Lost Art of Mystery

On a sweltering day in July 1973, the family of four stood in the driveway of a run-down looking two family house watching as a beat up moving truck slowly backed out onto the street clunking over the curb and knocking over a mailbox on its way. Tears welled up in the older daughter’s eyes. Her little sister grabbed onto to their mother’s favorite sage green linen maxi dress. She looked up and her eyes widened as she watched the dark stains spread beneath the underarms and downward. Their father sighed in annoyance and swiftly turned on his heels. He abruptly headed towards the house letting the loose screen door slam loudly behind him.

The mother and two little girls stood there for a few moments at the end of the driveway, like a polaroid frozen in time. They watched as the truck turned the corner, finally passing out of sight.

This was one of a series of moves. For reasons mysterious to the children, just as soon as they got settled in a new town and school, it was time to move again. Usually something to do with their father’s job as a professor, switching universities, better opportunities or some other adult reason.

This time they were going to move to a different state, but until the next house was ready, they would need to stay in temporary housing, at an apartment complex.

Sitting in the back seat of the beige Volvo station wagon on the worn out, sticky leather, they each hugged a teddy bear close, tears dampening the well-worn faded fur. Hours passed, and after dark, they arrived at their destination. It was a nondescript place. Dark russet brick, all one level. Basically a Motel 6, minus the sign. The family set up a temporary home here. Simply furnished, it served its purpose well enough.

Over the next few days, the girls ventured outside. This was a time when kids were allowed to run around wild and free. Nobody really paid much attention, unless it was time to do homework, chores, walk a dog, or eat dinner. As they wandered around the complex, they noticed quite a few other kids around their age. The children seemed friendly enough, and one of the neighbors even had a plastic kiddie pool in front of her unit. It was blue, with bright green turtles and seahorses printed all around the outside. The little girl invited the sisters to play, and of course they were excited to meet a new friend. And, even more excited to be able to cool off in the bright blue plastic pool.

Being that it was summer and there wasn’t much to do, having a new friend with the kiddie pool was a good start. At least they had somewhere to go. They didn’t like to stay inside the dark apartment, since their mother was often in a sad mood, and the place felt oppressive in the stifling humidity.

One day, not long after moving in, the new friend called them out of the pool, and announced, “hey, it’s time to go to Bobby’s place, his mom is doing her shower.” The girls had no idea what this meant, but of course they were curious. They followed her as she made her way all around the complex. She lead the way, as she called out “shower time!” over and over. Other children, hearing the call, joined them in the parade towards Bobby’s place. There was a sense of urgency and excitement. Some of the boys pushed to the front of the swarm.

The group arrived at apartment Number 19. Someone knocked. The door opened, and an older boy, maybe 9 or 10, poked his head out and whispered loudly while motioning them into the entryway,  “Hurry up! Mom’s just getting in the shower now!” All of the kids shuffled in through the door, crowding the hallway of the small unit. The sound of a shower could be heard, and a high-pitched voice called out “Hey you guys, wanna see my tits?” The group of kids, mostly boys, swiftly gravitated towards her voice.

The bathroom door was open, an intoxicating scent of strawberry shampoo, cigarette smoke and booze filled the air, as a cloud of steam poured out. Rock music played on a transistor radio. Behind the sheer plastic French doors, a messy giant blonde head of hair bobbed up and down. Suddenly, the doors flew open and Bobby’s mom leaned out, “You wanna see these!” she held up her enormous breasts shaking them at all of the children, water droplets and suds flying through the air. The two new girls stood in shock. The older sister grabbed her younger sister by the hand, and dragged her through the cluster of kids, and out the front door in a hurry. They ran all the way back to their apartment, where they fell onto the air mattress in hysterical fits of giggles.