when I was in third grade....

When dad was through being Superintendent at school each summer, we would go to grandma's and grandad's farm and mom would help with cooking and dad would help with harvesting. This year I was free from third grade and anxious to get going as summer at the farm was always fun and there were so many things to do.

At that time I was going through the phaze of joining the Gypsies. Each summer grandad would let them camp on one end of his fields as he discovered they wouldn't steal anything if he let them camp. Each year mom would tell everyone to keep track of Neysa Le as it was time for the Gypsies to come through and she knew how fascinated I was with them. I was always going to run away and go live with them.

One evening I was catching Fireflies in a jar and I noticed all the smoke rising in the air where the Gypsies always camped. I ran upstairs to see if I could see them. Sure enough they were setting up camp. This time I was going to join them. I was a big girl now and I was all done with third grade. The next night I went to bed as usual but I later tip toed out the back door and took off through the corn fields to the camp. It was kind of scary as it was dark and the corn stalks made a lot of noise and it was creepy. When I finally got there I hid and watched. Then one of kids saw me and I was pulled out of my hiding place and.....there I was. I had joined the Gypsies.
They let me stay awhile by the fire and fed me something that tasted like smoke and then this big man said he would take me home so my grandad wouldn't be mad at them. They had such pretty clothes on and they sang and danced and played the fiddle. I wanted to live with them.

But soon I was back in my feather bed and I knew I couldn't live with the Gypsies that summer.

When I wrote about Spain and Portugal it brought up memories of the Gypsies. There are lots of them living there. The Gypsies were poorer than the ones in U.S. I found the area where they lived but couldn't find anyone of the Norge Group that would go with me to explore their lifestyle . I was acquainted with one of the boys that helped in the hotel where we were staying. We were together a lot and he showed me places I wouldn't have seen otherwise. I told him I was going to go see the Gypsies there. He said no it was too dangerous and no way was I to go alone. I kept at him until he said he would take me.

These were the real Gypsies. They were very poor. It looked like some of the pictures of Africa. They didn't have enough food or anything but they were all so beautiful. Albano, the young man who took me there, was really surprised they treated me so well. The language was different but we managed to understand one another. They danced and sang for me and we ate something that I don't know what it was but knew I had better eat it. We spent the whole evening with them. Beautiful people and I loved them. This was in Portugal and I also went to visit the ones in Spain. They danced like I have never seen dancing before. Also, I have never heard fiddles played like they played them. Colors everywhere. They were poor but they were happy. They are not liked in their country.

Well it took many years but my dream came true. I joined the Gypsies.
gami