The Scorching Sand

by Ada Morris -
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Grandma Pearl Hallum and Grandpa Hallum lived about 1/4 mile west of the big house we shared with Grandma Ada Craddock and our oldest brother Lenard. It was like hilltop to hilltop and we could easily see her home from ours. I often walked the short distance to visit . When we moved it was just a little farther west and a little south. Dad went to work for a farmer and rancher, Dolf Nowland, and we moved into his house a couple of blocks off the main road. Jack and Aline Finley lived just south across a knoll from us. Aline made some of the best hot rolls in the country. On their way to church Grandma and Grandpa would pick me up and then just drop me off from the main road on the way back.

One Sunday morning David went to church with us. It was hot summertime and by the time church let out the deep sand on the 2 block lane that led to our house was hot enough to cook on. Grandpa let us off as usual and immediately David discovered the scorching sand on his bare feet was gonna be a problem, he let out a holler. Although he was as big as me, I picked him up and wobbled a few feet then had to put him down. He ran a few feet and again I had to pick him up. We repeated this over and over until we finally got home. I suppose we were about 6 and 7 and even though we were rivals most of the time , we were very close at the same time and I shared his pain that day.