Remembering Summer Mischief

With Alarming Speed the Leaves Fell from This Once Beautiful Tree

When I was growing up there were several plum trees in my neighbors yard. This was always a big draw to all the neighborhood kids. Most times you could find any number of us raiding the trees for that prized plum. If you were lucky it would be only mildly sour. It didn't seem a prize if you spent the next day listening to your mother on how you shouldn't have eaten green plums.

I was blessed that I grew up with several of my cousins right across the street. We were all very close in age. This only heightened the fact that we seemed to be able to read the others mind with complete understanding. I believe my mother referred to us often as " partners in crime". I'm not entirely sure but think the rest of the neighborhood had other terminology and phrases about what to call us.

We couldn't wait for our neighbors to leave home so we could go hang out in their plum trees. It became a daily ritual to throw rotten plums at one another. I can still remember the smell of summer and, the aging fruit. I can only describe it as magical in my memories. Nothing tasted as sweet as a well thought out plan and, a juicy plum in the warm afternoon sun. After eating our plums one particular day we noticed that the first tree wasn't as large as the other. Feeling we were experts and after much discussion we set out with a plan