CHAPTER 5 - QUENCHING THEIR THIRST
On the way home, besides flashbacks to "I spy a treasure," Roger was taking a mental inventory of possible trading goods. One item in particular was a brass clad bottle in the shape of a carriage lamp. It was a gift given to Roger by Mama Cook as one of his Christmas presents. He recollected the disappointment because of its non-connection to his specialty.
There was a high quality swivel, braided bullwhip brought back from Mexico. He had purchased this treasure from a fellow classmate. Roger was somewhat reluctant to include this item because of his ability to crack the sonic sound barrier with it, and it allowed him to play out his fantasies of Zorro. Yet, these were desperate times, when sacrifices for the greater goods had to be made.
Other items that weren't quite as hard to mentally jot down included a ceremonial mask from Central American natives with real goat horns (a scary thing; Roger liked to put a flashlight in it and scare his overnight guests). There was also his other mask, a moderately price reproduction (made in Mexico) of a Colombian looking artifact. This was easily placed on the "get rid of column" since it wasn't scary and the new varnished look turned Roger off.
Another high ticket item was a sterling silver spice boat given to Roger by Mama Cook. A work of art by a silversmith, it was a horse and carriage motif with various containers arranged to hold a variety of spices. When Roger was given the boat the previous Christmas, his grandmother explained that it was not easy to find the edge weapons he so loved. Mama Cook relayed, “Your taste for the collectibles will expand as you mature and your appreciation for the craftsmanship will be a key to all you acquire.” At the time, Roger's disappointment was not noticeably relieved. Yet, looking back, this was ever so true but Roger never got to tell his nationally famous doll collecting Grandma that it was right-on advice.
The trip home went by quickly for Roger and the mental review lessened his anxiety of being caught in his school skipping ruse. It was good news on the home front. Roger avoided being discovered. So he made a mental note, he would be able to try this another time and would be glad to pay the cost of punishment for pursuing his expeditions to the mecca of collecting. Even at a young age, Roger was steeped in metaphoric historical jargon, because one of his other hobbies was reading the World Book Encyclopedia. It was a gift from Mama Cook to all the family but most used by Roger.
The next day at school, there was no playtime at recess. It was replay time with Wayne and the saga of Roger's Hardy H. Hurst quest. Wayne was initially angry for not being included in the journey, but Roger won Wayne over with his retelling of the passionate and vivid scenes of discovery, so fresh in his mind.
As mentioned previously, patience is not a young boy’s strong suit, so another safari was set in motion with talk of time, needed trade supplies, alibis and, most of all, gas and oil for Harry. Though sleep the night before was fretful at best, the appointed day arrived. Their joint singular focus was their Hardy H. Hurst thirst.
When the boys approached Hardy's house, they were excited. Hardy's pick-up was there. This, you see, was the big unanswered question, would Hardy be at home? Hardy answered the knocking on the paned glass curtained door window. He ushered them in with the words, "Roger, this must be your best friend Wayne." Wayne grinned and stuck out his hand, a gesture Clay Neff had taught his son at an early age. Wayne was mature beyond his years. A quality that had endeared him to Roger and, to this day in their far and few reunions, still amuses and warms Roger's heart.
Hardy shook Wayne’s hand, and this began another visit in Nirvana.
There was a high quality swivel, braided bullwhip brought back from Mexico. He had purchased this treasure from a fellow classmate. Roger was somewhat reluctant to include this item because of his ability to crack the sonic sound barrier with it, and it allowed him to play out his fantasies of Zorro. Yet, these were desperate times, when sacrifices for the greater goods had to be made.
Other items that weren't quite as hard to mentally jot down included a ceremonial mask from Central American natives with real goat horns (a scary thing; Roger liked to put a flashlight in it and scare his overnight guests). There was also his other mask, a moderately price reproduction (made in Mexico) of a Colombian looking artifact. This was easily placed on the "get rid of column" since it wasn't scary and the new varnished look turned Roger off.
Another high ticket item was a sterling silver spice boat given to Roger by Mama Cook. A work of art by a silversmith, it was a horse and carriage motif with various containers arranged to hold a variety of spices. When Roger was given the boat the previous Christmas, his grandmother explained that it was not easy to find the edge weapons he so loved. Mama Cook relayed, “Your taste for the collectibles will expand as you mature and your appreciation for the craftsmanship will be a key to all you acquire.” At the time, Roger's disappointment was not noticeably relieved. Yet, looking back, this was ever so true but Roger never got to tell his nationally famous doll collecting Grandma that it was right-on advice.
The trip home went by quickly for Roger and the mental review lessened his anxiety of being caught in his school skipping ruse. It was good news on the home front. Roger avoided being discovered. So he made a mental note, he would be able to try this another time and would be glad to pay the cost of punishment for pursuing his expeditions to the mecca of collecting. Even at a young age, Roger was steeped in metaphoric historical jargon, because one of his other hobbies was reading the World Book Encyclopedia. It was a gift from Mama Cook to all the family but most used by Roger.
The next day at school, there was no playtime at recess. It was replay time with Wayne and the saga of Roger's Hardy H. Hurst quest. Wayne was initially angry for not being included in the journey, but Roger won Wayne over with his retelling of the passionate and vivid scenes of discovery, so fresh in his mind.
As mentioned previously, patience is not a young boy’s strong suit, so another safari was set in motion with talk of time, needed trade supplies, alibis and, most of all, gas and oil for Harry. Though sleep the night before was fretful at best, the appointed day arrived. Their joint singular focus was their Hardy H. Hurst thirst.
When the boys approached Hardy's house, they were excited. Hardy's pick-up was there. This, you see, was the big unanswered question, would Hardy be at home? Hardy answered the knocking on the paned glass curtained door window. He ushered them in with the words, "Roger, this must be your best friend Wayne." Wayne grinned and stuck out his hand, a gesture Clay Neff had taught his son at an early age. Wayne was mature beyond his years. A quality that had endeared him to Roger and, to this day in their far and few reunions, still amuses and warms Roger's heart.
Hardy shook Wayne’s hand, and this began another visit in Nirvana.
posted by raddad at 7:41 PM
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