by Jack
I can’t really recall any warnings my parents gave me about anything, unless it was my Mom saying, “OMG…you could have been killed!” But, the warning was too late. It was done and I was still alive, so it must not have been all that dangerous. But, indirectly I found my own survival skills. It began at an early age, like learning the dangerous areas of my immediate neighborhood, because of bullies, mean dogs or fast traffic. I pretty much went wherever my bike would take me, past the scrap yard (always a great place to find interesting junk), past the prostitutes on C street. I sometimes stopped and talked to them because they seemed really friendly. Past the pool halls and secret places in China Town, I would roam miles from home. But, that would horrify some parents today.
By around the age 9 I could take my .22 pump rifle, secured on my bike’s handle bars, go buy a box of bullets and head for the river bottoms to target practice. Usually there were two or three of us, all similarly armed. There was nothing to fear, we were protected and we were careful where we shot, so we never hurt anyone. I’m sure this would scare a lot of parents today…kids with guns! Hey, I had taken an NRA safety course before I turn 8… I was ok.
Around age 10-11, my Dad made sure to teach me the basics of how to take care of a car. I could change the oil, replace spark plugs, air filter, check the air in the tires and more. We had fun fixing up old cars, polishing them up, cleaning the engine compartment, etc., but I was lucky because my Dad owned a garage with a steam cleaner and a couple of car hoists. With this beginning I was motivated to take auto shop in high school. This part helped me keep my cars running on next to no income.
My survival skills were summed up like this, basic carpentry, car-care and how to drive a car safely. My parents also taught me the value of saving money for a rainy day, and just generally how to fix things that are likely break. Being able to fix things got me out of a few jams and it was a real asset later in life because it saved me untold amounts of money. Confession: I hated fixing cars after I turned 20, but given the shop rates, well, I preferred to keep my money in my wallet.
And I’ll bet you ran with scissors in your hands as well 🙂
Of course…but I wasn’t suppose to have this article made public yet, somehow it didn’t save in draft. lol
Kids know their limits better than most people realize. Think about the lessons they learn early while trying to walk or ride a bike for the first time…many a bump on the head tells them they need to be careful and aware!
Adventurous kids test their limits more than others but they all learn from experience.
I climbed all over the canyons in New Mexico and like you Jack, was gone from sunup to sun down all summer.
These days, surviving the politically correct BS is a daily chore.
Indeed.
Copy and paste these coordinates into Google Earth.
41°49’54.49″ N 121°18’22.77″ W
Zoom out a bit and you will see a faded double-ring irrigation circle to the west. This was my uncle’s ranch where I lived while in high school (class of ’71). The irrigation circle was put in long after my uncle retired and sold out. Drop to street view on the highway and you will see that it is high desert juniper and sage brush. Looks the same now as it did back then.
There is not much of that country from the ranch to east across the highway and south of the ranch that I did not walk with a 22 rifle hunting these—
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marmot
and these—
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black-tailed_jackrabbit
Most of the time I was by myself. I would return home because:
1) Outta ammo.
2) Thirsty.
3) Hungry.
4) Sunset.
Another one just for J.S.—
“A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects.”
― Robert A. Heinlein
Sounds like a great area for a boy and his .22, wish all kids could have this experience. Pretty much the wide open spaces…looks like desert.
For RHT – Long Live Lazarus Long!
I had the great gift of being a kid before every house had playstations or computers. The outside world was our playground. Fishing poles, .22’s, dirt bikes (before they were cool with unemployable adult males), skinned knees and sunburned skin. We explored the world fearlessly. We were more worried about stray dogs than we were child abductors back then.
Ah, now that’s typical America or at least as it was out West.