Page 100 - REALLY What A time Book IX

REALLY SO WHAT
What A Time

OUR BACK YARD

In the other direction, in our backyard, it passed us, the Fire
House, and beside it a Texaco filling station. Just before the
edge of the Valley it took a sharp turn down the hill to the
parking lot behind the Fairlington Administration building.
That turn created the ravine, and a real interest for me.

Whenever it rained water would pour down Abbington Street,
from the tennis courts. Water would run out from the
apartment court yards, down to the curve, where the rain water
would collect. By the time it passed us it would be like a
strong stream. A flood that covered half the road. Sometimes
when it wasn’t that strong we would wade in it and float our
boats, even homemade paper boats. But, if it poured, it would
hit the curb at the end of the street and plow right over
creating this ditch, eroding the hillside.
It, over a couple of years became awesome. Maybe, 25 or 35
feet deep and at least as wide. It ran all the way down the hill,
100 yards. It was ‘V’ shaped, but didn’t run down the hill
straight. It twisted and turned. You couldn’t see from one
end to the other.

That made it a great place to play; an A-plus canyon. One that
Hopalong Cassidy would appreciate. It was rough with steep
sides, shelves where you could get a foothold, and troughs that
you could slide down.

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