ENJOYING THE SURF

Is this supposed to be one person, or three people? The only thing that separates the three is the hair-do. The foot size and arm length appear to be the same. He’s black. Two of them look like the same guy, but the one on the right, he’s probably a brother or something. He looks different, his head is shaped differently, he looks taller.

I think not. He’s smaller, the one closest to the water. They’re just running.

What are you supposed to do, all you do is run.

Where do you think they are at? When I look at the background, well the first thing I want to say is Florida, but it looks like the South Carolina coast. That’s the only coast I’ve seen that looks different than a Florida coast.

The two on the left look like they could be brothers but the third guy looks different, he’s not related.

Jeff is the boy on the left. The second boy looks like my first cousin, he could be a Rand. The one on the right looks like the oldest one. Bob is the oldest on the right. I was thinking the same thing. I was thinking Robert.

They’re having oodles of fun, enjoying themselves. Enjoying the surf.

That water doesn’t look that deep, see how low it is. Is it safe enough for them to jump in? Probably not. I wouldn’t say so for safety’s sake. They’re might be oyster shells. See where his feet are hitting the water, there isn’t a wake. It’s shallow, very shallow. They’ll probably cut their feet. Oysters don’t just swim around in the water, they latch onto something. Well they come in clusters. They bury into the sand. They use that water a lot, oysters wouldn’t be in it.

Do they know the water is shallow? Yes, they can see the bottom because of the pole, the old cut-off telephone pole. Then why are they jumping? They’re just three old knot-heads. Are their parents nearby? Judging by their age probably, but if they live close they might be on their own.

I think it’s great.

How do they know it’s shallow? If the sun is shining you can see the bottom of the ocean.

What does the water feel like? It’s fairly warm if the sun is out shining. The water is not deep enough to keep cold.

If you look at the embankment you can see it’s a shallow coast, it’s just a bay. They’re dumb to be jumping into water that shallow.

What kind of animals might be out there? There is likely to be stingrays out in that shallow warm water.

I don’t think what they are doing is particularly dangerous, they’re probably isn’t anyone else out there.

We’ve all done it. I’ve jumped into shallow water like that before.

What are they saying to each other? Kids that size, no telling what they’d be saying. Most of the time they are trying to coax each other into the water.

Which one of the boys is the leader? Bob. What did he say to convince them in the water? “It’s ok, everything is fine. No danger, don’t worry.”

What do the other two respond? “Get out of the way.”

What kind of trouble could they get into? I think the boy is sitting in the water. The color of the water makes it looker deeper than it is. How could he sit in the water? It’s shallow in the front but its gets deeper the farther you go.

What does it sound like? You would hear the splashes of the surf. On occasion a few frogs. They’re talking to each other. You would hear mullet when they jump into the water. It’s just the mullet playing and having fun. Sea trout does that too. They look a little like mullet.

In the bay, the sea smell will override most other smells. Unless there is dead trout or something else.

What will they do next? I guess they will swim around, climb out, then jump in again.

The funny thing is, every seashore you go to, I’ve been to many. France, Italy, other areas. The fish are all pretty well the same. They act the same, they react the same. There is not much difference.

I think the prettiest country, the one nearest to the United States, is Germany.

Let’s make up an ending. The boys are having fun, and they go home to have dinner. They make it home just in time to eat. The seashore furnishes food, recreation. It’s a drawing card for people to swim in, boat in, fish in, whatever.

There are people that all they do is go out and fish for mullet, they go out catch them and sell them. That’s all they do for income.

Story by: Maxine, Duncan, Joyce, Nina, Barbara

A DEGREE OF TRUTH

Look at that! Some kind of afternoon project.

I’ve been here for a while, since 1927, in fact. We had eight hundred acres and 2,000 head of cows. All of us had our own horse.

Are you getting religion? Yes! I’ll try to get you included. I’m too old for that now. I’ve already done all my criminal stuff, and now I’ve resigned.

This picture could bring about many interpretations. I don’t see anything that would give the picture away, other than that there’s a lot of activity.

Why are they covering their faces? Probably because of odor. I’m going to have to take the Fifth, because I don’t know.

