(Author’s note: I had to take some time away to rejuve my spirit and come back with new ideas. That, and the graduation of my niece and soon-to-be enlistment into the US Navy, took a lot of my time and patience. I am now back to do more work! Here we go!)
Me and Julio
by Miles H. Rost
“Hey, Ma! I’m headin’ next door!”
I shut the door behind me and ran my 12-year old body down the stairs and 30 feet to my friend Julio’s doorstep. I could see Ma leaning out of the upstairs window.
“Be home when the lights come on. It’s Nona’s spaghetti tonight!”
“Got it!”
Julio ran out the door before I could knock.
“Who we playing tonight, Julio?”
“57th Street Brazos. Haven’t lost a stick game since last July.”
“Looks like we gotta up our game.”
We ran down the street towards St. Andrews School. Tonight, we’ll defeat the Brazos real good.
Music and Fiction 
Wish there was a “love” button. This reminds me so much of my early childhood. Us neighbor kids would gather in front of my Grandparent’s home to play “kick-the-can” under the street light after dinner. Grandpa would sit on the porch and watch over us. The local police would stop, get out, and play a little with us, too. I don’t have many good memories of childhood, but that is one. 🙂 Great Story!
It was different when I grew up. It was a quick goodbye, then ride the bike to the nearby park until the streetlights came on. Then back home in time for dinner.
And we could hear our mothers from half a mile away. The memories… 😀
For me is was the old car horn… I think it might have come off a model T… It made this unique sound that sounded a bit like “ougah-ougah”. You could hear it three blocks away. All the kids knew Mom’s horn meant time to go in to bath and bed.
I bet you three are lots of street hockey games in those streets!
We had our priorities right in those days…Play was fun.
Happy carefree childhood days ❤️
Very cute story, and thanks for bringing that song back to me.
Of course, the song was in my head the minute I saw your title 🙂