InsaneJournal

scribed in a notebook

"February 16, 1951" was the time and date that was suspended in a single frame clearly marked the day of a missing tooth. A gap filled smile proudly stared back at the kodak, which took the snapshot. He was seven years old standing next to a boy who was the same age. This boy was of relation but not a sibling. A first cousin on his mother's side. His mother's side were known to be close and he felt close to the boy like a brother. His rise in age indicated he was a teenager looking out for the missing tooth kid. That day in 1951 was a cold winter morning. The type of mornings where toes and other appendages were woken up in numbness. faces were slapped by the wind, leaving red marks across the cheeks. Ice was broken and falling from the rain gutters. Danger hid behind each falling icicle causing extreme measures to avoid it completely. As a child, there was no such thing as avoiding extreme measures. As a little boy it was welcomed.

Snowmen lined up in the front yard like dilapidated soldiers. Each having its own use with a common task of defending the home from attack. They were kids pretending to write their own war story like the guys who were idolized in the neighborhood. Less than a handful made it back, whereas the others unfortunately did not. He remembered the afternoon as clear as the morning. Guests would arrive for lunch. They were special enough to put a halt to the fun being had outside. He remembered the disappointment of having to end his games with his first cousin Frankie. Frankie was disappointed to know that they would have to be on their best behavior. The consequences of not complying, meant a heavy hand across the face from his little cousin's old man. . .

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"Linc' and Frankie - February 16, 1951," it read. Linc' was a kid then and now the owner of the photo. his youth brought back memories of sorrow and not memories of joy. His recollection transformed into an array of emotions that were sealed off after all of the years since gone. Tragedy was one way of recalling the times. Lost of a loved one took him back to the day of being captured by the kodak. What happy times lamented in the picture, were overshadowed by the dark mystery of one long gone Frankie. . .

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an old man's eyes, who have seen the decades flip like the pages of a photo album, squinted at the reflection of himself at seven years of age. He was small. A complete runt with dark hair, light eyes, and a missing tooth. His freckles were in contrast to the fairness of his skin. His father's eyes were recognizable so was the smile of his mother. he was. .

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it was flipped over to check the subjects. A kid and his cousin, standing side by side, holding up hand molds of snow. Snow was everywhere. It covered the shingles of the house. It was trapped in the gutters. It covered icicles. It was even molded to create life size version of men on security duty. The now older man remembered the day. It was one of the fondest memories of his childhood. A memory shared with his cousin who shortly after was captured in the photo, had lost his life. pain shared through the picture kept him lost in the morning of February 16th. The year of 1951 was still new after 1950. That year broke away from the decade of the 40s. .