Look, she’s hiding down there. There’s nothing that’s a giveaway. There probably isn’t one since she’s so young. They might be looking at the sky, or clouds, or the airplanes. Everyone is looking up.

It could be a building, a plane, a hundred different things. From the half-smile on the girl’s face and the frightened look on the young one’s face, it would have to be something that would be scary to the young and acceptable to the elderly.

The one girl is covering her nose out of all of the traffic. Maybe it’s a spray plane that’s up there spraying citrus or farms or something and has an odor. I would rather think it’s probably a plane spraying something. Nobody seems to be covering their head but they’re all looking up. If it’s a spray deal, there’s not enough for them to cover their heads.

Poor little kid. She might be scared. Maybe there’s a bad smell. She’s the only one doing it.

It couldn’t be anybody jumping with a parachute, because the crowd is too tightly bunched together. Somebody would get hurt. Someone jumping out of a parachute is not frightening.

They’re looking at the moon. They want to look at it because it shines so brightly. I love the moon. I love to watch it.

One woman is looking at the moon and the other one just looks mad. One of them is yelling like heck and the other one is just looking. You can see her eyes rolled up. The little girl depicts fright, the way she’s hiding her face.

They’re talking to each other. Looks like claws. The woman is yelling something. They may not be taking proper cover. You’re really getting thorough, aren’t you? Maybe somebody’s doing something.

Is the girl looking up at the sky? No, no.

Where are they? I’ve traveled too many places to keep them all together. They’re in a yard.

If I were standing right there with that woman, I would look the same way. It could be a collision of two planes in the air. There are so many different hazards that could call the people to be frightened. You’re so talented.

I flew for several years, and I learned all the things you can run in to.

They’re skittish, and they don’t want to get hurt, but they want to see it. You’re so smart. I’m so impressed. Did I sell anybody on my suggestions?

That woman is saying something. They wouldn’t be looking up if she was chewing them out. She’s looking at the people and telling them to do something, either move back or move forward. She’s issuing orders. I can tell you from the position of her mouth that she’s yelling in a loud voice. She’s got a big mouth. She’s trying to tell somebody to get their butt back or it’s going to hurt you!

They’re in a yard, with all those people? They wouldn’t be in my yard. They could be in a grove or anywhere. It’s generally felt that they’re in danger. That’s felt throughout the group.

I kind of like this. It’s fun to try to figure out a photograph that’s supposed to talk to you. So many of them don’t.

What kind of danger? Somebody’s fallen out of an acrobatic plane, and they’re parachute didn’t open. I see people looking and staring, but there’s no fright. This is an act of caution. “Cover you damn face!” Boy, are you talented. I’m a good guesser. Well, you failed.

All these people are part of a community. They live in the same town and have the same outlook on life. This is in the fall part of the year. Notice the heavy coats?

There’s something going on that could be injurious to the crowd. What kind of word is that? It means subject to being an injury because of this act. You’re pulling my leg now. That word is as common as going to the bathroom.

What town do they live in? You’ve got to look at their dress. I would say it’s early fall. We’re looking at November, maybe December.

There’s smoke in the back. They’re barbecuing, evidently. It could be a party. They’re barbecuing a steak. Many a time I’ve been to a barbeque. I’ve led such a full life.

The only thing I would see that would differ on that, sugar, is that everyone is looking up and the woman in the middle is chewing somebody’s butt. She’s trying to keep those two in the pack.

There could be some truth in that. They might have been barbecuing and then a plane flew over. This time of the year you would get a lot of winter haze. It’s not even winter. She’s telling them, “Let’s get the hell out of here!”

There’s so many interpretations, it’s hard to know which one is right. There can be a degree of truth in many different interpretations.

Could be a building on fire, too. That’s always possible, because you’ve got smoke.

What happens next? Everybody goes like hell and runs. No, I don’t see fright in their faces. I do in Momma’s face. She’s yelling at the kids to get back from the fire. There might be a stick of dynamite, or a plane blew up. Maybe the kids are looking at the building burning. Somebody must be doing something wrong. They’re all frightened. Probably somebody jumping out of a building or something.

The woman in the middle is a protective person. She’s being a typical mother. Somebody behind her is as concerned as she is. She might not see the danger, but she anticipates it. Are those her children? I doubt it. She doesn’t look like she’s old enough to be their mother.

