Down behind the Stevens Avenue National Guard Armory along side Gulliver's Field, they parked army trucks, jeeps and even a few tanks. There must have been hundreds of vehicles in long rows. There was no fence, so we had free range to scatter about and go investigating. While others climbed upon the rugged, faded-green tanks, I was intrigued by the large convoy trucks. I'd to seek out the largest truck I could find and sit behind the wheel bouncing along and just imagining I was on some reconnaissance mission some where in the hidden back roads of an Italian countryside. Oh, did I tell you that I went through a phase of reading and really getting into WWII historical fiction in junior high. This, I'm sure, had much to do with my daydreaming. Later that summer, the Armory surrounded the lot with a 7 foot wire fence to discourage intruders. Too neat! It just became more of a challenge for us, and we were always successful on our 'secret' missions.
Missione compiuta!
Oh lucky you! As a girl in Chicago I was also into WW2 stuff, but we could only imagine the vehicles you had in Maine to play on. I'll bet you read "A Bell for Adano."
ReplyDeleteThat would be terribly enticing for both girls and boys.
ReplyDeleteYou are a sneaky one! Perhaps you could get work at the CIA, in their covert operations department. Of course, they do a serious background check...that might be a problem, given your previous predilection to snooping around National Guard facilities! :-)
ReplyDeleteThis sounds so familiar, and not only for the Italian words at the end...
ReplyDeleteI love the geometry in this shot.
ReplyDeleteWhen I first looked at the thumbnail of your first photo I thought it was a mandala. Your story of the old tanks and trucks reminded me of the old school buses that were parked behind the school across the street from where we lived when I was in elementary school. The boy next door and I snuck into the buses which served as trucks, tanks, airplanes and space ships. I had a lot mor imagination when I was 9.
ReplyDeletejust no stopping boys!
ReplyDeleteNormally I would love this kind of shot and story. Right now I'm more into flowers!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful colors in this shot Birdman.
ReplyDeleteOh, oh, don't be taking the largest truck out on a recon mission - big target. I'm really intrigued by the pink wheel. Couldn't imagine that in the old army.
ReplyDeleteMake sure that imagination stays intact Birdman! Bob's comment made me smile..quelle horreur, a pink wheel cap haha!
ReplyDeleteOld rusty joints make us think.
ReplyDeleteCostas
Fantastic colours here.
ReplyDeleteHa! So the mission was not so impossible after all!
ReplyDeleteNice color and texture, Birdman.
ReplyDeleteSounds like good times.
ReplyDeleteYou sound like a regular Walter Mitty. You're imagination is alive and well and fully-fed.
ReplyDeleteOops. I meant YOUR imagination - not YOU'RE. . . ack.
ReplyDeletei would have followed you everywhere if i had been your little sister.
ReplyDelete