G....Lori Days Poem by PATRICIA DOBROSIPEARSON

Hi I'm Jane Doze and I have a story to tell you....


My favorite times were with my sister. She was such a great sidekick.
Everyone needs a yes man. Everyone needs someone to laugh at their jokes or be the butt of them. Well, when it is your sister, and she has your mom and dad wrapped around her little finger...the sky is the limit.

We used to live in South Dakota. It’s a beautiful, small place where trouble is what you make of it. Everyone knows your name, and your parent’s names. It was a great time in our lives. It only lasted a little while but, the memories are forever.

My parents moved to an old two-story house. One that was charming. With the small storm room off the front door where your mom makes you dress and undress for the cold weather. Charming, with one room to share, the size of four and a walk in closet big enough for dad to make a playhouse in it for you. A genius Christmas gift when you are broke and it’s too cold to play outside. The places where little girls own BB guns and ride ponies. Where livestock are a staple and huge gardens are planted for the harvest.

The very first year that my parents planted their garden, they did it in
style. Corn and green beans and watermelon. Everyone loves watermelon. Seems my mom was a bit frustrated because the pony could get its head over the fence to eat the corn. They stopped that with the electric fence. But, that's another story. Little did she know, that problem was the least of her concerns. Try a couple of little girls with an appetite for watermelon.

'Hey Lori, ........go ask mom for a knife.' and off she went. Apparently my mother was so taken aback by my sister that she simply handed her one. Never stopped to question what a 4 year old would want with a knife. We lived on a farm. Trouble is only what you make of it. My precious sidekick....My partner in crime was as hungry for watermelon as I was.

So, we began. I cut open the first one. It was about 12 inches long at most. Imagine my surprise when there was nothing ripe to eat....... I looked at my loyal companion. She was like Robin is to Batman.......Like Butter is to Bread......like Cheese is to a big fat Ham. 'Do you think we should try another one? ' the silent type she was and my yes man. She quietly nodded.........

Off we went on a spree of insanity. I did not realize how many watermelons could grow from one vine or how much damage two little girls could do in about 10 minutes. Imagine the disappointment......me promising my sidekick something in return for her loyalty. Nothing........nothing until my mother came to see what her lovely little girls were doing.

We were not so lovely that day...trouble is what you make of it.

Moral to the story: Doing the same thing over and over again will not
produce new results.