I think the people in the background are excited, or impressed by it. They’re smiling. Maybe somebody is jumping out a plane or trying to commit suicide or something stupid. Maybe they’re looking up waiting for someone to dive off the building.

I don’t know why that girl is covering her nose instead of her eyes. Maybe there was an explosion.

STORY BY: Duncan, Roy, Vivian, Gretchen, Nina, Everlyn, Joyce, Betty, Patricia, Maxine

TEDDY

Two kids and a dog. I’ve done that! It’s a new puppy and they’re getting acquainted with it. It has a long tail. It’s a leaf. He has his hat on.

I had a dog and a cat. They ate out of each other’s dish. They’d smell each others’ dishes, then look at each like old people and swap. I had so much fun. On top of that, the dog and the cat slept together.

What kind of dog is it? He’s like the ones we had at home. It’s about that size. Ours was light. He was about like that, but not as dark.

That reminds me of my children. They had one little dog and four little boys. He’s a cutie. Looks like a monkey from the front. Ours wasn’t that. It was a good dog, but it wasn’t the run-around kind. He was good.

Our cat used to lie on his side, and the dog slept on his stomach. They fought for each other. I’d hear the dog crying because he was timid, and my cat landed on the other cat’s back, and came back strutting because she had won. I wish I had them back. They’d be awfully old by now.

I’d call the dog Teddy. That’s what his name was for us. He fought for everybody. He ran the cats off. He was the king.

Does Teddy like cats? No. Our kids liked our dogs. They had another one, but it wasn’t as nice. They had three.

They all play together. Ours would just run, run, run, run.

The two little girls are sisters. Are you sure the one with the hand across her face is a girl? Would a girl have a hair cut like that? In this day and age, how can you tell if it’s a girl?

I don’t think boys and girls played like that together. Oh, I did. I played with my little brother. He had a heart condition, and he couldn’t get out and play, so he stuck around the house all the time.

We had more than this dog, even. We had two and another one.

She’s kissing the dog. I had a house full of animals. I had cats, dogs, birds, everything.

What’s a good name for the girl with the long hair? I find a lot of names cute. Especially when the girl is little with a big name.

They’re going to hang onto the dog because he’s going to run after a bird. He’s going to run as soon as he gets a chance. They’re curious, pups are.

There’s a cat out here, too. Maybe that’s what the puppy is looking at. A cat wouldn’t be that close to a dog. They wouldn’t be looking for a dog.

Those kids are kind of big for a dog. I’d be afraid they’d get lost.

It looks to me like they’re out on a prairie. They might be out in the field. It looks like a prairie in the distance. People shouldn’t take kids out in a field like that. There are snakes out there.

I don’t see any parents around, do you? Unless back there. They might be holding two dogs, or maybe three.

The black dog is on a green leash. One, two, three, four. There are several leashes coming together at the end. Who is holding onto the leash? The father is holding onto the animals.

Who gave them the puppy? I don’t know whether anybody did or not. Somebody wanted to get rid of him. They had a whole mess of dogs. They don’t always have just one or two.

About a year ago, they had little dogs. They were bigger than these. I was never far away from them.

Do they have any other pets at home? Birds, I imagine. They wouldn’t have to, because they have birds all around the field anyway.

How many dogs do you think are there? Is this partly a child? I just wonder how they can manage to get different characters with them all the time. They never look alike to me.

What are they sitting on? Are they on the edge of a pool of water? Do you think they might go swimming? I don’t think it’s that deep. I think they’re watching their own faces. That dog—if that’s a dog—that looks like a kid to me. It’s got big legs. Maybe those are her legs.

What are they going to do next? They’re undecided, because there are so many things.

I’m trying to decide if that’s a dog or a child. In a way, it could be a person, and in a way it could be anything.

I also kept a house full of food for kids. They’d always come up and say, “Are you cooking today? What time will it be ready?” I never had so much fun in my life.

Story by: Betty, Patricia, Maxine, and Gretchen

ENJOYING LIFE

Cows and everything. Looks like a cluster way back in the back. It’s been a long time since I got to go there.

