Pyote Texas Thoughts

Pyote Thoughts

I may have written about this before but it is a good memory of Pyote, Texas
Back in the early 1950’s when I was about two years old I remember an incident that happened at the land of sand playground at Pyote Air Force Base, Texas and it seems just like it was yesterday that it happened.

PYOTE AIR FORCE STATION - I have no idea how I remember anything from the 1950’s or how I could remember Pyote Air Force Base.

I remember living on an Airforce Base way out west and I do mean way out there in the twisting sands between Pecos and Monahans in the Western part of Texas. I remember playing in the back yard, taking a bath in an old tub, riding a toy tractor, and running down the sidewalk to the playground.

The playground and the slide on the playground remain a vivid memory of Pyote Air Force Base Texas.

I can still see myself playing on the swing and the slide at the Pyote Air Force Base playground.
The swing was good because I could somehow get myself swinging real fast and then leap out of the swing and land in the sand. There were times that I must have looked like a rock skipping across the sand as I bounced along after falling from the swing.

However I loved the slide best and would run to the playground any time I could get to the playground to slide on the slde.

There were times that time was short since I was not supposed to be at the playground. I could climb that slide ladder and stand on the top of the slide like I owned it. I loved being so high up and somewhat in charge. I would look out on the expansive land of sand, take a deep breath and then jump and land on the hot metal surface of the slide and slide so fast all the way down that slide until my butt hit the hot sand.

I do not remember wearing shoes or at least I do not remember keeping shoes on in those days. Guess my feet and butt were hot and worn out after all that running, swinging and sliding! I would then get up and run as fast as I could back to the slide ladder and climb it again. The second time I climbed the slide I would wait at the top of the slide until the Pyote Air Force Security Police saw me standing on top of the slide!

The playground was located bewteen the entrance and exit roads of Pyote Air Force Base. The Security Police entrance and exit gate was about 200 yards from the playground. Kids were not supposed to be on the playground with out an adult to supervise them. We lived in Pyote Base Housing and my father worked all day doing something at the base and my Mother worked all day taking care of me and my sister I think. I do not remember my sister at Pyote but guess she was there. Mother was sure busy taking care of us. My parents did not seem to have the time to go to the playground with me when I wanted to go!

I had this slide routine down pat. I could get in about ten minutes of swinging and slide play before the Security Police would see me from the front gate. Once I got the attention of the Security Police I would taunt them by yelling and screaming and maybe hanging off the slide like I was going to fall. Once the Security Police got in their jeep I would jump onto the slide and slide like the wind until I hit the sand running.

I would then run like mad across the playground and a major road and then sprint up the sidewalk to the house three blocks away and get back into the back yard by climbing over the backyard fence and act like nothing was wrong. This playground fun worked for some time until the Security Police learned where I lived and would get to the backyard before me. I guess they figured I was the only kid in the area so I had to be the wild slide kid who taunted them almost daily.

The Security Police and my Mother told me that my Father would be talking to me about my playground activities! It seems that sneaking out of the yard and running unsupervised to and from the playground without adult supervision was a no-no in the land of sand.