Saturday, June 16, 2012

My Daddy, My Defender

Have you ever noticed the night sounds? Frogs, crickets, etc. Out where we live, these sounds can be quite loud, and tonight they are singing at their Ethel Merman best. Sometimes I wish times were different so we could sleep outside without worry or fear.

50 years ago when we were camping, I don't remember having a fear in the world about sleeping under the stars; lulled to sleep with those loud Ethel Merman crickets. In my family's early camping days, we did not have a tent and made the best of sleeping 7 people on four cots right under the starry heavens.  Here is how we did it. One sister would sleep on the front seat of the car, one sister on the back, and one between the seats. You might think the one between the seats would be uncomfortable, but Mom put lots of blankets on either side of the hump to make it level. The doors on one side of the car was locked, the other doors were open and the light button taped off. Mom would sleep with her cot between the front and back door and I would be on a cot at the back door. Daddy and my brother would each have cots nearby. We made do and we made fun.

It has only been in the last few years that I learned that although we roughed it and slept under the stars, Daddy slept with a hatchet under his pillow. While we slept without fear under the stars, Daddy was prepared. My daddy, the defender of our family.

My daddy, my defender.  I love you.

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