In the pump yard,  my two brothers and I were working to partially fill two galvanized buckets with as much water as we could carry to Granny’s cottage a few hundred feet away.  The handle was heavy and had to be pulled down to release water from the spout. I could just reach enough to do it, but I had to arrange space along the handle so that the boys could help. I don’t remember the machinations, but there was much puffing and grunting, and lots of “do it this way,” and “put your hand on the handle here”

I noticed movement on the street beyond the picket fence of the ground between the pump yard and our house,  and there was an American soldier riding a bicycle.  We watched him ride slowly,  his body moving from side to side as he worked the pedals.  The buckets were forgotten.  We ran to the street and watched him reach the hill past Aunt Win’s house.  He got off the bicycle and walked.

My younger brother said “he might have some chewing gum”.  I wondered where he would know about such a thing, and assumed he heard the big kids in school talking about a new type of sweet the Americans had, that apparently lasted forever. “Get some” he said, “No!” I said, but I was curious.  What was this new sweet?  This was my littlest brother asking {demanding really} and I liked making both of them happy.  And after all, I had learned The Code.  The kids in school had said it worked every time, and Americans liked little kids, so they would be happy if we used The Code.

I said “wait here”, but they followed me running to where he was half way up the hill.  I stopped, just now doubting myself.  Was it really a code?  Would this soldier know about it?  I had to try.  A few more steps and I reached him.  I took a breath and said “hey, Mister”.  He stopped, turned toward me.  His face looked so tired, I wanted to hurry back down the hill as fast as I could, but instead I just stood there and said it,  “Got any gum chum?”

I thought he was going to turn away and continue walking up the hill, and hoped he would,but instead he sort of slumped a little and reached for his pocket.  “I only have one stick left”.  Now my dilemma. A stick?  Like a barley sugar straw?  I liked the gentle sweetness of barley sugar, but should I even think about taking his last one? Little brother interrupted my wondering. “That’s nice.”  I tried to shush him, but the soldier looked at him and said, ‘I’ll give you half”

He split the gum, and quickly turned around to walk away from us.  And I was glad that he went.  I finally called out a thank you, made my brothers say it too. The soldier waved an unenthusiastic hand, and got back on his bicycle, having reached the crest of the hill. I split the gum into three tiny pieces, so we all had a taste, but  I was disappointed that it just tasted like peppermint.  As for The Code I resolved to not use it again.  I would see the soldier’s face anytime I said it, and I didn’t like the feeling as I had looked at his exhaustion.

December, 2021