White's Pond

I remember White's pond like it was yesterday. All the kids flocked to it. We swam in the summer and played hockey in the winter. It had an old lodge that was still in shape that the old farmer left open. It reminded you of a cabin in the woods. It had a huge fireplace in the center with a big chimney. It was circular so you could all sit around it and get warm.

We had some fun times at the pond. Even in the winter. The girls would skate around the pond like a figure skater and put on small shows like they were in the Olympics. They were so cool to watch because they even wore the cute outfits when they skated. They would get tired after a bit on the ice though.

Then came the real fun. We would get the hockey games going. We had enough kids for like three to four teams depending on the day of the week. We would race around fighting over the puck. The fighting was better than the game ever was. We kept it pretty low key though. At worst would be a black eye or a bloody nose. We would play winners, so we always had a captive audience. To keep it simple first team to 3 goals won.

I met my best friend on the ice. He was on an opposing team and kept stealing the puck from us. He had transferred in from Michigan somewhere. He had been on a real team. He had the official skates and all the gear. He was always up for a game. He did hate it when the pond began to thaw in the spring though.

I would always remind him that spring in the Midwest brought many things that were very rewarding as well. I still remember his first spring day he came to the pond with me. The pond had thawed and was clear of the ice. It was still cold, but we did not care. The girls of spring showed up in style. They were wearing the new swimsuits. That year it just so happened those bikinis were in style. You could see so much in a bikini that Roger, my best friend forgot all about being sad the pond had thawed out.

We all jumped in and swam around. We hauled the island raft out to the center for the girls to lounge on and sun. While we swam around and splashed them. It was great fun.

The cool temperatures of spring soon passed, and the hot summer days took over. Everyone was busy swimming to just stay cool. We would go home looking like prunes. We had so many pools toys we never had to leave the water. We just all hung out while we stayed cool. Floating in the water hanging on to a lounge chair of our favorite girl. Life was easy in the Summer.

As we grew older the pond and the old lodge became more than just a hangout. We would have overnights out in the lodge. We would stoke up the fire on a cold autumn night and roast hot dogs. We would stay up late just sitting with our girlfriends who snuck out or were "At a slumber party." It was just innocent fun. We would all fall asleep around the fire in each other's arms. Then at first light the girls would scurry back home before they were missed.

We could not wait for the ice to cover the pond once again though. Instead of the games of our youth we would spend hours holding our girls' hands and skating around the pond. After a few hours we would warm up by the fire before we would say our good-byes till tomorrow night.

The pond was so much to everyone when we were growing up. It was the best place to meet and hangout. A lot of firsts happened out on White's pond. Usually when it was frozen over. Everyone remembers the good times.

Now some twenty-five years later I returned to the pond to find a new owner had the land. He had made sure to tear down the lodge and filled in the pond. He had posted no trespassing signs all around. He walled in his land like a fortress under siege. No kids around at all. The old paths were grown over. Even a new road going into the old forest that was cleared and had new homes in its' place.

The memories of the frozen pond and when it thawed will be with me my whole life. I just wish I could have shown the kids where I met their mom. It was just as the pond had thawed and she came to the pond her sophomore year in the spring. Her hair all long and feathered back. Enough hairspray on it that it never moved. Her sleek purple one piece swimsuit. Her beautiful figure just glistened in the morning sun that day.

So many memories, too many to count. The pond no matter whether it was thawing or frozen was a wonderful and magical place. It will forever be in my heart.