A Trip to the Dump
My father was very creative in coming up with the fun things we could do, and we were anxious to hear what he had in store for us. Dad was forty-five when I was born. I never remember him acting old. He was always ready to create adventures for us and some of these adventures were not fondly looked upon by my mother.
“Today we are going to visit the dump,” my father said as he smiled at us and looked at my mother. Mother had a disgusted look on her face. “Can’t you think of somewhere else to take the children?” My father quickly remarked, “Oh, there are treasures at the dump, and we are going to find them! We’ll come back with something you will really like. You wait and see.”
Mother insisted that we wear boots, and once we had the proper attire, we climbed in the car and headed off for our adventure at the dump.
Dad had a big stick which he used to dig through the ‘trash.' He uncovered broken toys, dishes, old broken furniture and then he came upon the treasure. “Here – this is what we need!” Dad pointed to something and then walked hurriedly over to a pile of old bricks. It was as if he needed to claim them before someone else saw this treasure too. He quickly gave us instruction. “You children take a couple of bricks at a time and put them in the car”.
Now we knew that dad had an idea and a plan for those bricks. We didn’t know what it was but whatever it was, we knew that dad would not disappoint us.
“We’re going to make an outdoor fireplace with these bricks,” said my father. “By tonight we will have it built and have an outdoor picnic around our campfire. How would you like that?” he asked.
When we got home dad told us where to put the bricks in our backyard. He then dug up sod and leveled an area of ground. Mom joined us as we handed dad one brick at a time. He carefully laid them one on top of another. Before long it took a shape of something that a fire could safely be started in. It wasn’t very tall, maybe around five bricks high, but it looked wonderful and professionally done to Jim and me. When dad had finished and all the bricks were in place, he stepped back and admired his work.
He smiled and said, “We found a treasure and you’re looking at it!”
That night we gathered some wood sticks and started a fire in dad’s creation. Mom brought out some hot dogs and after we finished eating, we enjoyed hearing dad tell stories.
That old outdoor fireplace was used many times. It was also built many times as it toppled over frequently. Of course, it no longer stands, but the memories I have of the treasure we found at the dump will last forever.
“Today we are going to visit the dump,” my father said as he smiled at us and looked at my mother. Mother had a disgusted look on her face. “Can’t you think of somewhere else to take the children?” My father quickly remarked, “Oh, there are treasures at the dump, and we are going to find them! We’ll come back with something you will really like. You wait and see.”
Mother insisted that we wear boots, and once we had the proper attire, we climbed in the car and headed off for our adventure at the dump.
Dad had a big stick which he used to dig through the ‘trash.' He uncovered broken toys, dishes, old broken furniture and then he came upon the treasure. “Here – this is what we need!” Dad pointed to something and then walked hurriedly over to a pile of old bricks. It was as if he needed to claim them before someone else saw this treasure too. He quickly gave us instruction. “You children take a couple of bricks at a time and put them in the car”.
Now we knew that dad had an idea and a plan for those bricks. We didn’t know what it was but whatever it was, we knew that dad would not disappoint us.
“We’re going to make an outdoor fireplace with these bricks,” said my father. “By tonight we will have it built and have an outdoor picnic around our campfire. How would you like that?” he asked.
When we got home dad told us where to put the bricks in our backyard. He then dug up sod and leveled an area of ground. Mom joined us as we handed dad one brick at a time. He carefully laid them one on top of another. Before long it took a shape of something that a fire could safely be started in. It wasn’t very tall, maybe around five bricks high, but it looked wonderful and professionally done to Jim and me. When dad had finished and all the bricks were in place, he stepped back and admired his work.
He smiled and said, “We found a treasure and you’re looking at it!”
That night we gathered some wood sticks and started a fire in dad’s creation. Mom brought out some hot dogs and after we finished eating, we enjoyed hearing dad tell stories.
That old outdoor fireplace was used many times. It was also built many times as it toppled over frequently. Of course, it no longer stands, but the memories I have of the treasure we found at the dump will last forever.
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