I Was Mark Twain

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It was a cold winter day in the little Wisconsin town I still dream about. Praraie du Chien. I was all of eleven years old. I was a shy timid little thing. A bookworm, bully bait, and I lived mostly in my head. I had a small core of friends, mostly neighborhood boys. I was across the street from Grandma Colbys,where I spent the happiest days of my life, at one of these friends. WE were upstairs playing. There was a window at the top of the landing facing the rear of the house. Everything was white. The snow was already seven or eight inches deep, and coming down so thick it was almost like a fog. In the distance I could see the dull grey flatness of the Mississippi River.
My friend's sister had a Barbie car dashboard toy. It was pink. But it had buttons, and gauges, and a steering wheel... The lightbulb went on in my little head. I carried the car console to the window set it on the inside sill, and presto! I was piloting a ship through the storm. I have always had a facisnation with large ships. Aircraft carriers, freighters, submarines , ocean liners, riverboats, starships. I've always loved the concept of steering a large ponderous ship.( The first time i steered a houseboat on Dale Hollow lake I was in heaven, but thats another blog.) My friend was into the ship game for awhile, but lost interest. So I played alone. I usually did anyway, and do to this day. I have always mannaged to find myself alone in a croud. I don't even care anymore. I steered the ship. Watched the snow. Gave imaginary commands to my imaginary crew. I was having so much fun I didn't even really notice when they went down to supper until his mother called up the stairs to tell me that it was dark, and time I went home.

That was ok. I had my own ship at home.I had built control consoles out of old tvs, radios, and cardboard boxes, with instrement pannels drawn on them. The entire upstairs of my Grandmas was my domain. My submarine When I played "Voyage To The Bottom Of The Sea". My UNCLE HQ. Fort Apache. My starship. The place where I kept my sears catalogs(shh.) As soon as I finnished my supper, and got my hugs, and kisses, and Grandma stuff, from my biggest fan on earth, I headed up the stairs. THE CAPTAIN IS ON THE BRIDGE!

To this day when ever its snowing, or storming, I can stand at a window, look out at the weather, and the 11 yr old captain stands in my shoes.

Joe said that.