copyright Renee Heath
Tecumseh’s Pariah
I haven’t returned to Tecumseh, Michigan since. That hydrant and its sour-sick memories still haunt me: the night 16-year-old me staggered home from partying and crossed the abandoned tracks.
The sudden rush of a steam engine. The scream of a whistle. Hot, sooty wind.
I cowered behind the hydrant—felt it suddenly twist and grasp at me with steely arms. All I could do was scream.
The police found me, jeans wet and hysterical. No one believed me. “Been drinking?” they asked.
I became “that kid”, the one who pissed himself over ghosts.
Sometimes all you can do is leave.
The Green-Walled Tower 
August 7th, 2013 at 6:29 pm
Dear David,
I loved this. You painted a very clear and vivid picture. Well done.
shalom,
Rochelle
August 7th, 2013 at 6:31 pm
Thank you. 🙂 I found out where the picture was on Google and saw that there was an abandoned train track at this intersection and the story came from there.
August 7th, 2013 at 6:33 pm
Dear David,
I see that you did your research. You knew about the railroad tracks through that intersection and you ignored the dancer while writing a very good story. I’m impressed.
Aloha,
Doug
August 7th, 2013 at 6:42 pm
Google Maps is a great thing. 🙂
It’s funny; I didn’t even really notice the dancer until I read Neens story. I guess I saw the fire hydrant and stopped there.
August 7th, 2013 at 6:50 pm
David, I love it that you went the extra mile. You’re a man after my own heart.
August 7th, 2013 at 6:50 pm
Great portrayal of adolescent shame that seems to haunt you forever!
August 11th, 2013 at 9:45 am
I think we all have those moments we are ashamed of, although not to this degree hopefully.
August 7th, 2013 at 6:56 pm
poor kid! fabulous story David.
August 11th, 2013 at 9:45 am
Thank you!
August 7th, 2013 at 6:57 pm
Yes, that would be reason enough to leave town.
August 11th, 2013 at 9:48 am
I have heard stories of teenagers caught in similar embarrassing situations and it always seems best for their mental health just to get away from the situation so their identity is not defined by that one event.
August 7th, 2013 at 9:58 pm
Excellent as always, David, and very vivid. Labeling can have such an impact and you really brought that to life.
janet
August 11th, 2013 at 9:49 am
It usually seems to happen in the teenage years, when kids are the most impressionable.
August 7th, 2013 at 10:22 pm
VERY vivid, can definitely feel his anxiety.
This is something that speaks to me in a way, because people who haven’t seen me in long time are often shocked by how much I’ve changed, not just my appearance, but my personality as well. I do take satisfaction in tearing off my old labels, rather than letting them define me forever.
August 7th, 2013 at 11:16 pm
It’s so easy for people to define us by one trait or one event, especially when we’re teenagers. I’m not sure what my classmates remember about me from high school, but it’s probably nothing like I am now.
August 7th, 2013 at 10:24 pm
Have a couple of hydrant tales myself, but none anywhere near as good as this one. It’s the kind of other-worldly story I like–one that, with a little help from the bottle, actually could have happened. Very nice, with the perfect ending.
August 11th, 2013 at 9:51 am
I like stories with ambiguity in them, as you said, that could be supernatural, or could be explained away through alcohol and an over active imagination. It lets the reader decide what they want out of the story.
August 7th, 2013 at 11:40 pm
Great story. You show us newbies how it’s done. Thanks for sharing.
August 11th, 2013 at 9:51 am
🙂 I’m glad you liked it.
August 8th, 2013 at 12:30 am
Well done David lovely take on the prompt, or should I say the hydrant.
August 8th, 2013 at 12:34 am
How terrifying. And then unable to get anyone to believe the story. I can understand his leaving. An excellent and frightening tale.
August 8th, 2013 at 12:43 am
An amazing write – every time I felt it would conclude it unfurled another aspect of the story!
August 8th, 2013 at 1:02 am
You put in more research than I and came up with a gangbuster story. NIce work my friend.
August 11th, 2013 at 9:52 am
Thanks. 🙂
August 8th, 2013 at 1:07 am
This is quirky and weird, your signature hallmarks. You also captured the kind of small town, Peyton Place reputation that happens in Podunk places everywhere! Ron
August 11th, 2013 at 9:54 am
Small towns don’t forget easily, if at all. Thank you for the comment.
August 8th, 2013 at 1:17 am
awesome work, once again. very vivid . and yup, a good reason to leave. 🙂
August 8th, 2013 at 5:07 am
Reblogged this on llg2948 and commented:
http://wordpress.com/#!/read/following/
August 8th, 2013 at 6:54 am
Your research paid off well.
August 8th, 2013 at 1:34 pm
Arrrgh, the last line says it all. Great story!
August 8th, 2013 at 7:30 pm
As you can tell I’ve been catching up on my reading. Nice story again!
August 8th, 2013 at 9:17 pm
Very unique take on the prompt! Not at all the way I saw it, but compelling and intriguing. Well told!
August 9th, 2013 at 5:38 am
Brilliant research job, as well as evocative and vivid.
August 9th, 2013 at 6:01 am
That was an excellent take on the prompt.
August 9th, 2013 at 6:35 am
Wow. Great story. I love how you can read it as either a terrifying tale, or a rather humorous one. But life is like that sometimes: you laugh because otherwise you’d cry.
August 9th, 2013 at 2:32 pm
Great storytelling, David. A vivid tale. Nicely done!
August 9th, 2013 at 7:12 pm
Awesome that you did research to find out there are abandoned railroad tracks next to this intersection. And, man, what a rough experience — truly a memory that would haunt.
August 9th, 2013 at 7:29 pm
Some reputations are impossible to live down. This is very good writing.
August 9th, 2013 at 10:50 pm
Over the abandoned train track and into the outer limits. I would love to see this story fleshed out. It is good. It’s also a view that a teenager would have, that sometimes you just have to leave. An adult looking back might just shrug their shoulders and smile, knowing that EVERYBODY does something in life that they’d rather not be reminded of.
August 10th, 2013 at 1:27 am
Your research triumphs yet again! Well-written – as one knows, arriving here…
August 10th, 2013 at 1:32 am
Perfect. From word 1 to word 100(?), perfect!
August 10th, 2013 at 5:44 am
Sometimes what happens in one’s youth is not forgotten. Great story and great take on the photo.
August 10th, 2013 at 7:00 pm
That’s a wonderful story. And yes, you have to leave. So well done!
August 11th, 2013 at 12:12 am
That was hauntingly good 🙂
August 11th, 2013 at 3:05 am
Wow, a very powerful story in such few words!
August 11th, 2013 at 9:02 am
Thank you. 🙂
August 12th, 2013 at 3:01 am
Superb story telling. I stopped when I saw the hydrant too, thoroughly enjoyable read
Dee