PRESSED BETWEEN THE PAGES
DeAnn (Wolkow) Kruempel, Columnist
Steering in the Right Direction
Life is hard sometimes, even when we are young. Pressed between the pages of my mind is a memory of our mother telling the story of the day Donald ran away from home. He was not quite five at the time. Mom didn’t remember what had upset her little boy, but he stormed into the house.
“Mom, I’m running away from home!”
Her heart skipped a beat at the thought of the youngster setting off on his own, but she kept peeling potatoes. “Do you want to talk about it? What made you so mad?”
“No. I’m just mad. I’m gonna run away.”
Donald was her second child; Mom hadn’t had a lot of experience with runaways. She
thought for a minute. “Well, you might be gone for a while, so you will need to pack some things. Why don’t you go out and find a long stick and we’ll tie a handkerchief on it.”
The child thought this was a good idea and headed out the door. He came back in a few
minutes with a dead tree branch.
Mom found one of Dad’s big red bandannas and spread it out on the table. “If you are
going to be away from home for a while, you will need clean underwear. You go get a pair in your dresser.”
Meanwhile Mother made a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and wrapped it in a small towel. When Donald brought the underwear, she placed the food and undies on the bandanna and tied the four corners in a knot. Then she attached the bundle to the stick.
“You might get hungry while you are gone, so I made you a sandwich.” Serious child eyes watched. She gently positioned the stick over his shoulder and hugged him—just a little.
“Thanks, Mom.” Donald took a deep breath and started for the door. He stopped. “I’m
running away now.”
Mother nodded solemnly, likely said a little prayer and then watched at the window as her son trudged purposely to the Quonset.
Just inside the big sliding doors stood the tractor, the John Deere Model G. Dad had started farming with horses, but was happy when he could buy a tractor. Donald loved that tractor. He couldn’t wait until he was big enough to drive it just like Dad.
With his bundle in tow, the little boy climbed up to the metal tractor seat. Settling the
pack at his side, he leaned forward to reach the steering wheel, spreading his short arms out wide. Making tractor noises, Donald turned the wheel left and right. It didn’t move far, but he could pretend. He steered and imagined and steered and dreamed.
At last, the boy decided he was hungry, so he ate his sandwich. Then he drove some more
until he decided to go home.
A few years later, about the same age, Dorothy also ran away from home. The Model G
again provided the needed “transportation.” She sat on the tractor until she forgot what upset her.
As is often the case, we can learn lessons from children. When life gets us down, it’s
good to find a safe place to imagine, to dream—and steer back in the right direction.
The author’s column appears in a growing number of Midwest newspapers. Kruempel has published the compiled stories every year for the last five years. She has also published a historical fiction series, “Promises to Keep.”
Her ten books are available on Amazon. Signed copies may be purchased at the Harrison County Welcome Center. Contact Kruempel at deannkruempelauthor@gmail.com.
