A game of darts that got out of hand...

Conflict between young boys typically ends in a bit of a brawl, but in the experience of many is over and done with as boys tend to move on or at least get other these things in a more timely way than girls.  The following true story was written by Ken Wright about a childhood experience involving his cousin.  We all a good laugh over it.

My cousin Scott and I really never got along. He was several years older than I and was bigger and tougher. Actually, he was a big bully. I didn’t see him often, but when I did, he was trouble. I never knew why he picked on me, but he surely did.

One Sunday when I was about 12 years, old my parents and I went to visit Scott and his family. After we greeted each other and the parents were talking in the living room, Scott and I went to play in the basement play room.

We played darts and Scott would keep hitting me and annoying me when I tried to throw my darts.

Oh, did I mention that he would cheat at everything?

Finally, I had had it. Scott and I were fighting for the darts on the dartboard, when I grabbed a dart and stuck it through his hand, pinning it to the board. He screamed, yanked the dart out of his hand and ran upstairs crying to his mother.

He never bullied me again, and I learned that when you are bullied, fight back. Hard. Bullies really are cowards!

Female friend or Foe?

The following story illustrates the age old problem of so many young girls as they struggle with that one other girl they are often competing against.  Typically they have similar interests and could be friends, however when one wins and the other loses jealously, anger, and hurt feelings ensue.  Thus enters what we today call, the "Tiger Mother"  to come in and defend her hurt cub.  I was fascinated by Joan's story from a different generation with this timeless theme.
  
When I was in High School there was a girl in my class named Lauren.  In extra curricular activities we had the same interests, namely piano, drama club and majorettes in the High School Band.

Lauren and I both tried out for majorette leader and both of us did very well at tryouts.  I was the chosen person and this created a very upset Lauren, but mostly her mother.  She called the principal of the school and demanded a meeting at the school that evening with the principal, my mother, myself, Lauren and her mother challenging my win over her daughter.

The principal stated that we girls were very close, however my academic record exceeded Laurens so I was the more qualified candidate.  He explained that there would be many times when it would be necessary for me to cut classes at various times to go to teach six, seven and eighth grade baton lessons in preparation for their experience to join the band when they were selected.

Needless to say there could be no argument so all went home.  The next day at school she would not speak to me and there was obvious resolution to the problem at this point in time.  However, she continued her challenge at every opportunity she could, but I also continued to perform to the best of my ability and I succeeded.

by Joan Clelan

Character and Conflict

The following story was written by Olive Padden 

     Small, and a year younger than her classmates she waited on the parochial school ground waiting for acceptance.  How was she to gain it from those bigger, older, wiser kids?
     She desparately wanted to be accepted so she decided to offer to do something that they all talked about but no one acted on.  It had to do with Sister Mary Martin's turned up shoe.
      Sister limped a bit when walking around the classroom in her heavy black nun shoes.
     One of the stories whispered among her classmates was that Sister had been married and in an accident where a train had sliced off the toes on her left foot.  That would explain the upward bend of her clunky black nun shoe, but no one knew how to kind out the truth.  What would happen if by poking around you brought on punishment, retaliation, even suspension.
     The stakes were high - finally acceptance or continual rejection.  Her thoughts were not obvious, so when she suddenly burst our, "I'll do it!"  The whole group listened while she told her plan.  Lollie, a teachers pet, would stay after school to help clean erasers and while there she'd find a way to step  on that curling left shoe.
     The group liked it.  They had their sacrificial lamb.  They could gain knowledge with no exposure.
     And now, classes were over.  Everyone gone but Lollie and sister.  She planned her route carefully.  Walk over to the blackboard, pick up an eraser in each hand, stagger a little, and land on that twisted left shoe ...would there be a reaction.
     Her heart in her throat, holding her breathe a little, she took the necessary steps down and down she came, as hard as she could on the ugly shoe.  No sound, not a facial grimace, or an ouch.  Sister merely cautioned to beat the erasers hard.
     When she stomped on the leather shoe it squished down flat.  The answer now she could make her report to the playground group.  Finishing up the erasers she quickly went to the waiting group to win her acceptance.
     "No toes."  She whispered.  The temporary mantle of acceptance fell on her small shoulder.  The spy had made her report. 

Writing about Conflict

Our group is currently working stories from their own lives that involved conflict.  The writers read their stories in class and we noticed several involved mean cousins, and everyone wrote about conflicts they had as young people.  We have been loosely following a DVD course, Writing Creative Nonfiction, given by Professor Tilar J. Mazzeo from Colby college.  We meet in the theater and read work outloud for feedback and then watch the DVD.  Initially we found Professor Mazzeos hand gestures during the presentations distracting, but she does improve with subsequent lessons.  The following is a new story by Olive Padden, one of the more experienced writers.

