A NICE SHADY STREET

They’ve been out all afternoon selling magazine subscriptions, but they got tired and sat down. They looked relaxed, a little tense but relaxed. Sort of an empty street, isn’t it? Where do you think they live? I’m trying to figure that out. No necessarily the true south because you got too many fir trees. It looks like somebody’s front yard. They’re on the curb. They’re cars in the street.

How old do you think she is? I wouldn’t say past twenty. I think so, too. Pretty trees. Yeah. There’s a nice one. Some mixed up vegetation-type things, isn’t it? Must be somebody’s neighborhood. What kind of trees? It doesn’t matter. I don’t think they’re young men.

The one on the right has a commanding posture. It’s a nice street. Orlando used to be like this, lovely homes, front yards and back yards. She doesn’t look like she’s very old. The one on the right looks like a Caroline. Are they sisters or friends? Probably friends. Neighbors maybe. Probably.

What’s this, a creek? That’s a nice picture. That’s the way it is. Yes, it is. It’s easy, though, right.

That’s a street they’re on. They went on a picnic earlier. What has she got around her neck? It might be what you carry kids around in. Is Caroline the other girl’s mother? Yes. I think somebody’s the mother of somebody. I don’t think they know exactly what to expect. There’s nothing to go by. All the cars that are there have been there all day. I don’t think those are cars in the background. Maybe two cars put together.

I’m worried a car is going to hit their legs. What is the red spot by their feet? Is this a park? They’ve got ugly knees. Nobody else on the street. Is this a street? I think they’re kind of bored. It looks to me like it’s a creek, and they’ve got their feet wading in the creek. And there’s a beautiful tree growing there. No, it’s just a street.

1943. That’s a long time ago. Why isn’t the creek making more ripples? I know they’re together. It looks like fish skins heading up to the sky. But these trees are growing funny. They’re growing up and down not like real trees on a curb.

One time we lived on a dead end street in Orlando. I see these kids sitting on a curb with their feet in the gutter and it reminds me of what we used to do. Nobody ever came down that street. Our house was the next-to-the-last house and there was this large fence with a big two door opening that was never opened and the other side was a very exclusive apartment-type neighborhood and we used to enjoy going over there and dumping garbage cans and doing things we shouldn’t have been doing. We were pretty bad little kids. There were six of us in our family, and each one of us was individually ornery. I don’t know how my mother did it. My father was a representative of the government. We lived wherever the prettiest flag flew.

I never saw a street like this with leaves going across it. That’s a red ball under Caroline’s foot. They were probably playing ball. That’s not very big ball. It’s very small, and there are only two people.

Where it is? Is there a creek around here? I think it’s in Florida. I think it could definitely be in Florida. That’s where we have them. Look, the creek is going behind the tree. Way down there, it looks like the fall, so there might be a fall, but it’s not rippling enough for a heavy falls. It looks to me like a stream going down the middle, more so than a street. It doesn’t have any flowers or anything to go around it. No wildflowers. There are some flowers in the corner, and behind Caroline.

What are they going to do next? I don’ think they’ve got anything in mind, to tell you the truth. They’re trying to think of something to do, but they’re coming up blank. I’m not so bored, are you? I was on that street once. They’re going to have a hard time coming up with something original to do. They look completely wiped out, not physically but mentally. They’re going to make it up as they go.

I still don’t think it’s a street. No, it’s a street. A nice shady street.

Are these girls related? I think they’re just friends. Sisters don’t play together, at least I don’t think they do. Well, they must have something in common. I don’t know. They look the same.

You do a good job with it.

When you look closely, it doesn’t look like a creek. That could be a pond in the back extending into the street, if it is a street. Is it a street or a creek? Doesn’t make any difference. Are they going swimming next? No, a creek isn’t deep enough to go swimming. They’re on a big, long canoe. The boat is long.

That looks like a waterfall behind them. Look at all the trees. So many of them. I looked up there. Other ones. They’re looking at something across the street. I’d like to see some more pictures.

How should our story end? They’re not going anywhere. They’re staying here. It looks like a lot of little buildings in the background, like the place where you go camping. Are they going to go camping next? Yes. That’s what they’re supposed to be discussing, if they’re going camping next. No way! No, they shouldn’t go camping. Why? There’s water, a place to go swimming.

STORY BY: Patricia, Betty, Barbara, Nancy, Vivian, Tony

HELPERS: Colin, Kennedy, Sarah