Running Away

I ran away from home twice when I was growing up.  I was gone less than an hour both times.  I am not sure that qualifies for “running away.”  First, I must say that it was a different world back then.  A child could go outside by themselves and be safe.  Not true today.  Do not try running away.  It is not safe.  Running Away.

I can’t remember what upset me the first time.  I just remember I was mad and sad and decided to run away.  As I headed out the door, I realized I would need some food if I was going to survive for very long, so I went to the fridge.  I opened it and grabbed the first thing I saw- a big handful of iceberg lettuce.  First of all, iceberg lettuce has very little nutritional value or calories, and second of all, I didn’t even like it.  I mean, it’s okay on sandwiches and tacos and in salads, but not just to eat by itself.  Not a great choice! 

I marched out the front door.   Shermy, my mean next-door neighbor caught on to what was going on and started teasing me. “Oh look, she’s running away.”  “Look she’s leaving a Hansel and Gretel trail of lettuce so she can find her way home.”  I turned around and saw that I, indeed, was dropping lettuce every few feet.  This was not going well.  This was not how running away was supposed to be.  As I remember, I walked around the block.  I was tired and the lettuce was stupid, so I just went back home.  That ended my first running away episode.

The second was just before my 14^th birthday.  I was WAY too old to be running away.  I am so embarrassed by this story that I probably shouldn’t tell it, but here goes. 

Back then, Avon was a large cosmetics company.  Representatives would come to your home and show you a catalog from which you could order.  It took a couple of weeks to get the products you ordered. They would give samples, too.  I loved the smell of roses.  Our Avon lady, as they were called, gave us samples of their “Roses, Roses” perfume.  I fell in absolute love with that perfume.  My mom said she would order me some.  I was so excited.  I couldn’t wait for it to come.  Finally, the Avon lady came and delivered the order.  I asked my mom for my perfume.  She, in the meantime, had decided she would give it to me for my birthday and she told me I had to wait for my birthday.  I was devastated.  I was so sad and so mad.  We had a fight about it.  But she stood firm that I had to wait.  Oh, I was mad.  I decided to run away. 

This time, I didn’t do any preparing.  I just went out and got on my bike.  My sister, Joan was very upset that I was leaving and was crying and begging me not to go.  I just ignored her.  She rode her bike along with me, crying.  Her best friend, Cheryl Hart was there, too.   She turned into a news reporter.  “Girl, age 14 runs away from home.  Last seen on her blue bike wearing pink shorts and a white top.  . .” 

I had discovered a tree up on the College of Idaho campus in my wanderings that seemed like the perfect place to go when one wanted to run away.  It was a large pine tree that had grown very tall and the branches reached downward, forming a “tent” underneath.

I thought it would be the perfect place to hide and think.   I headed for “my” tree.  I parked my bike and climbed inside.  I sat on the cold, hard dirt.  I sat.  I sat some more.  I was wearing shorts and my legs started to get very cold.  I sat. I sat some more.  I was cold.  I was hungry.  I decided running away was stupid.  I climbed out, got on my bike and rode the five blocks home.  No one, except Joan, had even missed me.  Running away is stupid and overrated.

Oh, by the way, I did get the perfume on my birthday and enjoyed it for many months after.  I found this picture of the exact set I got.  I kept the box for many years after, storing things in it.