They’re on a highway someplace. When it was over, one of the women said, “You certainly do look a lot like her.”

What are they running from? Looks like little kids. They’re not running yet. They’re about to run.

It’s cloudy. They’re not running away. They’re running to something. Looks like they’re on a road or driving. There’s more running behind them. There’s no writing on it.

They’re bicycle-riding out in the middle of nowhere. They’re having a good time out of life. Looks like they have guns over their shoulders.

I used to look exactly like them. In fact I have seen that, not exactly. Is this the main highway? Yes. They’re all on the main highway.

They’ve been gone somewhere and they’re coming back. Maybe they were leaving to go and she’s gone for some food. I just looked up and said, “What?”

They’re going on a bike. I was riding, and we were talking, and I was lucky I wasn’t there. She said, “I’d like to show you.” They looked about like that, and I started laughing. It makes you make a fun feeling.

Here he is.

There’s a lot of people on the highway. They’re not people. They’re cows.

I think it’s a cool day, and mother and daughter are out on a stroll on the highway, enjoying life. It’s got to be fall weather. She’s got a sweater on because it’s cool. They’re having a wonderful time.

She’s got something in her hair. There are trees behind her. I ought to have given you one. It was very good. I would like to be out there. I’d do the same thing. I’d have myself a ball. If they have a friend with them, they’d probably look around. Taking a bicycle ride.

Looks a little bit cloudy, so it’s cool. Yes, it scares me. I took many a ride like that.

That looks like a pretty big crowd on top of the hill. They’re not really crowds, not all of them. They’re watching.

She’s got a necklace. It looks like shells.

What is a good woman’s name? Tom.

There are buildings back there. Wouldn’t it be fun to be out there? The other woman is named Junior. Big deal.

I’ve been out there like that. In Florida.

They’re weird. They’re probably just getting started because they have too much energy. Give this to the women in there.

There are elephants on the hill. It was Willy. He can run, can’t he? Yes, ma’m. Twelve. That’s how many there are.

There are elephants, but they aren’t running. Three more want nine.

See the house on the hill? I can’t even find my cars key. Shit.

Have you been bicycling like that? Yes, ma’m. We laughed like crazy. He’s up there now. Are you trying to feel the road? Oh, yes.

They’re not too far from home. I was going to say, she should tell her the word and they can go. No, I wouldn’t do it.

Here it is. Did you bicycle much? I loved it. We took a picnic lunch with us. You’d have to carry it, though. What would you put in the lunch? Everything imaginable that was good. Sandwiches, cookies, cold drinks. Children. Who is going to carry all that? Me! I want to be sure it gets there. Gretchen is pretending to be on the bike. Well, she’s going to need a bus for all that stuff. You can carry quite a bit on a bike. We took it all in. You’ve got to have a vivid imagination.

Take it here. That looks like Florida in a way. What are they going to do next? Sit down and have a picnic. Carry the trash out. That’s going to be a lot of trash.

Will there be anybody else at the picnic? I have a feeling that if there were more people, we’d see them.

Junior has sandals on.

Those are mountains in the background or a big city. What’s over there? Grass. She could tell me.

After their picnic, what will they do? They’re going to be worn out from carrying that food. That’s when it got rough, when you were in the mountains and worked yourself to death. Looks like they’re close to the city.

What city is this, if it’s in Florida? I’ve never seen this many hills in Florida.

There’s a lot of people behind them, and a graveyard. That’s a cloud I would say.

They’re going on a picnic. And they took their picture? That was nice.

How is the story going to end? We haven’t even got started yet. It will have to have a happy ending. What are they going to do with all the tin cans on the back of their bikes? That was noisy.

That whole place is on fire. It looks like dry land. Maybe they’re near a beach where this is a lot of land.

There’s not any room to do anything because of all the trees. There are a lot of buildings back in there.

Look at the smile on their faces. I bet they’re going to look for some guys. I bet that’s right.

STORY BY: Gretchen, Betty, Betsy, Patricia, June

ANY NAME

He’s way up there, isn’t he? Looking out over the city. I’ve seen this before, I know I did. I can’t even get a child away from me. She just drives me crazy.

I’ve been here a long time. Not as long as I have.

