from landscapes to high rises
it was about ten years ago that kelly and i would spend hours playing imaginary, role-playing games in our front yards. i was in the fifth grade, she was in fourth. we'd been playing these games since we were in preschool, and i was getting to the age where i felt embarassed to be playing them, but still had this urge to play.
when we were inside, we'd pretend it was world war II and that we had boyfriends fighting overseas and had to ration our food. when we were little, we'd shove dolls or stuffed animals up our shirts and pretend we were pregnant ladies and raise the kids together.
when we were outside, we'd play off of our environment. her yard was better to play in--it had a big acorn tree that provided some shade from the texas sun. sometimes we'd sneak over to the neighbors yard, under their bradford pear tree that was on the side of their house. the soil was always cool and damp there, and the rustling of the bradford pear's leaves sounded like rain. i liked to pretend it was a rainforest. but one of our favourite things to do outside was to play in the shrubs of her landscape and make "homes." sometimes we'd pretend they were college dorms or apartments, and we'd designate time--half an hour or so--to decorating them with leaf chains, crepe myrtle flowers or rocks. we'd always try to one up each other with the "amenities."
kelly moved away years ago and when she left so did that part of my childhood. we played these games almost all the way up until 9th grade. we still played with dolls when she was moving away.
on saturday, i went to her very first apartment. she goes to SMU now and is having a tough time dealing with the cliques of sorority girls who live to disclude. she was so excited over the phone at the prospect of having me and my mom over to her place for tea and desert. my mom bailed.
it was so touching to see her posh efficiency. her "balcony" looked over a pool where the rich, spoiled SMU kids spend time in between class sunning with music blaring. she has no TV, just a computer, and her closet is huge.
i just couldn't help thinking about the makeshift apartments we'd make in her front yard when we were in elementary school. i can't wait to see where we are in ten more years.
when we were inside, we'd pretend it was world war II and that we had boyfriends fighting overseas and had to ration our food. when we were little, we'd shove dolls or stuffed animals up our shirts and pretend we were pregnant ladies and raise the kids together.
when we were outside, we'd play off of our environment. her yard was better to play in--it had a big acorn tree that provided some shade from the texas sun. sometimes we'd sneak over to the neighbors yard, under their bradford pear tree that was on the side of their house. the soil was always cool and damp there, and the rustling of the bradford pear's leaves sounded like rain. i liked to pretend it was a rainforest. but one of our favourite things to do outside was to play in the shrubs of her landscape and make "homes." sometimes we'd pretend they were college dorms or apartments, and we'd designate time--half an hour or so--to decorating them with leaf chains, crepe myrtle flowers or rocks. we'd always try to one up each other with the "amenities."
kelly moved away years ago and when she left so did that part of my childhood. we played these games almost all the way up until 9th grade. we still played with dolls when she was moving away.
on saturday, i went to her very first apartment. she goes to SMU now and is having a tough time dealing with the cliques of sorority girls who live to disclude. she was so excited over the phone at the prospect of having me and my mom over to her place for tea and desert. my mom bailed.
it was so touching to see her posh efficiency. her "balcony" looked over a pool where the rich, spoiled SMU kids spend time in between class sunning with music blaring. she has no TV, just a computer, and her closet is huge.
i just couldn't help thinking about the makeshift apartments we'd make in her front yard when we were in elementary school. i can't wait to see where we are in ten more years.