Santa Clause had brought us a new swing set for Christmas. Keith and Phillip and I could swing so high we thought our feet would touch the leaves on the tree close by, but Linda was too little to swing by herself, so mama pushed her, just a little bit, so she wouldn't fall out.
While we swang we watched dad bring the tall ladder out from the shed and prop it up against the house. He brought a box out of the shed and set it on the ground next to the ladder, then went back into the shed to get something else. Phillip wanted to know what was in the box, so he jumped off the swing and ran over, but mom stopped him.
"Don't touch that stuff, Phillip," she called. "Daddy has poison in there to kill the rats."
Phillip stopped, but kept looking at the box. As soon as mama turned to push Linda, Phillip headed back to the box. Mama saw him just as he was reaching in to pick something up. "Phillip, put that down!" she yelled. Grabbing Linda off the swing, she ran over to stop him from getting into the box.
"I told you not to touch that stuff," she scolded. "Daddy has poison in there to kill the rats. You don't want it to get on you, do you?"
"No," Phillip mumbled, but he was still curious to see what poison looked like. I wondered about it myself. What kind of poison would daddy be taking up to the attic to kill rats with? How did it work? Was it something they ate, or did they just have to breath it? Would it kill us if it got to us, too? I sure didn't want to go over and look in that box!
Mama decided it was time to get some lunch so daddy could work in peace, but she kept an eye out to make sure Phillip didn't go back outside to investigate the poison again.
That evening we all piled into our car and drove to Pioneer Park for a picnic with our cousins. Pioneer park was the best place to play! There were swings and teeter totters, and a real train engine parked on the sand that kids could climb over and play in. There were also big pine trees and shade trees with tables under them for picnics, and acres and acres of soft green grass to roll in and run on. We ate and played and visited, and had a lovely evening.
As the sun set and it grew dark big street lights came on. The air cooled quickly, and we kids left the toys to sit by our parents and the warm bar-b-que grill. It was a quiet time of the evening, and I began to notice something I hadn't heard before. There was a sweet smell in the air, heavenly, but almost overpowering, and a chirping sound that grew louder and louder. Suddenly, I remembered the poison dad had put in the attic that morning. I imagined it seeping out of the attic, flowing through the night air, coming straight to Pioneer Park! My stomach did flip flops as my heart began to race faster and faster. We were all going to get poisoned and die!
Grabbing onto mama's dress I begged, "Come, get in the car! Get in the car!" Surely if we were inside with the windows rolled up the poison couldn't get to us.
Everyone was gathering picnic things up anyway, and saying goodbye, so mom told me to run on and get into the car. I ran as fast as I could, jumped in the back seat, and slammed the door. Then I couldn't smell or hear the poison coming, so my heart stopped beating as quickly.
Soon everyone was in and we drove home. I watched to see if I could see the poison floating in the air, but since I couldn't I supposed it must be invisible. When we got home I took a deep breath, jumped out of the car, and ran as fast as I could, not breathing until I got inside. I had a sick feeling in my stomach as I got ready for bed that night, but I was sure glad the poison hadn't killed me!
It was many years before I figured out that poison couldn't float through the air and come and get me, but even now, on certain spring evenings when I hear crickets chirping and smell the heavenly scent of orange blossoms in the air, I get a little queasy feeling in the pit of my stomach, just before I smile at the timid little girl I used to be.
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