Hung by a Nail

Six Word Memoir

Maybe I have a warped sense of humor, but when I look back on memories of my childhood, I smile, or rather laugh, at things that really could have turned out unfavorably for me at the time. There was always an opportunity to get hurt, get in trouble, or just plain and simple... find something that would qualify me for mischievous behavior! I wasn't lacking when it came to all three categories. Now, many years later, when I think I am all alone, it's not uncommon for me to start thinking about such childish, funny stunts I participated in. A memory... a smile... and then the laughter! I can't contain it any longer! Sometimes someone will walk in on me and wonder what I've been up to... 

Case in point. One particular summer day my siblings and I were playing on top of the chicken coop in the back yard. The roof was slanted. The south end was higher and had an overhang on it. That was the front of the chicken coop. The north end slanted downward and was about 7 feet off the ground. That was the back of the chicken coop. The coop measured about 15 ft. by 12 ft. Now, dad told us kids he didn't want us playing on the roof. I'm not sure what the reason was, but I'm guessing it had something to do with damaging the roof and causing it to leak. 

I was about 8 years old. My sisters, brother, a couple of their friends and I were busy playing our usual barnyard play, when we heard the car drive up.  Mom and dad were home!  We all skedaddled to the back of the chicken coop and dove off before getting caught. Well, I got caught! Not by dad, but by a nail! A large old rusty nail was sticking out of the board at the top edge of the coop and when I went to jump off, that mean old nail caught me by the britches. Mid-air I was whipped around like a wimpy dog and found myself hanging upside down, looking sheepishly at the ground below. It seemed like an eternity before my britches finally gave way and I went crashing to the ground, head first. It hurt! I hit some old slivery boards below, got up and went running for the house. Everyone had left me... no brotherly love here! I quietly entered the house, went to the bathroom to access the bump on my head and wash away the evidence. I changed my shorts before anyone could see the big rip. I think I stuffed them under the bed, thinking MOM would never discover them there! I walked into the living room, where the rest of the family was, as if nothing had ever happened. I wasn't about to say a word! That mean, big, old rusty nail was the only one that had any evidence on me. Case closed!

That's just one of many childhood memories that make me smile... always! I could go on and on and on. If you can't laugh at yourself, who can?  

You can just imagine the laughter that takes place when my brothers and sisters and I all get together and reminisce about the good old days! It was that way with mom and dad, too. They taught us to laugh.. at ourselves and with each other. It's not just the smiles... it's the laughter!

prompt #2:  What memory from your childhood always makes you smile, no matter what?