As a precocious nine-year-old with four siblings, I didn't have to look very far to find interesting and challenging things to occupy my time. Growing up several miles outside a small town was inspiration enough, but a deep woods, a two-story garage, and an old rock crusher made intriguing options endless.
Our property had four structures on it, but the one that kept me enthralled was the two-story garage. The highest point of the roof served as my throne. I had a precarious way of climbing the three roofs that took me there. To an adventurous nine-year-old fear was just a word, and after all, I was a brave and fearless queen. I would sit on my throne and survey my kingdom, which consisted of neighboring houses dotting the landscape. My subjects were mostly cows, chickens, dogs, or anything that moved. Every now and then a human would drift into my fantasy, but as long as, it wasn't my mama no threat was imposed upon my royal perch.
One lovely day in early Spring, I decided to coerce my baby sister, Judi, who had just turned three, to come up to the throne with me. It took a while, but I finally convinced her. She obviously had misplaced faith in her older sister. With my help, Judi scaled the roofs with no problem. That afternoon we enjoyed the comings and goings of my fine kingdom. All went so well, we were anxious for the next day's adventure.
Again we scaled the roofs without incidence. Thank goodness mama believed in prayer. The sights we shared that day were especially interesting. Mrs. Ennmon chased a goat from her yard, and Billy Leonard got a spanking. We didn't know why Billy got a spanking, but we were delighted. Billy was a bit of a nuisance for a queen and her court. Mr. Gipson's lawn mower broke, and the curse words floating up to us came through loud and clear. That made us giggle, so we said the words over and over. In queenly fashion, I forbade Judi to repeat those words once we left the throne, and promised her that she would be my princess. I made sure she understood the dire consequences of saying them in front of mama.
It was a wonderful day. A cornflower sky was filled with a few sugar-spun fairy clouds that guarded our village and danced around teasing the sun. A nice breeze cooled our faces and caused our hair to slip free of braids. We were having such a good time, and then it happened!
Mama stood below staring up with a strange look on her face. I wasn't sure exactly what that look meant, but it made me glad she didn't know about the horse I rode sometimes or that old abandoned rock crusher in the woods behind our house. If I were lucky, she wouldn't find out about the grapevines either.
Mama coaxed us down very calmly in a surgery sweet voice. That should have been my first clue that this discovery did not bode well for me. She had a serene expression on her face until we were inside. I think I would have preferred a spanking like Billy got rather than the disappointment on my mother's face and a very long
solemn lecture.
Mama gave us strict orders to never go to the roof again. My kingdom had collapsed, and I was devastated. My world had come to an end. In my nine-year-old mind, my grief lasted for a very long time. I thought my heart was permanently broken, until the next morning when I discovered how much fun it was to jump out of the upstairs window.
