Big Little David Stories: Whimsical Magical Time Stories   
The Original Story
 

A Whimsical Magical Time

An Old Broken Screen Door and a Pirate Ship

By: David S. Harkins d.b.a. “TheStoryTeller”

 

This day started like most every day for me that summer of '55. I was four years old and was full of imagination and energy. It had rained the night before and there was a big mud puddle in the back yard of our little home in Baden, Pennsylvania. I asked my mother if I could go out back and play and she said  "yes."

 

Great, straight to the mud puddle and you know what fun little boys have in mud puddles. Well, I splashed around and jumped in the puddle and looked for things to float on the puddle. Then I remembered that old broken screen door Dad had taken off of the back door and put in the back by the alley for the Junk Men. Wow, do you think it is still there? I ran back to our Junk Pile and lo and behold there was the broken screen door just waiting for me.

 

I dragged it to the mud puddle and cast it off to see if it would "float." Actually the mud puddle wasn't very deep so the screen door pretty much just sat in the middle of the puddle. However, my imaginative juices set in and before you knew it I was rafting down the Ohio River just down below the river valley where our house was built and I was a Pirate looking for booty. My objective was the Mysterious Island that I wondered about almost everyday out in the middle of the river just before the huge J & L Steel Mill where my Dad worked as a Payroll Clerk.

I rowed my Pirate raft with my hands and arms and encountered many curious river oddities, like the Dravo Boat and the barge and whirlpools and eddies and even a motorboat full of tourists. I swung upside them and pulled out my imaginary pirate saber and demanded all of their gold dab looms. After they gave me all of their money I kindly told them to be on their way, but not to tell anyone about Davey the River Pirate or I would have to take more drastic measures.

 

At last Davey was on to the mysterious island in the middle of the river. I landed and came ashore and started scouting. What do you know but a tribe of Indians came rushing out of the bushes and chased me to my Pirate Raft and I had to make a hasty retreat before they captured me. I rowed as fast as I could and I guess they were land Indians, only, because they did not attempt to follow me and I made a somewhat frightened but thankful trip home.

 

Just then Mom called me to come inside for lunch and I told her of all my adventures on the Pirate Raft and she was "amazed" at my bravery and said, "Son, you are so brave, but you know it is not nice to take things that belong to other people."

 

"But Mom I didn't really take any money, it was just my dream," I explained honestly in my defense.

"Yes, son I know you didn't steal anyone's money, you would never do that. I am referring to the old broken screen door. You know that belongs in the Junk Pile for the Junk Men."

I said quite impishly, "Oh yes Mom, I forgot about the door I will take it back right after I eat these great Bologna sandwiches you made for me!"

A BigLittleDavid Story

“TheStoryTeller

David S. Harkins All Rights Reserved

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