The Adventures of Stickywick

Stickywick said, "What brings you here to the office?" Jonathan said, "I was sent here for playing a prank on my fellow classmates." Stickywick said, "That reminds me of when I was a young lad around your age." Jonathan said, "You played pranks also?"

Stickywick laughed and replied, "Yes! I was known for playing many pranks on many of the town people, especially the Mayor."

Jonathan asked Stickywick why did you pull those pranks? Stickywick replied, "I had no father, and a working mother. I was left alone with too much spare time. While we wait for the Principal to return I’ll tell you all about my adventures as a prankster.

When I was five years old my dad had died. My mother never told me why? I always assumed he was ill. It was very hard to adjust to life with no father. From my photographic collection I observed that my dad had a picturesque physique. I don’t remember dad ever losing his temper. He never hit or hollered at us. He would sit down and explain things.

My life became complicated after my father passed away. I looked for an outlet to fight off my frustrations. I had found a need to challenge the world of Jaksmire to satisfy my feelings. This story is reminiscence of my desire to grow up and become a man.

When I think about my past, I have to laugh. I admit I was silly and didn’t give my actions any thought. I did have a lot of fun including the townspeople in my misadventures. My adventures were my means of attracting attention. I hardly knew my dad, but had a need for a father. I have a brief remembrance of his participating in games with me. Such as tag, giant steps, and Simple Simon says.

My growing years were painful. I felt separated from the townspeople. The people tolerated my nonsense. At that time mom was twenty- five and as pretty as a picture. Her face took on a radiant appearance each time she smiled. She was petite and energetic for her age. Her hair was blonde. Mom’s eyes were as blue as the sky.

Mom always knew what was bothering me, but she was in no position to help me. Mom always worked as the secretary for the town Mayor. Mom had no romantic ties to Mayor Adams. She loved the town and it’s people. My mom had lots of friends. My stepfather, Sam Capp was the one man I learned to respect and obey. I decided to role model myself after him.

He had been an excellent lawyer. Sam graduated from Harvard Law School with honors. He was extremely handsome and gentle with mom. He was a strict disciplinarian but fair. I was always in trouble.

I remember one day, Sam said, "Stickywick! I’d better not hear that your pranks are getting you into trouble at school. I’d replied, "Yes Sir,!"

I grew up in this town of Jaksmire in the great State of Tennessee. It still remains a small quiet town with a population totaling approximately three thousand. Folks live and die here leaving deep roots in our lives. This town is high up in the Tennessee Mountains surrounded by lush forest.

Mayor Adams was very much in love with my mother, and I was against him being my father. I loved to involve Mayor John Adams in my misadventures and that made him furious and I didn’t care. The Mayor punished me for my deeds; it was a small price to pay.

This wonderful town has a small shopping center with a beautiful Church on the opposite side. This Church serves as the anchor to this center and the soul of its people. The town hall stands in the center of the town, diagonally across from the shopping center. The perimeter of the town was lined with farms. At night one could see the eyes of little animals as they emerged from their hiding place.

Time was getting late and the school day was reaching the end. Jonathan said to me, "Could we continue this story another day?" Stickywick replied, "I’d love to continue my story tomorrow if you have the time?" Jonathan said, "Where and when could we meet?" I’d like to meet at my house, where you could meet my wife, and my partner in pranks tomorrow after school." Jonathan said, "Tomorrow after school would be great." They shook hands and Jonathan went home.

The next day after school Jonathan showed up at Stickywick’s home where Becky greeted him. Becky offered Jonathan some milk and cookies while he waited on Stickywick to enter the room. Stickywick entered a little late so he apologized to Jonathan. Stickywick said to Jonathan, "Lets go into the living room where I’ll continue my story."

Becky was one of my best friends. She is now my wife and mother of my children. As we travel back into time, I reminisced about the many adventures that my friends and I had ventured into. These adventures helped us in our growth and maturity.

Becky always understood how I felt, and had a habit of laughing at me. I didn’t like it, but that didn’t stop her. She would say, "Stickywick! You’re silly! You love to make the town people mad."

I loved to create adventures that would annoy the townspeople. I needed to be noticed by the other young boys. I had felt inferior to other boys who had fathers.

I must mention, that Becky had grown prettier with age. When I was young, I enjoyed dressing sloppy. Pants with lots of pockets fascinated me. I wore pants that had eight pockets all the time. The more pockets the merrier.

Becky has blonde curly hair. She is 5’1" without high heel type shoes. Her magnificent eyes are of a bright blue. She has dimples that protrude outward from her beautiful face.

Over the years our love had grown stronger. As a family our love had brought our souls and hearts closer to God and the Church. I have three children, two girls and a boy. My daughters are now five and three years in age, and my son is one.

Mom owned her own cottage. It consisted of four bedrooms, playroom, reading room, and a garden full of blooming flowers. The cottage exterior was painted brown with a crème color.

In Jaksmire, in my early days, people didn’t bother to lock their doors during the daytime. At night they did indeed lock all doors as a precautionary measure. The town had no reportable crime. The town’s people had to learn to trust each other and work as a team.