Seven Blocks Of Freedom: Walking To School
“Do you have your lunch?”
“Yes.”
“Watch out for your brother.”
“I will.”
“Call me at work when you guys get home.”
“O.K.”
James and I say goodbye to our mother and race out the back door. In the movie of our childhood (still to be made), the bridge from Aretha Franklin’s “Think” fills the autumn air: “Freedom, freedom, freedom, FREEDOM!”
We love walking to school. No parents, no teachers – just seven authority-free city blocks between home and Robert F. Kennedy Elementary School.
Is my best friend Chris coming up the street to meet us? (Yes.) Will the sometimes-untethered German shepherd down on Moorland Avenue – we call him Killer – attack us? (Not this morning, thankfully.) Is my grandfather’s car in his driveway as we walk by? (Yes, as always.) Do we have pennies for the bubble gum machine at Haskins Pharmacy? (James does.) Will Mr. Siravo’s one-eyed dog, Charlie, successfully navigate the tricky intersection of Smith Street and River Avenue? (Yup, always does.) Will we? (Yes.)
One block from school, we stop at the playground for a game of kamikaze on the swings. We swoop and soar until we can go no higher and then tug on one chain to dive-bomb each other. Last one sitting wins.
Riiinnngg! The first bell. We run from the playground to the school yard. There’s still time for a couple of races. Down to the chain link fence and back – go!
Riiinnngg! The final bell. Teachers appear, lines form, shoulders slump. Chris and James fall in with their classmates, I with mine. In the movie of our childhood (still to be made), some kids hear strains from Chopin’s “Funeral March.” For others, including me, it’s the Looney Tunes jingle: “That’s all, folks!”
When I get to Miss MacDonald’s classroom, I see the day’s schedule written on the blackboard. One word stands out like a gold star on a homework sheet: Recess.
Harold Ambler
3:19 pm on Saturday, September 22, 2012
Well done.
John Walsh
4:22 pm on Saturday, September 22, 2012
Thanks, Harold.
Jenifer Foley
7:54 am on Sunday, September 23, 2012
That was great. Enjoyed reading it!
John Walsh
11:50 am on Sunday, September 23, 2012
Glad to hear, Jenifer. Thanks!
Maggie McCormick
11:07 am on Sunday, September 23, 2012
Thanks for this. Love this line: "One word stands out like a gold star on a homework sheet: Recess."
John Walsh
11:53 am on Sunday, September 23, 2012
Thanks for reading and commenting, Maggie.
Leave RI
3:00 pm on Sunday, September 23, 2012
Thanks John. I tried to count how many blocks I had to walk to Henry Winters in Pawtucket and it was five but it was great. Now if we could come up with all the adventures we had on the way home then...
John Walsh
3:53 pm on Sunday, September 23, 2012
How true. I do remember jumping a fence behind a garage on the way home once and landing on a hornet's nest. Ran for three blocks and the hornets were still buzzing around our heads. Thanks for reading and commenting!
Tanya Murphy
5:30 pm on Sunday, September 23, 2012
How wonderful - my kids walk to and from school and love it! I wish all kids had this opportunity. Love your stories - you should write a book.
John Walsh
7:41 pm on Sunday, September 23, 2012
Thank you, Tanya -- glad you are enjoying the posts. It's always great to hear that a piece connected with someone, so thanks for commenting. I'm sure your kids have their own stories to tell from their walks to school -- with more to come!
Chuck Newton
6:04 pm on Sunday, September 23, 2012
Recess notwithstanding, the one thing I most remember about walking to school - it was a whole 1/2 block to Deming Elementary in Cheyenne - was breaking the skim ice in the sidewalk gutters as winter started to show its face. The crisp crackling sound of the ice breaking underfoot is something I miss - but really hadn't thought about it until your piece here, John. Thanks!
John Walsh
7:20 pm on Sunday, September 23, 2012
Glad the post helped bring back the memory, Chuck. Thanks for reading and responding.
Suzanne Arena
11:25 pm on Sunday, September 23, 2012
Yes, enjoyed the recollection. I also enjoyed Chuck's "breaking the skim ice", gosh...I forgot about that. We used to kick a rock for a portion of the way.
John Walsh
8:20 am on Monday, September 24, 2012
Thanks for reading, Suzanne. We kicked the rock, too!
lauren carson
2:01 pm on Wednesday, September 26, 2012
Wednesday 10/3/12 is International Walk to School Day. http://www.walkbiketoschool.org
Thompson School is participating - it would be great if Patch covered it.
lauren carson
Newport energy and Environment Commission
John
2:33 pm on Wednesday, September 26, 2012
Great piece John, I enjoyed reading it. Unfortunately in Wonnsocket the kids come home from school on the first day with a list of sex offenders that live in the neighborhood so my children will always get a ride. It's sad that they can't enjoy that walk to school.
John Walsh
11:30 am on Thursday, September 27, 2012
Thanks, John. Those certainly were more carefree days when I was walking to school.
English first
8:23 am on Thursday, September 27, 2012
I remeber walking to and from school. I also walked home for lunch!
John Walsh
11:32 am on Thursday, September 27, 2012
Walked home for lunch, too -- until third grade. Thanks for reading!
nance
8:28 am on Thursday, September 27, 2012
In these times of anxiety about almost everything, it is so good to remember those times when we were kids and life was so much simpler and innocent.....well, mostly innocent. We walked to and from school, met our friends and caught up on what was "bugging" us that day......I only wish my grandchildren could enjoy the same innocent childhood that we had.
John Walsh
12:09 pm on Thursday, September 27, 2012
Good point on the "mostly innocent" times -- think there has always been the potential to meet danger around any corner, but perhaps less so then. Thanks for reading and commenting.
English first
3:30 pm on Thursday, September 27, 2012
I remember they sent us home to be with our families when JFK was shot.
John Walsh
11:00 am on Friday, September 28, 2012
I wasn't in school yet, but I do remember watching the funeral in my grandparents' living room. Thanks again for reading and commenting.
Maria
9:03 am on Friday, September 28, 2012
Nice piece. You paint a vivid picture. This could have been a contestant -perhaps a winner? on NPR's "Three Minute Fiction".
John Walsh
10:55 am on Friday, September 28, 2012
Thanks, Maria. Never a contestant on that NPR segment, though that would be a hoot -- maybe in the future!
PM JONES
7:00 pm on Sunday, September 30, 2012
I, too, would walk home for lunch. Took @ 12 minutes. Mom had a sandwich ready, and we would watch the original Jeopardy with Art Fleming & Don Pardo. When the music began for Final Jeopardy, it was time to leave & I had to wait until I got home from school for Mom to tell me who won.
John Walsh
10:58 am on Monday, October 1, 2012
Ah, Jeopardy before Alex Trebek -- I remember!
Leave RI
11:40 am on Monday, October 1, 2012
When I had 1/2 day Kindergarten the TV watching was limited to the Doctors, The Edge of Night etc..I couldn't get my a.m. kids shows until the weekend when..yeeesss ready..wait..Rex Trailer and boom boom Boomtown.
Leave RI
11:43 am on Monday, October 1, 2012
..and the walk was worth the wait for my milk and PBJ..I went from the PBJ to the bologna in the first grade since I apparently ate like a caveman and would wear a lot of the "J".
John Walsh
10:02 am on Tuesday, October 2, 2012
I requested PBJ for my last-day-of-school lunch – always the best!