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Today’s topic is “6 of your most vivid childhood memories.” You can answer this with a list of 6 words, 6 phrases, 6 sentences, 6 paragraphs, 6 photos, 6 videos, etc . . .

I don’t think I remember much before the age of 4 because that is when I started to attend school.  The memories that are most vivid are probably the ones that were most frightening or embarrassing.

Here are my six for this week:

1) I remember my mother took me to Ringling Bros. circus when I was probably 3.  My sister had won tickets in an art contest, but she couldn’t go because she had a test at school.  So I went instead and I remember having to go out into the ring and walk in a parade.  I also remember humongous elephants, bright spotlights shining in my eyes, and holding one of the circus performer’s hands (a woman dressed in a glittery leotard with a feather headdress).  I remember being very nervous and I didn’t really understand what was going on because I did not learn to speak English until I started preschool.

2) I remember making a girl named Carol mad in preschool because she kept writing her name on the blackboard and I kept erasing it.  That was really out of character for me because I was not a bully at all.

3) I remember having to go to the emergency room when I was 9 because I fell down a few steps and hit my ear in a way that made my earlobe tear like a piece of paper.  The parts I remember the most are sitting at the bottom of the steps, crying, and feeling my torn earlobe and riding in a wheel chair after we arrived at the hospital and they were wheeling me into an examination room.

4) I remember when I was about 12ish . . . I was running across the street and came very close to being hit by a car that was coming around the corner. (No, I didn’t wait for the walk signal.)

5) I don’t remember exactly how old I was, but I was out trick-or-treating with my friends at night.  Maybe I was about 9 or 10?  Anyways, I had to split from the group and cut down one street to get home.  When I was halfway there, this big black and brown dog came out of nowhere and started barking, growling, and bearing its teeth at me.  I ran like I never ran before.  I didn’t even notice that it had stopped chasing me as I got closer to my front yard.  When I got to my front porch, I looked back and the dog was gone.  I also realized that I had lost my mustache while I was running for my life.  It’s amazing that I’m not afraid of dogs.

6) I remember when I was 14, my parents went away to Disney World and left my older sister and I at home (nice, huh?) with relatives checking on us.  My sister got really sick, pale, and weak, so I had to call an ambulance.  I remember being in the emergency room, standing next to my aunt by my sister’s bedside.  I was crying while the doctor was explaining to us what was wrong with my sister.  It wasn’t anything that was too serious, but she did need to have surgery.  Then the doctor asked me why I was crying since my sister was going to be okay.  I remember my aunt took his head off and told him I was crying because I was worried about my sister.

Now go post your own list on your blog (don’t forget to grab a button) and then leave the direct link to your post on Mr. Linky. Then go check out everyone else’s Small Talk Six lists and leave them a comment so they know you stopped by.  If for some reason Mr. Linky isn’t there, just leave your links within a comment.

~Karen