                                                    My Mother's Hat

When I was seven we moved to Chicago from Superior, Wisconsin.  My father, an attorney(graduate of Marquette Law School) had taken a job with the Reconstruction Finance Corporation and things were looking up a little.

After an early marriage, both 21, Daddy had been graduated and then struggled in a private law firm through those depression days, but ow there was a little light at the end of the tunnel.  He had quit drinking after the threat of separation forced his hand and this new job looked promising.

So my very pretty mother decided to go shopping, and bought a hat.  We- Mother, Daddy and I were all in the front hall of the 2nd floor apartment on Greenview when she decided to show off her new purchase.

She reached into a paper bag, and pulled out the straw hat. Placing it on her head, she cried out, "Look John, what do you think?"

 My handsome thirty year old father looked up, paused a moment and then said, straight forwardly, "It looks like a sewing basket." My mother threw the hat down the stairs and burst into tears.
I watched and listened, an onlooker to this small drama.  It did look like a sewing basket, one my grandmother had, round, straw, the size of a head with a bit of trim on the edge.

But that didn't mean that Daddy gave the correct answer, very incorrect.  On mothers torrent of tears he turned and walked out of the house with mama calling, "Come back, John, come back."  I ran after him.  He came back.

 Behind this little drama was years of strain and pain.  The ups and downs of living with a handsome football star trying to be a nondrinking father, dealing with the curse of his Irish family, alcohol, 3 moves and now in a big strange city.  It is surprising all she threw was small and made of straw.

Olive Padden

Fourth of July when we were kids

Residents enjoyed our fourth of July activities at Plush Mills, but were eager to share memories of
parades and parties when they were growing up.  Eleanor shared a very interesting and unique tradition from her home town in New Jersey.

                       Fourth of July, Oradell, NJ

                                        by Eleanor Bongiorno

The town or Oradell, NJ had and extravaganza on the 4th of July and the parade was extensive.
We would all bring folding chairs and select a good spot along the parade route to enjoy the event.  My children who were involved in little leauge, girl scouts, and brownies all marched in the parade.  There were grand marshall, several marching bands, live animals, dignitaries, and clergy involved in the festivities.  The final stop of the parade was the atheletic field where skydivers performed.  They ejected themselves from the airplane and landed on a precise spot on the field.  There was a solemn ceremony afterwards and local dignitaries spoke.  Afterwards there were games fro the children, dancing for the adults, it was a wonderful celebration.

                           
                                                  
                                                       

The Luau at Plush Mills inspires creativity

On June 14th the residents enjoyed a Hawaiian type luau with wonderful food, a signature drink and entertainment.  This  not only inspired a still life in our art class, but also a wonderful piece of writing by Jo Ann Petrovitch about her trip to Hawaii some years ago.  

                                       My Trip to Hawaii, our 49th state.  
                                                  
                                                               by Jo Ann Petrovitch

We flew to Hawaii on an airplane and it was the second airplane trip of my life.  It seemed I like sitting on the plane amongst the clouds of fluffy white.  We watched movies on the way and I sat next to Bert Thorne, a lady from Eddystone I had just met.

We had to go down in Chicago to check on an engine that went out on the plane.  It was soon repaired and was nothing serious so we were on our way.

We landed in Hawaii and went to the Outrigger West Hotel in Honolulu, where the beautiful seashore was.  I went on the beach soon and lay on a blanket in the sand near another girl from my hometown
of Eddyston.  The shore was so beautiful so I went in and stood in the white waves that came up pretty high.  Afterwards we shopped and I bought a blue towel for my brother Dale.  I was tickled to get it and it was huge.  I carried it all the way home on the plane.

The first morning I awoke I wrote a postcard about the pigeons on the railing outside my window that I was glad to see.  I addressed it to my home in Eddystone, PA.

We also went to the Big Island to see the volcanoes and road on unpaved roads on a bus.  We missed our flight back to Honolulu so we caught another plane later that night.

We also went on a tour of Maui, the island of beautiful flowers and birds.

These are my most special memories of my trip to Hawaii.

Water color still life painted by Jo Ann Petrovich

 

A new 'resident" in the garden

                                                      Esmerelda

                                                    By Joan Clelan

When you walk out of the front door of the lobby at Plush Mills be sure to look in the flower garden in the circle.  There you will find "Esmerelda" the large praying mantis.

This large sculpture was made and assembled by David Ffrench.  This was quite an arduous task, however David perservered.  If you think of it, perhaps you would like to tell David how much you appreciate his work and how wonderful we can all enjoy it.  Perhaps you may like to ask him how long it took him to carefully construct this piece.  I am sure he would appreciate discussing this with you.

Kudos to David from everyone at Plush Mills.  There is more work there than meets the eye.