He’s a pretty good-looking kid. He’s a kid to all of us. I would think that’s New York or something like that, with all the houses.

He’s way higher than that. He’s way above the city. What’s his name? Anonymous. He’s a good-looking boy.

How’d he get there? Elevator. He’s too lazy to climb the stairs. Over New York, with the smoke. He’s looking down to see what’s going on. I see he’s got his toddy with him. He’s got a handle on it.

You can see all the sky, and it’s not clear at all. They’ve got so many people there and everything. He’s a cute-looking guy. He’s a little young. Not much. Only four years, or more.

What is he looking for? It’s on the back. Nothing. I’m sure it’s supposed to be a cup of coffee, because there’s a handle on the coffee. I’d rather have more than a cup of coffee.

I think he’s happy to look to see. By the looks of the cup, it isn’t coffee. See where the handle is?

He sure is over a smoky city. He’s probably visiting New York. Why? Because he’s never been there. Because she’s there. It’s seventeen years forward. He’s looking out for somebody.

His name is Any Name. I’m not sure if New York is cold like that. He probably went there because there’s a lot to see. No! I’d know from the way they talk. They have a real different slang.

I’ve been to New York a few times. It’s not anything I want to go back to.

Where did he come from? Chicago. Could be.

What does he do for a living? He’s got on a regular shirt. Is he taking pictures? Looks like a camera there. It’s not real cold weather because he’s has a short-sleeve shirt on. Is he a photographer? He’d probably have a lot more equipment. It’s smoggy up there all the time.

What’s this other thing there? That’s a camera, but what’s beside it? That’s his hand. Does he find what he’s looking for? I have a feeling he would.

You’re so good to me, since the baby came and I’m so tired of it all.

He’s going to borrow from many. I don’t think I would. I would leave.

He’s looking the situation over pretty good, isn’t he? Is that a sandwich?

He’s on the top of the building. He’s studying it. He’s trying to figure out himself what he’s doing.

He’s puzzled. He’s standing there thinking what is this, what am I doing? If he had this all figured out, he’d be more jubilant, more dynamic. I think he’s stumped. Just the way he’s got his hands down like that.

What should he do next? Nothing. Go home. He’s got a short-sleeved short on, so he’s out a lot. A lot of those people wear long sleeves because it’s cold. Slow boys.

What does he have left to do before he leaves? Does he go visit the woman? If that’s what he went for, he wouldn’t be standing around looking like a tourist.

That thing is holding up a roof. I have a short smokestack, and you all have a long one, so we have a different situation?

He wants a woman, that’s what he wants. Let’s face it.

STORY BY: Henry, Maxine, Patricia, Nina, Dottie, Gretchen, Tony, and Joyce

BEFORE THE DAYS OF CARS

That’s a big woman. Over there. And over and over and over. I like horses.

That one hasn’t turned. I’d really like to do that. Happy birthday! Whose birthday is it? Yours! Happy birthday. How old am I? What we do in schools.

That’s a good one. Did he run away? There’s no wind out there. There’s two.

They’re keeping them under control.

Where are they? In the city. What’s a horse doing in the city? There aren’t a lot of them, but there are some. The horse is watching the crowd. That’s a good horse.

What’s the horse’s name? He’s a beautiful horse, that’s for sure.

Is that his horse? I think. That’s what I thought.

What’s the man doing with the horse? Seeing if he’s sick. That’s the way.

One, two, three. There’s your horse, there and there. Three horses. Aren’t you glad I’m here? You got it.

What are you doing over there? I don’t know. What’s the policeman doing there? I wouldn’t lead. What would you do? I have a few little pumps at home.

He didn’t do nothing. He’s got his hands on the reins. He’s looking for people he wants to take care of. I’ve seen these horses. That might be my fault. That could be. What if it’s their fault? Yes. So they’ll find you. She shouldn’t have said that one.

You’re a nice lady. That’s what I thought.

The women that were there, they were running. I’m not bothering her.

So they’re looking for people to take care of. To see if they’re new or old or know nothing.

Come on in. I think so. Everybody gets a popcorn.

Who is in the picture? It ain’t the best, is it? That’s the pretty one.

This one is going all around up the side. Goes right on up past the end.

