When I was in kindergarten, I walked to and from school like it was no big deal. My mom usually didn’t worry, but on this particular afternoon I took my sweet time getting home. She started pacing a little and imagining every possible scenario except the one that actually happened.
We always came in through the back door. That was the rule. So when the front doorbell rang, she froze. It wasn’t a sound that belonged to the end of a school day. She opened the door, probably bracing for something serious.
Instead, she found me.
I was standing on the porch with a garbage can lid from a nearby house, held like a shield. In my other hand, a stick I had clearly decided was a sword. And I wasn’t just standing there. I lunged at her like a tiny knight defending the kingdom of Illinois Street from whatever danger I thought I’d encountered on the way home.
My mom burst out laughing. She couldn’t help it. There’s a special kind of laughter parents have when their kid does something so purely themselves that it knocks the worry right out of them. I wasn’t late because anything happened. I took my time because the walk home had turned into a quest, and I arrived at the front door fully committed to it.
Not long after, she found a Precious Moments figurine of a little knight holding a shield and sword. It reminded her of that exact moment, so she bought it and kept it for years.
Now I have it in my home.
It’s funny how a tiny porcelain knight can hold an entire childhood in its hands. But every time I see it, I remember the day I marched up to the front door, armed with a garbage can lid, absolutely convinced I was brave enough to protect the whole world.
Turns out I only needed to protect my mom from worrying. And I did. In my own ridiculous way.
Thank you so much, kind friends, for reading, liking, lurking, and commenting! You are important!
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13 comments
What a delightful memory, Kymber! A garbage-can-lid shield, a trusty stick for a sword, and a kingdom that apparently required defending before you could make it home—what more could a young knight need? I love that your mother preserved the moment in that little figurine, and that it has now found its way back to you. Some childhood treasures are made of porcelain; the best ones are made of memories.
That is such a sweet story.
Just precious. . .
Lovely writing of a priceless story! Love that you had a bandage on both knees! Really, you ought to collect all these lovely essays for a book. I’d buy a copy in a heartbeat! Great post! xx
So would I!
I sure liked hearing about your little escapade into knighthood! Such a fun memory of those childhood days, and to have the keepsake knight for a reminder is wonderful. 🙂
What a lovely childhood memory! 😃 Even then, you had a writer’s imagination. 😎
Haha 😄 I can picture this
I love that yoi still have it!
aww you did you gave your mom a cherished memory to remember, sweet!
What a sweet childhood memory … That little knight with his garbage can lid shield and stick sword must hold so many precious memories. 😊
Ha ha that is a funny story and you still have the porcelain knight is wonderful and what a great memory for you to hold onto. It is funny how we all walked to school back then.
That’s a great memory Kymber, I;m sure it warmed her heart for ages. Thanks for sharing this story with us.