Artist's rendering of West Hill of yesteryear!
The spitting image of Casper!
At the crack of dawn this morning, I was rudely awakened from a deep slumber, when a dump truck noisily rumbled down the back alley no-holds barred.
I tossed and turned, but shucks, I was unable to slip back into dreamland, even after counting sheep!.
So, I tossed on a wisp or two of clothing over my naked bod - to keep the crisp morning air at bay - then plunked myself down at the curb out-front to reflect a little on life.
As I turned to glance down the empty street edged with the hulking silhouettes of the parked cars nearby, I suddenly spied an awesome sight, alright!
There, a couple of feet beyond my perch, a rabbit sporting a mottled coat with stand-out markings, feasted on a delicious morning snack of greens and what-not.
Suddenly, I was transported back in time, where a kaleidescope of golden memories splintered to life.
Engulfed me!
Then, the image of my boyhood pet, surfaced.
Casper, was a tame (playful) rabbit with twinkling eyes, who once (so long ago) trotted behind me obediently as I carried out my daily chores ever-so-steadfastly.
Such a beauty!
His lustrous coat was as white and as pure as the newly-driven snow!
Yup!
Casper was a joy to behold.
Sadly, not for long.
On the first day home from summer camp that year, I was alarmed to hear that my precious little bunny - which brought so much warmth and companionship into my sweet youth - had somehow manged to slip off the wire latch of his cage door and skid-daddle off into the wild without so much as a parting glance.
That's what the grown-ups said!
But, you know what?
Yup!
When parents are afoot - and nursing a demon hang-over - anything is bound to happen, eh?
But, there is one consolation.
A few years later, when I visited the neighborhood for a reunion, one long-time resident let it slip that on many-an-occasion (when the sun was about to be swallowed up at dusk by a grove of grand old evergreen trees at the edge of the property) he witnessed a giant white rabbit gingerly step out of the forest for a secondor two, take a gander at my old digs at 7 West Hill Drive, then hop off.
Casper!
Old Military Road
(childhood haunt)
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