LJ Idol Exhibit A Week 3 Shenanigans

[myrna_bird]

When I was nine or ten years old and growing up in Aroostook County, Maine, the Potato Capital of the World at the time, schools would close for about three weeks in the fall for the annual potato harvest season

Comments

[audreybuttercup]

Love this story. It reminds me a lot of when we used to go and "snap beans" on a farm that belonged to a friend of my mothers. It was always hot and dusty and, like you said, back breaking. But the money we earned would get us through week by week and the farmer would give us fresh eggs, tomatoes and other homemade goodies as a reward.

I've always wanted to try jumping from a hayloft but this is exactly why I never tried it. I KNEW that I would wind up being the kid to bust something up and then my mother would bust me up!

[myrna_bird]

We have huge gardens now and picking pole beans is much easier than the bush type! Thanks for reading and I'm glad you never tried the jump. That pain was NOT worth it.

[tatdatcm]

I love the joy and pride that comes through this piece after doing a hard days work. That first pay is so memorable, isn't it? Too bad the shenanigans at Hannigan's put an early end to it.

[myrna_bird]

Yes, it really was a good work ethic to learn. One of my other cousins reminded me after she read this how her older brother and his friends use to put rotten potatoes on sticks and sling them at each other. I had forgotten about that shenanigan!
Thanks for reading! :)

[mc_lji]

where i grew up, it was detassling corn, not potatoes, and you pretty much got injured in some way whether or not you were being a dumb kid and horsin' around. that gig was MURDER on the hands. started doing it to try and pay for the studio gear i wanted at 13 but soon realized i wouldnt actually be able to play any instruments if i kept it up. wonder if they still have kids do that nowadays.

fun anecdote as always, you have a knack for evocative imagery-- wait, did i just use that phrase in character

[myrna_bird]

Thanks. I'm glad it brought back a memory for you too. Good thing you realized you needed to take care of your fingers!

[momebie]

No! Always more shenanigans!

[myrna_bird]

I'm sure there were many more, but I didn't necessarily let mom find out about them after that. Getting scolded for hurting myself drove me into more secretive ways. ;)

[jenny_evergreen]

Ha! I didn't see that last sentence coming! Sorry about the ankle!

[myrna_bird]

I knew immediately that I would write about being at my cousin's when the prompt went up! Thanks for reading!