Bobwhites and Vampires

The Bobwhite's after school routine never varied. Home again Mom kisses, cookies from the jar, promises of after dinner homework, arranged meeting place before the opening strands of Dark Shadows had us moving together closer still.

We were absolutely enthralled by the spooky drama that came to us in black and white. Our television viewing up to then had not prepared us for anything so absolutely terrifying. We walked home in pairs too afraid to be alone in the half-way woods.

Each July 4th, my mother would pile every single Bobwhite, my brother and his ever present sidekick Greg into our Plymouth Duster and head to our own very special viewing spot to watch the firework display over Washington, DC.

We would travel to my mother's dear friend's, and fellow artist, home whose husband was a Park Ranger at Ft. Washington along the Potomac River. (Their house was the yellow one in background.) We would spend countless hours waiting for darkness playing Dark Shadows along the the fort's parapets.

My brother and Greg were just horrible to the Bobwhites! They would hide in the black as night spaces below the wall and call to us from within, "Sssst, ssssst, ssssst" 

BROTHERS! You can't live with them, and you sure can live without them! At least in childhood, anyways.

Thank goodness the boys torture was worth the spectacular ending to our day.

The Bobwhites would repeat this holiday tradition well into young adulthood when we were able to drive ourselves. Blankets smoothed flat, soda in our cooler, lie back remembrances of our Dark Shadows days.

Bobwhite Spend the Nights

I believe in every group of friends there is a natural assignment of position that defines your importance to the group. It is what allows girls to set aside their tendencies to be self centered in favor of "One for all, all for one."

My roll as oldest Bobwhite was that of organizing our activities for our Spend the Nights. From Living Room Olympics to Murder in the Dark, Telephone to Light as a Feather, I could be counted on to fill our every spare moment with some form of adventure that always dissolved  into fits of laughter.

Tall Skinny Sister and her Short Skinny Sister could be counted on for Food and Boy Updates respectively. We didn't know how much food we could eat if not encouraged by Liz and her ability to cook like a mother. No Cheeze Curls for this group, she was making Nachos before they even had a name! Ginny, the most social of our group and popular in school, new who was seen holding hands with whom in the hallways of our school. We looked to her for expert assessment of situations that had the potential of resulting in actual kissing.

Only Child Girl was the serious one in our group who made us care about the world in which we lived. It is because of her that we all participated in our country's first ever Earth Day hauling my brother's wagon door to door collecting newspaper for recycling. She kept us updated on all the endangered species of the world and didn't rest until we each wore copper bracelets of a missing Vietnam Veteran.

 I often will make my little craft room characters in groups of four or five as a reminder of the bond of friendship that became the touchstone of my own being. It is remarkable to me that we truly did stay true to our assigned positions determined on our Bobwhite Spend the Nights.

A Dream for a Bobwhite

The Saturday after Thanksgiving was the most anticipated weekend for the Bobwhites. It marked the opening of our outdoor ice skating rink, Tucker Road. Nestled in a valley whose hills were thick with fir trees, branches heavy with snow, we couldn't wait for our first glimpse of red jackets. Rink Guard boy crushes for the season determined, unbreakable rules argued. First dibs, first smile, first hello, first to be helped up, first to be asked to couple's skate. Any first and your crush was chosen. Endless sleepover discussions for long winter nights.

After school taxi in my mother's car, we could barely contain ourselves as we began the steep decent of Tucker Road. Trees on both sides hiding our view, neck craned silence held for just a moment. Glistening snow in the broad valley opening before us, the most magical place on earth to be. Stand in line tickets, bench room squeeze, laces tied, anticipation hanging in the murmur above our heads. Shoulder to shoulder wait behind the glass, "All Skate" the moment we had waited for.

Group of girls arm in arm, barely moving at all, excited giggling as red jackets flew by, their grace of movement  as comfortable as their handsome youth worn with confidence. Boy crushes claimed right away. Long hair and bell bottoms, cool skating moves, a nod in our direction sealing the deal.  Complete silence separated me from my friends as true love found it's way. "I'm going to marry him." Moments later, a fall on the ice, a hand extended to me, "May I help you up?"

In that night's morning hours my mother would sit on the edge of my bed and tell me about a dream that woke her from her sleep. It seems she had spoken to the Rink Guard in the red jacket. In the morning I would find a painting on her easel with a note attached for me.

"Elizabeth, This painting is the story of your life. You are the tree just to the right of the little cottage, not many branches, so very afraid of life. The tree next to you is the young man you have met, and he will be your husband. His arms will shelter you and allow a safe place for you to grow.
You will have a son and a daughter as you see by the little trees sheltered under yours. The trees just behind the cottage represent the people who will be most important in your life together. A beloved mother who passed away, a mother who took her place, a father, and the aunt and uncle who sheltered this young man when he lost his mother at such a young age. The dense forest represents an extraordinary family who will always see that you feel loved. Brothers and sisters are the pine trees in the left foreground who will make you one of their own. They will have many children.
The cottage represents your marriage. Dark footprints outside the door represents trouble to your marriage  only coming from outside of it, but the bright fire glowing through the window assures your love will be the forever kind.
The stream in the foreground represents change. Your husband will take time to find contentment in a career, and you will move frequently.
The little bridge is the gateway to your life, and I am the little  twig bush. I will not be apart of your life, but I will always be watching, and I will only allow good to come your way. Your loving mother, 1975."
I was 16 years old.

POST SCRIPT TO STORY:
Three years after my mother painted, "The Dream" I would marry my Rink Guard. We would move to Lake Ann, Michigan and live in a Honeymoon cottage on a stream. Across the street was an A-frame!