English 101
October 1, 2012
The Woods The tops of the trees were visible from my childhood home, yet they seemed so far away. A trio of neighborhood pre-teen boys, including me, would frequently make the trek to the woods to quench our thirst for adventure. No matter our agenda for the day, the woods would always accommodate. We would start our journey by walking across a perpetually soggy horse pasture, dodging land mines left by the horses. The smells of fresh cut hay and horse manure followed in our wake. Our first stop in the woods was always the stream that ran the entire length. With a running start, a young boy could almost jump the width of the stream, landing a few feet short on the opposite bank. We would descend the bank and hop from rock to rock, trying to keep our tennis shoes dry. When that failed, we trod down the center of the stream, lifting up flat rocks to uncover unsuspecting crayfish. We did not know that people actually ate these peculiar looking creatures. In the winter, we would compete to see who could stand on the ice of the frozen stream the longest. The stream would always win, as the ice gave way with a resounding crack. We walked home with heavy feet, dragging rock-hard pant legs frozen up to the knees. Older kids rode their motorcycles in the woods and adjacent field, as the high-pitched engine whine and smells of two cycle oil mixed with gasoline filled the air. Eventually, my neighborhood trio had motorcycles of our own, and our spinning tires would cut trails through the shaded damp sod in the woods. A man would appear from his nearby garage, staring at us as we rode. He worked on large trucks, and this day was no different. His arms were covered in grease from fingertips to elbows. We paid little mind to him, as the thrill of the ride was more exciting. After a few minutes, he returned to his garage work. More than thirty years later, I stand outside my garage and look out at the woods I now own, watching a motorcycle maneuver through the trees. Time has replaced the horse pasture with a housing development, but the woods remain untouched. I see three boys walking down the stream, lifting the same flat rocks to find descendants of crayfish uncovered years ago. The boys spot me, and I give a wave which goes mostly unnoticed. They are too busy enjoying the thrill of the adventure in the woods.