Connections and a fugitives angst

As the confusion from the Explosion began to fade away ..several things became clearer . The tree was still standing ..Rex was getting his breath back , most of the kids had scattered . and the tree was on fire ..so was the ground beneath it as embers dropped onto the dry leaves and grasses .

Having a fire extinguisher was not part of my plan , so it seemed reasonable to leave the woods . And it was at this point that all the excitement , all the joy , and enthusiasm for my experiment took a turn . I had thought that the means I Had employed , the breaking into my parents bedroom , stealing shells , covering my tracks , would have a much better pay off . to be honest I was terrified ...the fire was very real and it was not going to go away .. I raced home ...afraid to go into the house I Hid in the small space between our garage and the Garage next door . From here I could see a neighbourhood prodded to action as the sound of the volunteer fire men and their trucks could be heard in the distance .

From the woods to the Fire station was less than a half of a mile ...it didn't take long for a response ...Hoses were coupled to a nearby Hydrant , fire lines were laid back into the woods ...the fire had moved out and up ...if unchecked it would have singed several houses ..but it was quickly knocked down .

It was after the fire was put out that the " investigtion " began . For the rest of the day I cowered behind the woodpile , fearing it was only a matter of time before they would come for me . And this fear was genuine and it was paralizing ..Rex who had seen me dive into the hiding place came by to tell Me he had heard that Wayne Twitchel had told the firemen and plice He thought i was responsible .

I never could confirm this ...I had always wanted to ask Wayne about it , but never had the chance .

Wayne lived up the street from me . I always remember him as being somewhat awkward , tall and had a noticeable stutter ...we would occasionally see each other on the way to school , I don't think I had any negative feelings about him ..we just moved in different orbits . Wayne seemed to excel at throwing things . BY things I mean baseballs and Footballs . IN little league He was one of two of the most feared pitchers we would stand up against . BY the time He got to High School He was a Legend . In High School He earned 9 letters in Basketball , Baseball and Football . after High School he was drafted by He was selected by the Houston Astros during the 1st round of the 1966 Amateur Draft, but would make his Major League debut with the Brewers on September 9th, 1970, appearing in 2 games that season. The following year with the Phillies, Twitchell pitched in 6 games, posting a 1 win 0 loss record, with a 0.00 ERA in 16 innings pitched. He reached the pinnacle of his career in 1973 with the Phillies, when he notched 13 victories, 10 complete games, including 5 shutouts (third in the league), with 169 strikeouts, and a 2.50 ERA, earning National League All-Star status. Twitchell concluded his career after appearing in 4 games with the Mariners in 1979, compiling a 48 win, 65 loss record, with a 3.98 lifetime ERA, in 1,063 innings pitched. Following his playing career, he returned to Wilson High School where he served as a pitching coach and worked in the real estate industry. He was inducted into the Oregon Sports Hall of Fame in 2006. He died from cancer. (bio by: C.S.)

On June 10th 1972 Wayne faced Hank Aaron , Hank hit a home run # 649 Lacing Hank on top of the all time Home run hitters .

All this to say ..this world is much smaller than we thing of it ...we bump and press against each other and have no idea of how all that bumping and pressing shapes us and the planet .

As it turned out as the sun went down ..I crept home ..still anxious , still trembling ..I would never again steal my Dads ammo. The police never came to our door , I was not lead out in handcuffs ...but later my mother would be digging in the Garden and she would expose a hasty burial site filled with discarded shotgun shells and a maimed Hop along Cassidy Toy pistol .

Not only does life have a way of bumping into you ..it also has a way of catching up as well.

I was vacationing in Oregon when I heard of Waynes death .

It reminded me of this incident in the woods , of childhood gone all to soon . BY every account i read of Wayne He was a wonderful and humble man ..I would have very much liked to meet with him and share stories from those Multnomah days ...