It looks like New York. His brother got his act so fast. We can have it if you want it.

It’s hard to tell. It looks like it’s close to six o’clock. I just figure that. Okay. Just leave it low.

There’s either two or three there. This goes up and then it turns.

What is the policeman doing? He’s trying to hold the horse. What kind of luck is he having? It’s probably a bicycle. What is he going to do with the bicycle and the horse? Ride them! Both of them at the same time? Slow ahead. Have you ever been around with these horses on the street? I loved it. Did you ever ride a horse on the street? Once. Beautiful animals.

What kind of name could we give the horse? He’s watching him for sure. Then he’d stop with the horse and all the kids would be around him. It was good. That’s a saint. I’d pick that just to be in their head. I can do that.

These people are in the back. Evidently she’s going back over there. He’s just waiting to see if something is going to happen.

I was on a horse today. What did he do? You did. Once in a while, the policemen would let us feed them. Oh, that was fun. Two boys carried them? No. I always get it wrong, don’t I? Yeah.

Over in Lake Hamilton, it’s down. That is now going down. It’s going by this. They’re turning that circle down. The women are doing what the men are supposed to do. My mother is over there.

I hope we all are here. We had such a good time.

That’s his brother. There he goes.

What do you picture? The woman is walking behind the horse. Those two people were waiting for the woman. Right underneath, they cuddled. Okay, I’ll let you.

She’s watching the horse. This boy behind her, but I don’t know how he is. Is he saying something? Yes, you can see his little head, so he’s talking. He’s got a jacket on.

Something’s going on behind them. I would rather have more than that. Look at this woman. She’s looking at the horse.

I was on the other side when that happened. I’m much further than that. I was down there watching them. I don’t want to be under the feet! He took us for a ride. Good memories there.

If I remember right, I think there were times when the street cleaners did not enjoy their job.

Just one what? What is he going to do next? There were times when we went home after the horse parade, and our parents were not happy because we’d walked right behind the horse. My mother would be so disgusted. She had a fit. She said, “Get your shoes off!” Then she’d get after my father. “Get those shoes off of them!” We walked behind them. Slip and slide. It was a wonderful day.

A cop on the corner. On a bicycle. That’s before the days of cars.

There are eight of them there.

What is he going to do next? Clean up behind the horse.

Is there any trouble on the street? Oh yeah. Street people cleaning up behind the horse. The trouble is right there in the corner. He’s on his foot.

The young person is trouble. She’s walking past. He’s looking at her. She went there and he saw her, so they’re talking. That’s going to be trouble.

It’s warmer over there than here. The water is full all the time. Here is something. I don’t know what it is. The little girls were lost too. They lost their heads.

How would you like our story to end? I don’t want it to end.

It should end with my mother being a little bit wrathful. We had a good time. My dad took us there and he didn’t care, but my mother was a different source.

STORY BY: Gretchen, Patricia, Vivian, Henry, Joyce, June

SKIPPING SCHOOL

I wonder if that’s the only time they’ve done that. I don’t know how to get them out of there.

In this one, it’s a woman and a man. What are they doing out there? They’re talking. What are they talking about? You can tell that the boy and the girl, I think she is talking more than he is. It looks like it.

What do you think they’re talking about? I wish I knew. I don’t think it’s a secret. I think they’ve been friends for a long time. They’re talking about whatever they did before or what they can do now.

What did they do before? They were feeding the birds. But you could turn it into a lot of things.

What could they be telling each other? If he can find what he wants. I’ve seen them talk together. We’re going to be up all night.

They walk to each other, but they don’t talk too much. “See you in the morning about 8:30!” They’re together. That’s what they do. I got there one time. One was going and the other was going, and I was between them, so I saw them.

What time of day is it? It’s close to nighttime. No, not really in the summer. They need to be home. Go home! They look like they’re about fourteen or fifteen.

I wasn’t there because it was dark. I didn’t see them. She doesn’t have it done the right way.

It was a long time ago. What’s a good girl’s name? I had four boys, so don’t ask me. I finally quit having children.

What is the boy’s name? Mark. The girl is a fisher and the boy is a swimmer.

When I go home, I’m going to get them and ask them to tell me. I don’t think either one of them is a fisher. I think it’s just their way of meeting. See you in the morning!

