Swinging

2024-07-19 “Swinging” by Emma

I guess I ain’t accustomed to being in a city. Our ‘partment is real nice, but this morning, I was just looking out and sort of felt like I need to get some air. So me an’ Jenn went for a walk and come to this neighborhood playground.

That’s when I saw the swings. Something stirred up ‘cause of seeing them.

When I was a little girl, my momma’s pappy came to visit. He said a girl oughta have a swing, and started looking ‘round for something to make one. My daddy said it would come to no good, that I’d wander off from my chores and waste time.

Pappy said, “Listen here, swings been ‘round since them ancient Greeks, and the world ain’t come to a stop yet. My momma had a swing. My sister had a swing. My daughter had a swing. And by golly, my granddaughter is gonna have a swing.”

All he could work out was one rope over a tree branch, and a scrap of fence board for a seat. He had me help bore a hole through it. Daddy took to the idea, too, and helped rig it over the branch.

I think about how hard I had it growing up and then I jumped time 144 years. But, I left a whole county full of little girls no better off than I was, and not all of them had a hard-headed pappy to make a swing for them.

Then, I got to thinking about 2024. Hard times look different now. My time-shifted daddy has a hard life compared to a lot I seen already. An’ Jenn says there are place ‘round here where people have it hard and we oughta steer ‘round those places, ‘cause hard times make some people turn desperate.

So, I asked Jenn if I could come swing a minute. I didn’t try to go high. I just went back and forth enough to get a feel for it and remember a little.

I think it’s funny that thinking about things in the past can make you wonder about things in the future. Like, what’s gonna happen to all the people having a hard life? Like, can I do anything? And what?

Well, me and Jenn are gonna spend a little time here. She said to say we’d hang out here and enjoy being outside. Then, I guess we’ll go back to the ‘partment.

Thanks for reading my little story.