20 March 2007

Reminiscing Our Childhood

Just as you were thinking (hoping?) I'd completely forgotten about Tuesday Tales...

1. What is the earliest memory you have as a child? Think far back.
I've got an excellent memory for quotes... But for childhood memories? Well, I actually do still remember that Chinese lady... In Chinatown, New York, when I was 5. I remember what the shop looked like. And that when she took my arm to show me something or other, I totally freaked out and was sure she wanted to kidnap me (somehow, my otherwise discreet parents must have talked about this a little too loud..) - screaming and shouting. It turned out she only wanted to show me some plastic crocodiles. So we bought two, for good measure... (Oh, give me a break, I didn't understand any English, let alone Chinese...)
2. What is a special memory you have about someone? It could be a grandparent, family friend - not including your parents - that you knew as a child. What do you recall about them that makes the memory special?
There are several moments (ok, I do remember some things...), but right now I was made to think about that time in my grandmother's funeral. We were standing outside the chapel afterwards, everyone really sad and deep in conversation. It was winter and freezing. My other gran (actually my step-gran, but I won't go into that...) came out, and wrapped me in her fur coat, comforting me and warming me, saying this "is worst on the kids". It's just a glimpse from way back, but I can almost feel her arms around me now...

3. What was a favorite game you played as a child?
It's not a game, exactly, but my friends and I used to love climbing the nearest hills (or "mountains" if you're from an area without them, like Oslo. Or Holland.), playing cowboys and indians (we were almost always indians...) or hiding in the many bunkers left by the Germans during the war. Of course, we'd play quite a bit of football too!

4. What was a memorable trip that you can recall being a little kid and what did you do that makes you think about it even now?
I can't really keep the summers apart, but every summer we'd go down south (from Lofoten), and every summer I'd spend at least one night with my friend in Fredrikstad. Every year we'd go to the same sweet shop and hang around until the owner asked if she did perhaps know me from somewhere...? She'd always get it right in the end... We'd stay up really late and eat as much candy as possible :) One time I was there (I was 6, I think), I had the whooping cough (which wasn't supposed to happen after all those inoculations, but still...), and at one stage we ran to catch a bus. The coughing fit I got once aboard she's never quite forgotten...

5. Did you ever fall in love as a child?
(Ok, I added this question... Just remembered this, you see) Yes. Quite a lot, really. But I remember my first real crush - there was a youth camp, my dad was a leader there, I was 5 or 6 and just along for the ride. This teenager, T H, played cards or chinese checkers or something with me, and I realised he had the most beautiful eyes in the world... I actually blushed (my sister pointed out, rather too loudly for my liking!), and didn't dare looking him in the eyes for the rest of the weekend. Sigh... (Well, he's nothing of the sort these days, but I prefer to think of him as he once was...)

1 comment:

Devil Mood said...

Cute :)
hehhe the mountains of Oslo ;)
By the way, what was the solution to the quadriddle? ...