Top five childhood memories.
1) I'll never forget when dad was teaching me how to fly a kite, and every time it nose-dived, he would angle it towards mom. The one time he actually hit her (or maybe she just intentionally didn't move out of the way, I never know with that woman), she came charging up to him with a bloodied arm and literally tackled him down into the sand.
2) Sleeping on summer nights with the sound of the waves beating against the shore and the scent of salt air wrapped around us.
3) The first time mom and all of us girls sang "The Littlest Birds" to dad. He got all teary-eyed and even pulled the classic dad line that he just had somethin' in his eye.
4) Building elabourate cities in the sand with my brother, moats and bridges and buildings and all, for mole crabs to explore.
5) When Whiskey got ahold of some, ah... herbs... and we were smoking out behind the shed, dad caught us. He got real angry looking, all puffed up and grumbly, took the joint from my fingers, took the bag from Whiskey, and glaaared at us as he took a drag. I thought we were in so much trouble that I was already planning my funeral. And then he just said, "Kids, I thought we raised you to share," and passed it back to me.
Come to think of it, he pocketed the bag. I don't remember that being shared.