1955 Grand Canyon Kids

I’m so hot and sweaty. It’s so stuffy in the car. We are so cramped and have been traveling so long. I hate the desert. It feels like the sand is in my eyes and every breath I take smells of dirt. I sure wish I could take a long bath. 

Seven people stuffed in a car is too much. I hate sitting next to my baby sister. She’s salty from crying and she smells like she peed in her pants.. I knew Dad should have stopped at that last gas station like we asked. I wish my mother could stop griping. Her voice grates on my nerves.

Even with all the windows open, it’s so hot. The sun burns through my eyelids. I can’t even shut out it’s evil fire. I don’t care if we are going to see the famous Grand Canyon. I have seen enough and traveled too long.

Finally! We are here and us kids pile out of the car. Uncle Caz wanders off quickly to take a million pictures. I’m so glad that old man’s onion breath is out of my face. I’m getting out of here and away from everybody to explore.

But, no, Me and Dave have to watch the kids while Mom and Dad sit in the car and talk. For once my big brother takes up on my side. We are NOT going to watch Wendy. She might fall in the canyon. (I might want to push her, maybe). Okay! Hooray! We don’t have to take her.

We run. We run so fast. We leave little Roger whining in the dust. Ha! Ha! But, he’ll catch up! He’s a big boy He can handle it. He won’t let us get away with it.

Ooooh! What’s this? Wow, Look at that mistiness. So magical, like the world isn’t quite finished up here, yet. Purples in the trees and orange canyon walls. All rosy, and...Hey! it’s not so very hot and stuffy anymore. Feel the breeze! Pine trees. Oooh! Smell the pine trees.

“Let’s stand on the railing, Roger, then you can look down. Down, deep into the bottom of the world.”

He looks at me and I realized he wants to know just how deep into the bottom of the world. “No, that’s not where the devil lives..... Look. There’s a river down there. See, the green, sparkling ribbon?”

Roger and I are on the railing. The metal feels cool as we lean our bodies against it. Dave points out the beautiful rainbow across the way on the north side of the canyon. “It must be raining over there.” He explains. I proudly think to myself, my big brother knows everything. He walks away to investigate something else.

Suddenly, my scalp feels, like someone is tickling me. Then, it feels like little bugs are crawling. “My hair! Oh, my hair, It feels so funny!”

“Ha! Look at you!” Roger says. “Your hair is standing up! Straight up,  in the air!”

“You, too!” I laugh. He squeals and giggles. I feel so buzzy, so vibrant, so tingly, so....What is it? This is a new feeling. I have never felt this way before. So strange! It is like a million butterflies are fluttering their wings all over me.

“HEY!” Dave shouts in his scary voice. “Get off that Rail! Right NOW! A deep chill of fear runs down my spine. Something tells me Dave’s command is an emergency. We run like wild Indians, back to the car. 

Dave scoops Roger up and runs with him, as the lightening strikes the very spot where we just took our last breath.