Cub Scouts

 I was seven years old and my next door neighbor John who was the same age showed me his cub scout handbook. He put on his uniform and did the scout oath.

All the stuff a seven year old would think is so cool!

I was hooked and asked my mom and dad if I could join. They said yes.

I was elated. I read and re-read the handbook and practiced the scout oath dozens of times in front of the mirror.

I just loved the idea of earning merit badges and becoming an eagle scout became my dream.

The first few meetings were cool. We went to a radio station and I got to pick out a 45 record to keep. I can remember the song but not the name.

"If you could read my mind love what a tale my thoughts could tell"

"Just like an old time movie about a ghost from a wishing well"

Then came the night of the soap box derbie and I was given a car kit that me and my dad were supposed to put together.

He was too busy with bowling and AA so he didn't have time to help even after waiting a few days.

My big brother just slapped me around and told me to fuck off.

So my soap box was just the block of balsa with the wheels stuck on.

The best I could do by myself as I wasn't allowed to use dad's tools and couldn't play with knifes.

Needless to say the pack leader wouldn't let me enter it.

So I couldn't race.

When cub scouts ended at seven o'clock everyone left to go home. I waited for my dad to come pick me up outside under an old light above the door.

Terrified because it got really dark and the light went out.

I waited till 11 pm for him to pick me up.

He went bowling and drinking with his friends and forgot about me until mom got home from working at the salt plant and sent him to get me. 

So mom and dad decided that cub scouts was too much of a drain on the family so I couldn't go anymore.

That left me trapped at home at my brothers tender mercies.

Through the following years till I was 10 between the bullying and beatings I tried to teach myself all the cool things in my cub scout handbook. I did pretty good. I made a homemade radio out of copper wire and a toilet paper rolls core. Learned how to spot poison ive and oak.

Most all of the things that you can do alone and quietly so no-one can catch you.

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