What are they going to do in the morning? Mow the lawn. That’d be right.

They’re skipping school. You’ve seen this before, haven’t you? No, I just have a teenage son.

If they skipped school, what would they be doing out there? I think it just wasn’t the right thing to do. Especially when there’s rain in it and everything. They’re talking about what they’re going to say. Get their stories straight. He’s telling her what to tell her mother, and she’s telling him what to tell his. Brings back familiarity.

That’s the way it is. He wants to come closer and hug her. Not here.

STORY BY: Maxine, Dottie, Joyce, Patricia

FEEDING THE BIRDS

Cock-a-doodle-doo!

I raised four boys as a single parent, and they had all the little tales to tell every day.

He’s feeding everything and that little bird is coming in to get his share, that’s for sure. Who is that person? It’s funny you should bring that up. I skipped over it. There’s a whole thing in there.

At first I thought it was a man but now I think it’s a woman. What else can you see in the picture? Everything that’s there. This is funny. It’s the first thing I ever saw of this. What do you think it is? It’s going up!

I don’t know where this is anyway. I think somebody said he was standing around.

What’s a good name for this woman? It’s a male. There is a woman in here. Where is the woman? Good question.

Where is she? Certainly not at a waterfall. It looks like it’s near a downtown. I think it’s in Kentucky. It’s chilly or cold because she’s all bundled up.

What’s she doing there? I think she’s just by there. I would be her. I would be seeing them and walking with them. What are they? I never had any. I can’t say what I want to say.

What would you do if you were there? I don’t know that I would be feeding them, because there are too many of them. I’m not sure it’s good to feed a few. So I don’t think I would be feeding them, unless I had more food. I would be saying, “Come on! Come on over. Say hello. Come see me.” When she holds out her hand, they obviously know what she’s after.

How is she feeling? Warm now. And she’s bound to feel good. Does she come here every day? Or is this a special visit? I think she comes periodically. I don’t think you could just walk in there.

Why does she come here periodically? They would be friendly. I have always liked animals so I know I would be here. She probably likes everything that’s there.

Where did she come from before? She probably wasn’t at work. Does she have a family? You know how it is today.

Let’s make up some trouble. I was going to say no. But then I live alone, so I lean in that direction.

Is there anybody else there with her? I doubt it, but there might be. There are ducks there. Twins. Two black ones. What else? They’re all over the field. Little ones and big ones. Are there any people there with her? I don’t see any.

What sounds does she hear? If you were there, what sounds would you hear? Well, I’ve been there, not exactly there. If I were her, I would be happy. I wouldn’t have to say, “I can’t do that, I can’t do that.” What would you be able to smell? I’ve never smelled them. I haven’t either, unless they’re a pile back here. I don’t know why he’s coming so late. But they do that.

What sounds do they make? I can’t make the sounds because of my voice. If I shout my voice is normal. I can’t imagine you shouting. Oh my. I raised four boys. Can you imagine it now?

Is there any trouble going on? I don’t know. There’s three birds flying around.

Why is her back turned to us? Is she hiding? I don’t think so. You can’t hide in a place like that.

Is she late for something? I don’t think so. They’re all coming in. All these animals.

What do the birds think of her? Obviously they’re not afraid of her, which leads me to believe she’s done this before. They’re watching her, so they’re happy with that.

Well, this day and age, how can you tell a man from a woman? From the back it’s hard to tell. The way they dress now.

What does she like to do for fun? This is a challenge. The way she’s dressed, she’s probably working for somebody who’s concerned about feeding the animals. It’s late in the afternoon and looks like she’s got a bag in front of her. A lot of people like to keep these animals well fed. I can do that. Lots of fish.

What is she going to do next? Probably going to go home. I think she’ll linger there a bit.

What will she do at home? What everybody else does, I guess. Kick their shoes off, take their hat off, take off their jacket and neckpiece. Sit down to either eat or drink some coffee.

STORY BY: Maxine, Dottie, Joyce, Patricia

THE WRONG PLACE AT THE WRONG TIME

Whoa. What’s going on here? Shew. I don’t know, looks like he’s trying to climb the wall. Good gracious. He’s trying to keep from falling, too. Can’t imagine what he’s doing up there by himself. Looks like he’s at a town hall, city hall in some town.

