THE SWING

By Coy Jones ~ CIRCA 1954

 

My brother Jerry, three and ½ years older, and I were, of course, interested in providing entertainment for our little sister, the only female of four siblings. There were no trees around our house suitable for swing building but a clothesline post (remember those ?) was just the ticket for our sister’s swing. And, what better material to use for construction than the rubber rope !?

Looping the rope over the arm of the clothesline post and through a wooden seat, we fashioned a hurried-up swing for her one day when boredom overcame any urge to do anything worthwhile. The seat was a considerable distance above the ground, three feet or so, requiring one of us boys to help her into the desired position. Of course, the three feet above the ground allowed for more "flex" in the rope as well. I’m sure it was my brother who determined the proper height! Being so young myself, 10 or so, I probably couldn’t have made such a decision on my own.

In any event, the swing was ready for action. My sister was, too. Almost four years old, she couldn’t wait. I don’t know if she had ever been on a swing before but I do know she’d not been on one like this.

My brother, being much older at 13, placed our sister carefully into position. I’m sure I couldn’t have been the one, being much younger. I can still remember the look on her face, a smile from ear-to-ear, happy to be about to fly back and forth! It was a short flight.

In fact, the flight was grounded. After my brother sat her in the swing, it took, as I recall, about one nano-second for:

1) The swing to hit the ground

2) My sister to hit the ground

3) Her smile to disappear

4) Her tears to start

5) My brother Jerry to blame me for everything

6) My spanking to start

7) The swing to be disassembled

Rubber ropes, when used in the construction of yard swings, can be very disappointing !

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