Two Boys' Adventure

by Ellen, Joetta, Earnest, Gretchen, Margery, Henry, [Alice]

You can’t work them, because we knock each other’s elbows.  Elbows over here, can’t we?  It’s because of this thing, or maybe it isn’t, I don’t know.  I couldn’t see right.  What's happening on the ground?  Why didn’t you tell me I couldn’t see right?  You can’t. 

All those windows, that’s not a good idea.  Why not one big window?  This one tiny one on top, it’s an afterthought.  Big at the bottom, little at the top.  That’s not much room.

[What are your first impressions of the photo?]

I have two or three impressions at first.  A kid falling down, a kite up above.  Was the boy on the kite?  It won’t come up in our area.  You’re going to have to move me.  I’m not impressed.  [One storyteller asks another:] What is your opinion of it?

 

It would be tough to get over that thing right there [storyteller is referring to the building].  That big thing, it’s tough to get over top of it. 

I don’t know what to think.   I don’t like it, because I’ve been in places where people sit outside and holler for somebody, and nobody can hear them.  They were trying to give instruction to them.  The neighbor hears not either.  Either party was talking to the other.  They are short of leaders.  They need both. 

Where is this?  Stanton? Greenville? Chicago?   We don’t want the city to be too small.  The big cities are out of order. 

It was just about that tall.  One, two, three, four, but one is not the right size.  It doesn’t look right.  That’s what it is and not a lot of nonsense.  Five floors, and I can’t sit in that seat.  It slams.  It narrows down.  How do we do that?  Take a chance on falling, that’s how.

[Can you tell me more about what “narrows down”?]

Joy, as usual.  What is that joy?  Does it mean much?  I just wondered it.  Joy wasn’t very showing here [in the picture].  Mine is a little slower.   Stairs aren’t safe on a slope like that.  They are in high school, a lot of work to do.

[Who is in high school?]

An Irish climber named Buddy.  He’s a little bit weary of day camp.  He said, “How would anybody get up there?”  And he was concerned about the children.  But there’s no place to get lost over there.  They have quite a few toys in Chicago.  And boys will want to climb up the building.  Go there and look.  They’ve got a good start.

[Tell me more about the children.]

You wouldn’t dare leave two kids, any kids, or two dogs.  The boys have glasses.  The kids, the boys, get up top, but people are not going to let them.  One whole area is too young by far. 

Generally, two boys get in trouble.  The boys were trying to fly a kite.  It took off!  It wasn’t anchored very well at all, tied to the wall, no actual anchor.  Two boys with toys.  You better get two men together, because it looks pretty close between the windows, a pretty weak situation.  That one behind the window is not wild; he has playing to do. They already punched holes in the kite.  Then they are going to have to separate for grades, and that will be hard.  A different room. 

[Tell me more about the Irish climber named Buddy.  What is he doing?]

He already came and gone. 

[Where did he go?]

Go into the first floor, find the landings, climb the stairs. That would be safe.  It can’t move on a slant like that.  The stairs were how big?  If you get them computed, you can call a lot of sanding, a lot of trouble.  I need help with them.  Leave it and let’s see, but don’t force it.

[Will Buddy help the boys get their kite?]

Get a fire-broom with a rope, a fire department.  They are going to have toys all their lives.  The fire department has a lot of toys, they bring in their things and use it together.

[Did the fire department get the kite for the boys?]

The fire department said, “No way. You need to talk to your family.” 

The fire department let the kite go, but saved the boys.  That’s typical fire department.

Are they expanding?  One big window.  The window isn’t the issue, the fact is that the boys want to climb up after a damn kite that costs a couple of dollars.  Better than take a risk of losing their lives.  That is a lot of height among kids.  One, two, three, four, five.  Nobody but young kids would try it. 

Let Buddy take the kite home and show it to his kids.  Buddy will be at the top, dizzy, in danger of climbing.  Now what are they going to do?  I don’t think that’s quite right.  Nothing more than our instigation climbed a ladder and got scared.  He’s very interested.  Father thinks I’ll fall off and get hurt.

[What happens next?]

We wallpapered that one and that one on this side, but we didn’t touch the top door.  The school is too old for them to spend money.  Washed the windows with a hose.

I did all I could, washed four windows.  They guy left.  He’s gone.  Are these conditions in our notes?

[Yes, I’m typing everything you say.]

Is this happening in the near future, the expansion?  It’s a six year old building.  I was trying to get deals, they were growing too much.  I don’t think you can fix it.  Don’t do it!  Too late now.  [One storyteller asks another:] Do you think it can be fixed? 

On a big highway?  Uh-uh.  A big street?  Uh-uh.   They must be growing and demanding more information on how much space they have.  A good thing.  A very good thing.   

[How does the story end?]

The firemen take the boys home, and it ends happily.