Why is he climbing it? He wants to be adventurous. I can’t imagine. A man that old, both feet hanging loose. I don’t know. He’s some damn fool.

I don’t think it’s that. I think he’s happy. He’s doing something he hasn’t done before. Any other reasons he’s climbing the town hall? Somebody’s dared him to, and he can’t say no to a dare. Who dared him? Sure wouldn’t be his wife.

Is he coming up or going down? If he lets go, he’s going down. I don’t see how he could possibly be coming up. I think he is.

What does his wife think of him climbing like that? She’s probably worried to death. The words she’s saying to him we can’t discuss.

His friends are watching him. I was going to say his buddies. They probably talked him into it. Thirty buddies. What are his friends saying to him? By this time, they’re telling him to slide down. They’re afraid he’s going to get into trouble again, or get hurt. What kind of trouble has he been in before? He’s been in the wrong place at the wrong time. He doesn’t stop to think about how anything stupid like this will affect anyone but himself.

What’s going to happen next? Who knows? Hopefully he just loosens his hands and slides back down. But who knows. Does he get into trouble? Yes. Whoever owns the building gets mad. He has to give the address. What does the owner of the building say to him? I can’t tell you, there’s too many people around. I imagine he says, “Come down or else…”

How does the story end? He just slides down. It’s wide enough that he could hold on. He’s going to let go and slide down.

STORY BY: Dottie, Joyce, Barbara, Tony, Patricia, Maxine, Margaret

GOING TO GRANDMA'S

It’s a boy! Good. This one’s cute. Keep up, come on. His name is Billy Jr. We’ve had a lot of those.

He’s sitting in a suitcase. He looks like he knows he shouldn’t be in there. You should rinse it at night. That’s the smartest thing I’ve heard in a long time.

Why is he in the suitcase? He thought it would be fun. He’s going somewhere. He’s cute.

Where is he going? How can you tell that by looking at him? He’s going to Grandma’s house. I have four boys and they spent half their time begging to go to Grandma’s. Grandma gave them everything they wanted.

What does he like to do at Grandma’s house? Drink beer. Get into things. Anything that’s around.

Does he have any brothers or sisters? I wouldn’t think so. I think he has a brother or sister. He wouldn’t be able to get in there by himself. They put him in and took his picture. He loves every minute of it.

I think they love him dearly. He looks too cute to me.

What’s going to happen next? I don’t know. I hope it’s going to be a good one.

What does Billy Jr. do for fun? You name it, he’s done it. You can tell I have four boys, can’t you?

He wants to be taken out of there. He’s pretty proud of himself. That smile and those hands. Almost like he knew he shouldn’t have done it. He’s having a good time. He’s happy as can be.

There’s probably somebody in the background. I don’t see anybody. There should as hell should be. Could be the mother or could be the babysitter. I think it’s his older brother.

What does he want? I think he’s got everything he wants. Looks pretty happy to me.

What is he going to do next? Try to get out, I guess. Does he succeed? I doubt it. He gets frustrated. When he recognizes he’s not getting out, he’ll cry, a loud cry. I think he’s happy. I don’t think he’s anything but happy. He’s happy now.

Why is he so happy? Because he’s done something he’s never done before.

I don’t think he can do much of anything. I can’t see him crawling out of that. He might just be standing up. It’s possible he could get out if he could stand up. Yeah. He’s happy.

When he goes to Grandma’s, Grandma likes to put everything aside and give him his way. She’s going to pick him up and hug him. She’s going to pamper him. She’ll give him whatever he wants. He wants whatever’s in site. He wants the dog. He wants candy right away. He loves having his picture taken.

Who’s taking his picture right now? Maybe his mother. What does his mother think of him being in the suitcase? Don’t pee in there! And he said, “I just did,” with that look on his face. I think she put him there. Obviously he wasn’t bothered to be put in there.

He has a satisfied look on his face. I think his mother takes him out of there. I think he’s happy in there right now. He doesn’t want to be taken out.

STORY BY: Dottie, Joyce, Barbara, Tony, Patricia, Maxine, Margaret