Thick as Thieves

Small towns are so much different than cities. Growing up in Puyallup I didn't consider my town to be a city, not until I lived in Jerome Idaho. We had one mascot for the entire town, The "TIGERS!" We had two neighborhoods that were considered "in town", the rest were rural homesteads and fancy houses in their own little world by the golf course. The roads were all grid pattern, we had one gas station, one grocery store, one bank and a post office. Plus all the little shops "downtown" off of Main St.

My High School was on a road called, "Tiger Drive". that road lead all the way to the edge of town where I lived. The last street on the very outer corner of what was considered , "town".

Most of the other students knew how to drive and had cars, so naturally, I wanted the same. I decided to work for the summer on my pappy's land and earn enough to pay for my own driving classes.

I spent 102 degree months out in the field working a tractor to turn the soil, using equipment I probably shouldn't have driven to place down a driveway and excavate a road leading to the river below.

Going into high school would be so much better if I could drive, even without a car.

At 13 and 14 (summer birthday) I was getting my first taste of independence. And I loved it.

Little did I know the very different new friends I would soon meet by chance.

Something you should know about me is that, at this point in time I was becoming very much like my dad . I poured myself into whatever caught my interest and that still holds true to this day. If something makes you happy, why wouldn't you do everything you could towards it?

I was happy to be there, starting in high school, becoming my own person, away from everything I once knew and welcoming change like a long lost friend. I was a natural at adapting.

"Goat heads" were a common occurrence I was unfamiliar with until now. Tiny , sharp and horrible seeds that could pierce my shoes and my bike tires. So , although I had a bike, it was rarely available for use to get to school.

The walk didn't bother me. Warm sun mixed with the cool fall breeze , clean sidewalks , sounds of children on the playground all made for a good start to the day.

Humanities class was after lunch, the teacher was laid back yet obviously intelligent beyond his looks. He seemed the sporty type but his true passion was in knowledge on history and civilization. What made his class all the more enjoyable were the adorable sophomores who somehow knew all the answers while never once paying any mind to his lectures. It drove him mad, while giving the rest of us a good show.

Algebra was as it's always been, a completely mind numbing hour of the day. That time I thought better spent doing "salad fingers" impressions and going word for word on the script of "lamas with hats" to my funny , sweet and relatable friend, Kristy.

Kristy and I had every class together so even though we hadn't known each other before, we quickly became inseparable at school.

The hallways were as busy as I imagined they'd be, the loud jocks, giggling dairy queens, walk while they talk nerdy kids and so on. 1 pair stood out the most though, 2 girls that were always together. Always talking in strange and funny ways with facial expressions to match, not ever caring about who was watching. I enjoyed seeing them the most in those hallways.

Half way through my freshman year, we decided to move again...

Directly across the street into an identical home that didn't have a pink room.

I was able to move all of my belongings with a wheel barrow in 3 trips.

If I had to choose a highlight moment in that year, it would be the day I met "K".

(Since she is still alive and well, I will refer to her as 'K" instead of her birth name. I will also do this for a few other key people during this time in my life.)

Walking home from school, I traveled the same direction as a few of my classmates . We generally walked at a distance in groups but I was always by myself on the way home.

On this specific day, ahead of me on the opposite side of the road were 2 girls, 1 of whom I recognized from the hallway, but it wasn't her usual other half walking with her that day.

We casually made our ways up Tiger Drive and I kept noticing her glancing back and giggling to her friend. I thought the worst at first considering previous experiences but I decided to smile at her anyways . She returned my smile with the funniest expression I had seen in years and we both laughed together from a distance . After a few short moments I saw her turn to me and start walking my direction , wearing the same funny face . Her friend looked shy and embarrassed , rosy cheeks and no eye contact with me.

We exchanged a few more faces and before long they invited me over to hang out .

My dad was at work so I texted him where the house was and that I would be home for dinner . She lived just down the road by the park in our side of the neighborhood.

That day changed the rest of my time in Idaho. The day I met K.

It didn't take long before I met the other half of K, Kat.

K was a very silly, cute and overall a fun loving girl, while Kat was like a more serious and hardcore version of that. They complimented each other perfectly. Their shy friend? lets call her , "Ally". She was the most mischievous of us all as I came to find out.

We all became thick as thieves , the 4 of us. We lived within 10 minutes walking distance of each other and the park was the center mark.

We did what all teens did in small towns, we got into trouble... however, we never got caught.

K's parents would supply us and make sure we didn't leave the house, Ally lived with her grandma due to her mom's instability, Kat lived with her mom who I frankly don't remember ever meeting and we already know I had way too much freedom for my own good.

It was a recipe for either disaster, or a really good time.

It was often both.

Simultaneously.