Four

I think I blame the dryer.

When I was in elementary school, I was a test subject for Ton and his friends. They explored every possibility that they could think of. If it was thought up, it was tested on me. Let’s see what happens if. That was their motto. I was their lab rat, running the mazes hoping to get the reward at the end. I liked Curt, so that would have been a great reward. He didn’t even know that the rat was really a girl in love.

“What do you think guys? What will the dryer do if someone gets in it and we turn it on?”

Ton was my hero. He knew I was lonely and he let me tag along behind him and his buddies.

I squeezed in between Ton and Curt to see what the big deal was. It was a dryer. It was our dryer. It looked normal sitting there in the garage, next to its partner, the washer. I watched in anticipation while they pondered. Someone was going to do something cool. I was just excited to be allowed to watch. I stayed quiet because if I drew attention they would make me go away.

“Hey Ang, come here.”

Uh oh.

I walked to the front of the group in submission. It was going to be me. Not cool. I put on my excited face and waited like a dog for a pet on the head. Ton and his friends gathered around the dryer discussing the different options. Dry, fluff, kill. I hoped the last wasn’t a real option and only in my head.

They chose dry. Why not go for the most dry they could get…the highest setting. The setting that made the clothes feel almost too hot to touch right out of the dryer. That one. They assisted me as I reluctantly climbed into the cramped space. At least it was a side-loading dryer. Easier access. Hopefully an easier exit.

At least I got a touch in the leg as Curt helped load me in. I had to curl myself around the protrusions that were like spikes in my little body. What are those and why are thy necessary? I still wonder about that.

I was curled up inside, but I still wasn’t big enough. When they closed the door I screamed. Then I heard the knob click to the Dry selection. Crap. Hot air started blowing immediately and then I was spinning. Spinning and screaming. My little body was tumbling over the protrusions and I was getting pretty banged up. I wanted to be the cool sister, but instead I screamed. They were busy laughing. I was crying. At least I was warm.

“Hey Ang, come here.” Uh oh. I knew that voice. It was the scientist speaking tenderly to the rat that was about to die disproving some new idea.  

Curt was there, so I put on my eager face and walked over. They were trying to roll a huge tractor tire to the main street. Nohl Ranch Road was a steep and long road between our house and the park across the street. It was a perfect training area for many unknown sports such as the one about to be played.

They ordered me to squeeze into the round opening inside the tire. It was big enough to hold my body without any appendices hanging out. It was kind of fun. Until I started rolling. The guys were laughing. I laughed too, but it was a nervous laugh that sort of hiccupped past my lips. Then, when I was correctly positioned in the middle of the street, they gave a big shove and I was rolling out of control down the steep hill. It would have been fun if I wasn’t so terrified. I rolled beyond the sound of laughter. I rolled all the way down the hill. At the end, the tire came to a halt and started spinning like a quarter does before it lays still on a tabletop. Then it was done. I survived! When it was done I decided it was really fun. Ton and his friends ran down the hill to rescue the tire. I popped out and got high-fives all around. At least I got to touch Curt.

That night, Ton and his friends went to the jacuzzi. Of course I begged my way into the jacuzzi with them. I was an invisible floaty bobbing around hoping someone would talk to me. They talked above me. At least I got to stay.

The jacuzzi was part of the complex of condos, so you needed a key to get in. I was locked in there with the entire wrestling team. I was a happy invisible floaty. The guys started picking on Curt. I don’t remember why, but he was running the perimeter of the jacuzzi trying to get away from reaching hands. A few of the guys finally got hold and they yanked off Curt’s swim trunks. Well that was new to me. My first penis. I screamed in embarrassment. Then the guys remembered I was there. So they pinned me down and forced my eyes open. I had to watch Curt climb the fence naked to get the trunks that they threw over. Everyone had such a good time. I saw my first penis. I didn’t get it but I knew enough to be very embarrassed.