Growing up in this small community
a store, beauty shop, school, community center.
Two streets that ran straight only one curve,
no hills it was all flat except for the dunes.
Everyone was well acquainted with one another,
your business was my business,
no hiding anything although,
I'm sure some tried.

At that time school events, where events
all attended, talking and laughing
some would sit in the gymnasium balcony.
Away from the crowds I'm sure.
There was the cake walk, the cakes sat
on a table, resplendent.
The kids all stared at the cakes
saying which one they would surely get.
Once the music started and stopped
everything changed, it was the same every year.

There was the haunted house, we
squealed with terror going in there,
never mind the giggling behind the curtain
it was all imagination for us, the unknown.
Looking up at the adults as they
took our hands, the ones we gave
trusting,
our curiosity getting the better of us.
Touching the slime as they laughed in the dark
the adults. For us it was a quick touch
then out, but the adults they were left
there in the dark.