ITS A WONDER WE LIVED THROUGH IT

I SPEAK OF OUR CHILDHOODS, ESPECIALLY BOYS.  THE GIRLS WERE SUPERIOR IN COMMON SENSE.   I SPOKE OF LIVING ON NORTON AVE IN GLENDALE.  BACK THEN, THERE WERE STILL VACANT LOTS HERE AND THERE.  THERE WAS A HUGE LOT ON SE CORNER OF NORTON AND SAN FERNANDO RD.  SOME OF THE BIG BOYS ON OUR BLOCK DUG A WORLD CLASS FOX HOLE.  IT WAS VERY DEEP AND THE BOTTOM 1/3 WAS DISHED OUT SO THE HOLE WAS BELL SHAPED.  IF THAT WASNT ENOUGH, THE BOYS SCAVAGED SOME 4X8 WOOD PANELS AND MADE A 4 SIDED STRUCTURE TO COVER THE HOLE.  A SECTION OF THE HOLE THEY CALLED THE ART GALLERY.  WHEN THEY WERE NOT AROUND, I WOULD USE THE LADDER IN HOLE TO CLIMB DOWN AND LOOK AROUND.  ONE OF MY PALS SPENT THE NIGHT WITH ME AND THE NEXT SATURDAY, I TOOK HIM DOWN TO THE HOLE.  HE CLIMBED DOWN AND WAS LOOKING AROUND WHEN I ACCIDENTLY DISLODGED A ROCK AND IT HIT HIM IN THE HEAD. HE CAME OUT OF THE HOLE SCREAMING....BLOOD TRICKLING DOWN HIS FACE.  WE RAN TO HOME AND MY FATHER PUT A TOWEL AND ICE ON HIS WOUND.   HE WENT HOME!   I LOOKED AT THAT BLOODY TOWEL AND DECIDED TO KEEP IT IN MY CLOSET.  IT WAS THERE FOR MONTHS UNTIL MY MOTHER FOUND IT.  I RAN ACROSS SAN FERNANDO MANY TIMES.....BUSY...LOTS OF TRUCKS.  THEN I CROSSED THE S.P TRACKS ON WAY TO GRAND CENTRAL AIRPORT TO WATCH PLANES TAKE OFF.  DURING THE WAR, AN ARMY COL. WITH FLYING EXPERIENCE WANTED TO FLY A P=38 LIGHTNING.  HIS ONLY INSTRUCTIONS WERE  "IT FLIES DIFFERENT"   HIS CO-HORTS WATCHED HIM TAKE OFF AND IT WAS IMMEDIATELY CLEAR HE WAS IN TROUBLE.  THE PLANE NEVER GAINED ALTITUDE AND THE MEN GOT INTO A CAR AND CHASED THE PLANE.  IT DISPPEARED FROM SIGHT AND BLACK SMOKE ROSE INTO THE AIR.  THE PLANE CRASHED INTO AN APT BLDG, KILLING THE PILOT.  NO ONE ELSE INJURED.  ONE DAY ON WAY TO SCHOOL (4TH GRADE)  I WAS RIDING MY BIKE DOWN AN ALLEY AND SUDDENLY A CAR BACKED OUT OF A GARAGE ADJOINING THE ALLEY.  HE NEVER SAW ME AND THE NEXT THING I KNEW, I WAS LOOKING STRAIGHT UP AT THE BOTTOM OF HIS GAS TANK.  NOT HURT !   ONE SUNDAY I RODE MY BIKE DOWN TO A FRUIT STAND WHICH HAD A LOADING DOCK BEHIND STORE,  I RODE UP THE RAMP AND CIRCLED AROUND TO THE RAMP.  I MISSED IT AND PLUNGED HEAD FIRST ABOUT FIVE FEET ONTO ASPHALT PAVING.  A LADY NEST DOOR SAW ME FALL, AND WHEN SHE SAW I DID NOT GET UP, SHE RAN OVER TO ME.  BLOOD COMING FROM MY MOUTH AND OUT COLD.  WHEN I CAME TO, SHE GOT ME TO SAY MY ADDRESS AND SHE DROVE AND TOLD MY FATHER.  HE CAME TO PICK ME UP AND CARRIED ME INTO HOUSE.  BACK THEN, THE DOCTOR MADE HOUSE CALLS, AND HE CAME AND DECIDED I DID NOT NEED TO GO TO HOSPITAL,,,I HAD KNOCKED OUT TWO FRONT TEETH.  WHEN A TEEN, WE DROVE UP ANGELES CREST HIGHWAY IN MY FRIENDS OLD MERCURY.  ON WAY DOWN.  THE BRAKE PEDDLE WENT TO THE FLOOR.....WE DID GET IT STOPPED BY PULLING OFF ONTO A FLAT AS THEY CALLED THEM AND USED SOME SOFT BUSHES TO STOP US BEFORE THE PRECIPACE .  THE BRAKE FLUID WAS LOW, SO WE PEED IN THE MASTER CYLINDER AND IT WORKED WELL ENOUGH TO GET SAFELY HOME.  SO, I AM THANKFUL TO GOD THAT I DODGED SOME BULLETS....