I remember growing up on the fertile, farmland known as Richmond, British Columbia. Hundreds of thousands of years of sand and soil deposited at the mouth of the Fraser River resulted in the creation of the most fertile farmland in British Columbia, once called Lulu Island - presently named Richmond.
In the early 60's it was a sprouting subdivision of homes amidst marsh, bog, ditches, and Polish, Chinese and Ukrainian farming plots. The southwestern tip of Richmond was home to a small Japanese fishing community known as Steveston. For a young and restless kid, this area was a place of adventure and challenge. Because the whole area lay below sea level, it was protected by large dikes which held back the rising spring tides where the Fraser River met the Georgia Straight. There were a maze of four foot and eight foot wide ditches which followed beside every road in the community. It was a child's dream come true. At least I thought so.
In the Fall and Spring of my early elementary school years, upon coming home after school hours, I would place a log, or old stump, in the middle of the overflowing ditch which ran between the row of houses and the street. It was all so magical at the time. The grass seemed to glow with greenness, the water of the overflowing ditch was crystal clear at this time of year, and the drizzling rain added a dreamlike quality in which I felt such a joy to play. I would jump, back and forth, back and forth, continuously, until eventually I would slip off the log and fall into the water. Then I would trudge home with water in my gumboots, and quickly attempt to change before my mother would scold me for getting all wet.
One time, in September before the rainy season began, I was off on an 'expedition' with a few friends. We were bent on discovering the bigger, wider ditches and their mysteries Every once in a while we would see a huge bullfrog croaking in the reeds at the side of the black, mucky ditch-water. This particular day I decided to crawl down the steep grassy sides of the ditch and 'catch' a bullfrog with my bare hands. This act took a lot of daring for a little kid, because those frogs were big and slimy suckers. As I slowly crept up to where the bullfrog was nestled between the murky water and the edge of the ditch, I prepared to quickly reach out and grab it in some kind of surprise move. The moment came, and my body lurched forward with arm extended, but instead of catching the frog, my body went head first into the dark, murky pool of water. With humiliation seeping through every pore of my body, I gradually made my way out of the ditch and stood before my friends completely covered in black, gooey muck.
I didn't know whether to laugh or cry as I sauntered on home. When I finally arrived, I peeled off those filthy clothes, and In no time at all was in the bathtub to wash up before my mother arrived home from work. But what does an eight year old kid know about being 'tidy'. My mom was in complete shock when she opened the bathroom door to see the black mucky stains left all over the bathtub and floor. I believe I received a few sharp words and the 'wooden spoon' in the moments that followed.
I recall our house had a storage room with boxes of stored items and paraphernalia. My younger brother, Ricky, and I were down there one Saturday afternoon playing with a wide assortment of chemical mixtures from my older brother David's 'chemistry set'. In my efforts, I was attempting to mix a bunch of chemicals in a test tube that might make an explosion!! Talk about a wild imagination. So there I was mixing up a bunch of chemicals and then shaking the corked test tube after adding a small amount of water. Well, darned if the cork didn't blow off with the force of some chemical reaction. The mixture shot out directly into little Ricky's eyeballs! Whether I was courageous enough to call for mom's help, or whether she heard Ricky's cries of pain, I am not sure, however, our mother did come to the rescue and without delay quickly rinsed Ricky's eyes with copious amounts of water. Fortunately, my mother's response was immediate and there was no damage to Rick's eyes or his sight...although his eyes were definitely bloodshot for a day or two.
Rick and I were coming home from James Whiteside elementary school after the day's classes had ended. Usually on the walk from the school, the kids would walk two, and often three abreast, as they laughed and joked their way back home. This day was sadly different. A younger seven year old friend named Marvin had swerved his bike out to pass three kids walking abreast, and an unsuspecting motorist had not seen Marvin in time. Rick and I passed little Marvin who lay in a pool of blood on the roadside. We were both in shock and finished the walk home in silence. Death was something we just couldn't understand. Back then there were no school counselors to help with the loss and grief which followed such incidents. I do know that Rick and I, both, 'stuffed our feelings' and never really came to terms with Marvin's death. Today, I understand that when someone close tragically dies, it is important to allow the deep feelings of loss and love to be experienced completely. When a heart breaks, it breaks open, and there is a tidal wave of longing and love that must be acknowledged in order to come to terms with that loss...in honor of that loved one.
See what you lost when you left this world, this sweet old world See what you lost when you left this world, this sweet old world
The breath from your own lips, the touch of fingertips A sweet and tender kiss The sound of a midnight train, wearing someone's ring Someone calling your name Somebody so warm cradled in your arm Didn't you think you were worth anything
See what you lost when you left this world, this sweet old world See what you lost when you left this world, this sweet old world
Millions of us in love, promises made good Your own flesh and blood Looking for some truth, dancing with no shoes The beat, the rhythm, the blues The pounding of your heart's drum together with another one Didn't you think anyone loved you
See what you lost when you left this world, this sweet old world See what you lost when you left this world, this sweet old world
