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When I was twelve years old, I lived in a tiny little place called Savona. It's a tiny mill and railway community, and this was also the place with the smalled school I ever attended. There were only four others in my grade seven class. Older kids were shipped off to nearby Kamloops to go to school.
Even at the advanced age of twelve, I was frequently babysat by some JW girls named Holly and Heidi. Holly was nasty and a liar. She used to hit and tease me when no adults were around. It never occurred to me to snitch on her. Heidi was friendly enough, but really, really dumb. She once, while in her late teens, destroyed a couple of pots in an attempt to burn water. But Heidi was dumb in ways other than her scientific experimentation. I suspect she had a death wish.
One of Heidi's sources of entertainment were the trains which steadily moved in and out of Savona. You may have seen public service announcements about the things you ought not to do around railways. Trespassing is one of the things you shouldn't do, but everyone does. As long as you look both ways, crossing railway tracks isn't all that dangerous. And I suppose someone could lose an eye by putting pennies on a railway tie. But other tabus--like the one Heidi was fond of--are much more dangerous.
Heidi liked to go train-surfing.
She used to invite me along with her, but I always refused vehemently. There were things I'd rather do than dangle off a bridge to leap onto a boxcar. And I certainly didn't want to have to leap off onto crushed rock fifteen feet down once the train had picked up speed. I was a hyper kid, and a tomboy, but I wasn't stupid.
I don't know what happened to Heidi. I don't recall hearing any stories about a tragic accident involving a freighter's cattlecatcher, so I'm guessing she lived. She probably married an equally stupid man and has sprogged out a few kids who are either stupid via eugenics, or frightfully embarassed of their parents.
Even at the advanced age of twelve, I was frequently babysat by some JW girls named Holly and Heidi. Holly was nasty and a liar. She used to hit and tease me when no adults were around. It never occurred to me to snitch on her. Heidi was friendly enough, but really, really dumb. She once, while in her late teens, destroyed a couple of pots in an attempt to burn water. But Heidi was dumb in ways other than her scientific experimentation. I suspect she had a death wish.
One of Heidi's sources of entertainment were the trains which steadily moved in and out of Savona. You may have seen public service announcements about the things you ought not to do around railways. Trespassing is one of the things you shouldn't do, but everyone does. As long as you look both ways, crossing railway tracks isn't all that dangerous. And I suppose someone could lose an eye by putting pennies on a railway tie. But other tabus--like the one Heidi was fond of--are much more dangerous.
Heidi liked to go train-surfing.
She used to invite me along with her, but I always refused vehemently. There were things I'd rather do than dangle off a bridge to leap onto a boxcar. And I certainly didn't want to have to leap off onto crushed rock fifteen feet down once the train had picked up speed. I was a hyper kid, and a tomboy, but I wasn't stupid.
I don't know what happened to Heidi. I don't recall hearing any stories about a tragic accident involving a freighter's cattlecatcher, so I'm guessing she lived. She probably married an equally stupid man and has sprogged out a few kids who are either stupid via eugenics, or frightfully embarassed of their parents.
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Date: 2003-06-04 07:34 pm (UTC)From:I'm really surprised Heidi didn't get killed ... O.o
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Date: 2003-06-05 09:49 am (UTC)From:I remember someone got hurt once at the trainyard. I think a worker fell and was hit, but fortunately, not injured badly. But how the stupid kids weren't pulped by train-surfing is something of a miracle.