by Dyan Mardlin

Created on: July 08, 2009

I grew up on a ninety acre farm with my three sisters, my brother, and no cable television. We were more inclined to stay well outside of eye-shot of the house. The house was something we fled in the morning, and returned to once we could see nothing in the country night. We knew, should we stray within the line of fire, my mother might spot us. If my mom see's a child who appears in the least bit idle, she will find something for them to do. Not anything simple either, she would sentence us to weeding our massive garden, in the sweltering heat. Or carrying cinder blocks from the one barn to the front of the house, then back over by the side of the house. For this we stayed as far from the house as we could, constantly in fear of hearing, "Well you live on ninety acres and you can't find anything to do, I will give you something to do...."

We had some fun times with Mom, we went each year to the festival our town had during the summer. One summer, it was the dullest, rainiest weekend, a wonderful time was here, we knew it, went to the festival. That year there was a carnival, and the most grown-up scary ride was a double sided bungee harness that stretched as the carnies pulled down the harnessee. Once stretched to the ground, the carney lets go. "boing!" It was nearly the same sensation, as a real bungee jump as far as we were concerned, and we spent all of our tickets there. The festival weekend was over fast and we were exiled again to the tedious country farm.

My brother was called "That Boy Baby" until he could walk, at which time I thought he was called "Has Anyone Seen The Boy?" He always has been inquisitive, since he was a wee baby, right up until this day. He likes to know how things work, and how to build his own version. Having had such fun at the carnival, he began to ponder the bungee rope.

It was after my mom left for work that he found me and began telling me his plan. "I figure with the ends cut off, so you don'tget cut or anything, and it ties easier that way too...." he started in a rush, "Its made of surprisingly similar materials." Had i mentioned as well as being inquisitive, he is clever?I had to admit, his theory made some sense, maybe you could use a garden hose to bungee jump, and obviously the optimal jump point is the silo. I had one problem, I worried the hose could untie off of the harness. As a safety strap i used a dog walking leash, which we put through his belt-loops, and the other end to a point halfway up the silo,

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