Off To The Races

This turtle scooting through the rain reminds me of my childhood. I can faintly remember when I was five years old, my father and a couple of his cousins took me to the turtle races. First we went out and caught a turtle and proceeded to the turtle race.

The turtle race started as turtles were placed under a washtub in the middle of a large circle. When all the turtles were placed the washtub was raised and the race was on. In the first heat, the first turtle to cross the finish line was deemed the winner. In the second heat, which took much longer, the last turtle to cross the circle was deemed the winner. My turtle won both heats. I must have been a natural turtle racer.

One reason that my memory is so foggy is due to the fact that my father thought it would be funny to set me up as a bartender dispensing beer from the keg for the beer drinkers. Being young and curious, I partook of the keg as readily as filling up cups when no one was looking. When I was finally caught, I was pretty looped. Dad tells the story of how he drove me around for hours trying (unsuccessfully), to sober me up before having to take me home and face the wrath of my mother.