame
Don Knotts, they're so proud
Relived Christmas joy
through the eyes of my children
vicariously
Field behind my house
A plethora of wonders
Gone. Now huge houses
Put on bathing suit
grab umbrella, go outside
"Siiiiingin' in the rain..."
Hmmm, opossum greasy
If he's never eaten it
how would he know that
Saw an Indian
Then two days later I cried
My mom was confused
Staring petrified
Man at the foot of my bed
Wearing a hat
Hat brim was curtain
In the daylight I knew this
Knew nothing at night
Scary animals
Thought them extinct like dinos
They couldn't eat me
Ironic reveal
Jungle Cruise ride on TV
Fake animals real?
I thought the TV
Just turned on when you got there
Sat waiting in chair...
Weather man stated,
"The sun won't come out today"
I broke into tears
Why was I crying?
I thought he meant forever
I was 4 years old
On Sesame Street
when baker fell down the stairs
I tried to save him
I'd press my two hands
against the television
but it never worked
An unpleasant truth
My earliest memory:
Green poop on the beach
Basement of wonder
Red plastic record player
KISS records worn out
Childhood Octopunk
Frozen fear in midnight bed
Zuni warrior!
jeff, twelve year old lamb
paroxysms of terror
who *wouldn't* be scared?
those razor sharp teeth
stabstabstab, whirlwind of wrath
moldy wooden bod
JPX drama
Ran away from home one day
He had me worried
It was all a ruse
He just crouched behind a rock
To get back at Mom
octopunk's nightmare:
meets Hamburglar, who then shrinks
Oh no! Zuni guy!
my nose in a book
the cause or consequence of
lacking social skills
learned to read real fast
by flashlight after "lights OUT!"
didn't help my eyes
preferred "boy" fiction
my tastes continue boyish
shocking i'm not gay
proof of my "boy" tastes
sarah jessica's ugly
buckaroo's awesome
The first book I read
Choose Your Own Adventure yarn
I promptly cheated
First album I loved
Dynasty by KISS, of course
The disco era
My very first film
Caught Puff the Magic Dragon
Got me hooked on weed
My very first kiss
Second grade with Sarah Blatt
It was meant to be
First time I saw boobs
Stash of Playboys in the woods
I was like “jackpot!”
I don't get 50
Got no beef with Hamburglar
Why get him involved?
Salacious Crumb, calm
Then his necklace gets knocked off
Oh no! Zuni guy!
Cornholio raves.
Then someone gives him a knife.
Oh shit! Zuni guy!
Boyhood companion
Rowlf doll with Donald Duck mask
We had adventures
Always hated church
Even as a little boy
I could smell bullshit
Still goes up my ass
Being forced to confess sins
At such a young age
Even to this day
September makes me depressed
"Back to school" banners
used to ride my bike
way further than parents knew
probably not safe
we'd play in the woods
homemade spears and working bows
probably not safe
Li'l Fitty's night cries
Freaked about what will happen
If Megatron wins
There there, li'l 50
That Care Bear won't get you here
Oh! You pooped the bed
care bears? you're on crack
that part about megatron
happens to be true
but seriously
giant robots are scary
everyone fears them
who fears wooden dolls?
(you'll dream of this thread later
sleep well tonight, pal)
bleary eyed julie
wakes up to infantile screams
"there, there, octopunk"
Wet bed Christmas Eve
Lay on soaked sheets, didn't wanna
Screw up Santa's gig
Hung out in graveyards
Christopher Lee my dream man
What, you're not surprised?
Played Dracula with friends
Peter was Drac, me Lucy
Carol was Mina
In Carol's basement
A castle dungeon to us
No stakes or crosses
Neck sucking first kiss
Carol and Peter are gone
both to suicide
Strange to remember
Those days seem so distant now
Did I miss a sign?
Liked playing with mud
squishing it between my toes
and I still do it
Had temper tantrums
sister could push my buttons
she was such a bitch
Played with my Barbies
til I was about thirteen
my fantasy realm
My son at sixteen
playing with his Lego men
normal to Octo
Hell yeah that's normal
I just got some during lunch
Lego ostriches!
Never liked Weebles
I was a Fisherprice girl
Blocky people rule!
Playing Game of Life
bit some of the people stems
to make kids for cars
Monopoly games
usually ended with fights
kids are sore losers
My favorite board game
Clue, everyone a suspect
and tiny weapons
Best dice in a game
Trouble had pop-o-matic
Don't play it, just pop
nasty to my sibs
though i've reformed since those days
my nickname was "bitch"
i'd make up stories
ripping off poe and lovecraft
scare them into tears
let's not mention fights
biting, hairpulling, scratching
till bro grew muscles
Childhood phobias
Everyone seems to have one
Mine was gorillas
My older brother
Carefully cultivated
My gorilla fear
His Halloween mask
A bloody-fanged gorilla
He used it year-round
In the dark of night
Poised at the top of the stairs
A pair of crutches
Draped in a trench coat
Topped with the gorilla mask
Scared me and my mom
After that, the mask
mysteriously vanished
But my fear remained
The joy of Christmas.
You really do get it back
when you are Santa.
I believed in him,
and the bunny and fairy
'til - I think - Nine? Ten?
Whatever the age,
Twas ridiculously late.
Eh. I liked the dream.
Summers were the best.
We had a damn swimming pool!
I think we grew gills.
THen we got older
and started crazy shit like
jumping off the roof.
Unbelievable
that no one ended up dead.
Or at least crippled.
Pic of Bro and me,
He'd read Bazooka comics
to me. Awwww, so sweet.
It really bugged me.
He read at four. I couldn't!
Just the beginning...
The best memories.
Making cookies with our Mom.
Frosting Nirvana.
Was cool Mom today.
Up on stage at puppet show!
In robot "costume."
"Raise your hand!" says Jake.
Only adult to do so...
Kids think I'm awesome.
That's the kind of thing
I will do in a heartbeat.
Keeps me a kid too.
The fever vision
I can't forget: Shadow with
ax, coming at me.
I would close my eyes,
when I opened them again,
he would be closer.
I was probably
six or so when this happened.
Never forgotten.
Time goes by quickly
Met Octo in the third grade
Traded Star Wars cards
For 32 years
We've had many adventures
We're still trading stuff
I'm 40 years old
In my head I'm still a kid
It's more fun that way
I don't like my age
I can't believe I'm 40
How did this happen?
Grandfather declared
"It's terrible to get old"
During his final days
How did we do it?
The pool entertained for hours
These days just minutes
We had a pool too
Swimming until lips were blue
and skin was pruney
Mom called, "Time to eat!"
Noooo, I'll just have one more dive
stayed 2 more hours
Punishment for this?
Raging case of swimmers ear
so miserable
Some of the best times
Roof jumping at Octo's house
Serious business
Climbing junior high
Got arrested by police
Childhood ended there
we lived on a hill
stretch of land sloped down behind
called it "the Gully"
pine tree canopy
fields of ivy and tall grass
the smell of clean soil
bottlebrush bushes
flowers like red sea urchins
pungent perfume leaves
days, nights, rain or shine
youthful hours passed in elseworld
here, my green kingdom
then new neighbors came
no bullshit -- alec baldwin
and kim basinger
paid for landscaping
planted trees for privacy
out went the magic
part of fantasy
forgetting the world around
you write your own tale
then awareness comes
you're not really a ninja
people can see you
at 13 years old
stopped going down through that gate
overgrown with vines
first porno, age 6
i noticed girls *real* early
innocent somehow
nintendo system
sonic childhood memories
8-bit beep soundtrack
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